Radiator Inlet Side Tank

Description

This is a replacement inlet tank for the stock Fiero radiator. The replacement tank does not include the transmission cooler tube.

Fits:

Years: 1984-1988

Transmission:

–Automatic – exact replacement

–Manual – This automatic transmission inlet tank will fit onto the manual transmission radiator with one caveat. The tank will work IF you find something to plug the two holes such as a used auto transmission cooler off a junk radiator. You would just insert the transmission cooler tube and tighten the hold-downs. The tube doesn’t need anything attached to the ends that normally accept the transmission lines. I might be able to get some of the original style manual transmission radiator tanks if there’s enough demand. Email me if you’re interested in buying a manual tank.

Additional Information:

This is the driver’s side tank on the left side of the radiator. This was designed for the automatic transmission as it has the openings for the transmission cooler. This does not include a new transmission cooler. You remove your transmission cooler from your old inlet tank and move it over to this new tank. If you have a manual transmission, this tank will work IF you find something to plug the two holes such as a used auto transmission cooler off a junk radiator.

These are no longer available from GM (discontinued for over 10 years) or any major aftermarket manufacturer (discontinued for over 10 years). I was able to stock away a few extra of these for my own radiator rebuilds a while back.

The Fiero Radiator typically fails when one of the plastic side tanks cracks and then starts leaking from that tank. The metal center section of the radiator is usually pretty stout and rarely leaks unless you live in a rust state where it can rust out. The side tank failure is nearly always the automatic transmission tank that fails because it is much larger than the outlet tank or the manual transmission inlet tank since it houses the transmission cooler.

Most people just replace the entire radiator. Only problem is replacement radiators (even ones specifically listed as replacements for the Fiero) do not seem to fit quite right and I’ve read about how people have to modify the radiator supports to get the aftermarket radiator to fit. Also, new radiators are now typically built overseas in China and tend to be of lower quality than the factory radiator was.

The original radiator has lasted 40 years, and if it’s in otherwise good shape other than just the side tank has failed, it seems to make a lot more sense (and cents $) to replace just the plastic side tank.

Installation Tips:

I have done rebuilds of two of my own Fieros auto radiators when the original inlet tank failed and I’ve never had one of these replacement tanks fail. If you have the mechanical skills to remove the radiator, it’s a relatively simple procedure. You need to remove the radiator from the car and then pry back the metal tabs around the inlet tank. Then you pull the old inlet tank off. Remove the transmission cooler from inside the old tank. Put the transmission cooler in the new tank. Put the tank on the radiator and bend that tabs down to hold the tank in place. With the radiator out, it can be done in less than an hour. I do it with just a large metal screwdriver and a pair of pliers.