I've been planning on a radiator for my old truck and am considering a GM cross-flow. Some of you have suggested mid 70s Ford truck radiators and I think I've heard Dodge and Mustang mentioned at one time or another. This got me to thinking about radiator outlet placement. I think all V8 Chevys have pretty much the same placement I think, (either center or left top and bottom right), but depending on which Ford engine you use the placement varies (I think). Can anyone provide the outlet placement for these engines: 289/302, 351C,W,M, 400M, 429/460. If the outlet placement varies by year, then that would be good to know also. I assume a cross-flow radiator could be modified to put the outlets wherever the engine of choice dictated. Is that correct?

 

I f I'm right all Fords are the same, the V-8s at least, top-passenger, bottom-driver.

Clayton

 

Don't know about the other v8's but I do know that a 302 came with different water pumps that swap the location. A guy I worked with put a 302 in a ranger, and when I looked at it, he had a cobbled up mess on the lower radiator hose, because his engine had the waterpump inlet on the drivers side, and the lower radiator outlet was on the passenger side. That's when I told him my 65 mustang with a 68 302 has a cast iron water pump and the inlet is on the passenger side, just what he needed to eliminate all that mess.

You should be able to find a upper radiator hose with the correct crook in it to send it to the right side. Try not to use those ribbed universal hoses. I have had problems with the radiator getting cracks in the tank with these type hoses. I think they put too much strain on the radiator outlets.

 

Franklin,

Thanks. I was pretty sure my 65 Mustang had the lower hose on the passenger side. I had heard that they came on both sides, but I thought it was different engines, not water pumps. So, depending on which water pump you use, the outlet can be on driver or passenger side on 289/302s. Is that the only Ford engine that uses different water pumps or do any of the larger engines do this also?

 

Vern

For the smallblock Fords I believe it is the year that determines it. Every 289 WP outlet is on the passenger side and opposite of the later model SBs. I believe this applies to early 302s as well. I believe most all of the Ford SB Fords were opposite of a SB Chevy starting in about the mid seventies. I know they switched sides on cars but can't verify the precise year. A trip to the auto parts store will clear it up for you by looking at the waterpump buyers guide where they are pictured by application.