Are there 2 different radiators????

[jrhone]

I needed a new radiator for my 02 so I bought a used one. I just looked at my radiator on the car and a few things have puzzled me.

1. The bottom hose on the radiator connects on the side of the radiator. The hose on the radiator I bought comes out straight from the bottom.

2. The drain plug on the radiator thats on the car cannot be found. On the radiator I bought the drain plug is on the bottom left of the radiator where it says it should be in the manuals.

What radiator is on the car and what radiator did i buy?

Can I simply get the right hose to connect the thermostat?

Thx!

[jrhone]

Ok. Here is what the rad on the car looks like.

[Dave3x72tii]

early radiators had the straight barb, later ones angled up, the early lower hose will adapt your car unless it has a/c, not sure about the a/c thing, but the different hoses are found by specifying with or without a/c in the parts catalogue

[M3M3]

the one on the car is for an automatic trans car. the one you got is probably for a manual tranny.

[jrhone]

This is what the new radiator looks like.

[M3M3]

yep..auto vs. manual

[jrhone]

This is what the new radiator looks like.

[1453aalapapa]

there actually used to be at least 4 radiators. when the cars first came over, they all used the std radiator. when bmw started putting a/c on, they moved the hose over to the right, and angled it upward(11 53 1 250 702) to clear the compressor. the core was also updated to increase cooling. the old hose(11 53 1 266 452) exits straight back, and will NOT clear the compressor. nissens makes a radiator, but i dont know the configuration of the lower hose on the nissen.

later on, around 75, the radiators had the ears for the shroud, and the smaller eng fan(115 755, m/t), and the 115 756 also had the cooler for the automatic transmission.

[jrhone]

there actually used to be at least 4 radiators. when the cars first came over, they all used the std radiator. when bmw started putting a/c on, they moved the hose over to the right, and angled it upward(11 53 1 250 702) to clear the compressor. the core was also updated to increase cooling. the old hose(11 53 1 266 452) exits straight back, and will NOT clear the compressor. nissens makes a radiator, but i dont know the configuration of the lower hose on the nissen.

later on, around 75, the radiators had the ears for the shroud, and the smaller eng fan(115 755, m/t), and the 115 756 also had the cooler for the automatic transmission.

AWESOME info! So my car has a later, side exit, A/C compatible radiator now...and the one I bought is an early, straight exit , non A/C compatible radiator...makes sense.

[1453aalapapa]

there actually used to be at least 4 radiators. when the cars first came over, they all used the std radiator. when bmw started putting a/c on, they moved the hose over to the right, and angled it upward(11 53 1 250 702) to clear the compressor. the core was also updated to increase cooling. the old hose(11 53 1 266 452) exits straight back, and will NOT clear the compressor. nissens makes a radiator, but i dont know the configuration of the lower hose on the nissen.

later on, around 75, the radiators had the ears for the shroud, and the smaller eng fan(115 755, m/t), and the 115 756 also had the cooler for the automatic transmission.

AWESOME info! So my car has a later, side exit, A/C compatible radiator now...and the one I bought is an early, straight exit , non A/C compatible radiator...makes sense.

also, all the 2002 radiators have the same part number for the drain plug(17 11 9 057 146, nla). the fact that the one you have does not have a drain tells me is is aftermarket. which doesnt mean it is a good or a bad radiator, just that to drain it, you gotta pull the lower hose

[a54atii]

Here's a picture of the radiator from my 1600-2 (built 26 January 1967). The lower hose is inset slightly compared to the later rad. Also, I recently noticed that there is a date stamp on the top tank of all the radiators I have. This one is stamped 1/67, which would indicate that it is the original rad. Was there a date stamp on all radiators?

Karl

[jrhone]

Here's a picture of the radiator from my 1600-2 (built 26 January 1967). The lower hose is inset slightly compared to the later rad. Also, I recently noticed that there is a date stamp on the top tank of all the radiators I have. This one is stamped 1/67, which would indicate that it is the original rad. Was there a date stamp on all radiators?

Karl

The one I just put in the car was dated 1968...The one I took out was dated 1973.

[jrhone]

also, all the 2002 radiators have the same part number for the drain plug(17 11 9 057 146, nla). the fact that the one you have does not have a drain tells me is is aftermarket. which doesnt mean it is a good or a bad radiator, just that to drain it, you gotta pull the lower hose

I pulled it out and swapped it....The one I bought has a 1968 build date. It may be from a 1600. I got a new lower hose from a 320 and cut it to the right length and dropped it in...seems to be working great! Had it flushed, pressure tested and flow tested before installing it and it passed with flying colors. My old radiator was stamped 1973...its a BMW part BUT it also has an A1 Radiator stamp which tells me it has been repaired before. It also has some bad looking welds on the top tank which may be the source of a leak.

Here is the old radiator and the dried coolant all over the place. I assume this is a source of leaks and letting air into the system when under pressure...I also have spray on the inside of the hood and hoses...

[shipm_8]

Nissens 60710 does indeed have a straight out bottom hose connection, calling for the non-a/c hose 11 53 1 266 452. Or, as I rigged the other night in a moment of radiator difference-induced angst, a trimmed 11 53 1 266 469, the hose that goes from the thermostat to the divider.....good enough to get me back on the road until I get the correct hose.

William