Radiator replacement question Options

[Langing]

Bit the bullet and decided to try to resurrect my Base Level 94 Celica ST 1.8L with manual transmission. It has been unable to start for over a year and a car buff friend stopped by and assured me he would help me pull the engine and get me through the problems of rebuilding it's 7AFE.

So, the engine bay is empty, the garage is full of mostly washed parts, the engine block in on an engine stand, I have a rebuilt head, and I am faced with the following problem about the radiator:

What caused her to shut down was an overheating event which messed the head gasket, warped the head so it could not be repaired, and blew a hole in the RADIATOR.

It just so happens that a couple of years ago when I was redoing her suspension, brakes and wheel bearings all round, I needed a front steering knuckle and found one on a Celica at a local junk yard. At that time I also ripped off that Celica's decent looking radiator and brought it home where it has been stored ever since.

My Celica's transmission is manual. Its radiator is different than the one I got at the junk yard, which is for an automatic transmission. There is no identifying information on the junkyard radiator, and I do not recall what Celica it came from, but maybe 1995, just guessing. I moved the two fans from my old radiator and was easily able to mount them on the junkyard radiator. The only way I know the two radiators are different is that 1) my radiator core is about 5/8" deep, while the junkyard radiator core is 1" deep, and there are two teats on the bottom of the junkyard radiator (for automatic transmission fluid) that are not on my radiator.

All that said, the QUESTION:

Would it be ok to use the junkyard automatic transmission made for radiator in my Celica that used a radiator made for only for a manual transmission? Would it cool my engine properly? Are their any snakes laying in the direction of my thinking?

[Langing]

Yes, it was pulled from a Celica, but about two years ago. It has a few 'dings' in the aluminum 'fins', but other than that minor damage, it looks to be in very good condition.

I like your idea about 'pressure testing' it using a shop vac. Using my air compressor might be problematic. I normally have it set to 90 psi, and the cap is set to relieve pressure at about 13 psi, as you stated. I might find it hard to regulate the air compressor down to exactly 13 psi. The shop vac probably outputs slightly more than 13 psi, which would give it a decent pressure test, IMHO.

Given it passes the pressure test, what kind of chemical can I use to safely 'clean' the interior? And, I was not sure what you meant about the 'pink' stuff. What is that?

Yesterday I put it in place at front of the engine bay and determined that there is no problem with clearance, and the hose attachments are in exactly the same positions as the old radiator. So, I think it will work, if there is no leak.

Thanks for the advice, root.