1997 4.3 Stupid Radiator Questions

I'll preface this with the statement that this will possibly be the dumbest questions I'll ever ask on a forum, but if you don't know you know right?

Background: I came home to a coolant puddle under the front of the truck and after some looking saw it was seeping out around the drain **** and i just barely pulled on it and it popped right out, but it looks like the tip is busted off. The service manual I have makes it sound like there's a separate piece it engages inside the hole that can come out too. There's also a hose barb coming off the side, so it looks like it could just twist and stay in the radiator tank and drain out of the barb if there's a hose attached to it. And of course there's two different types of plugs listed on RockAuto so I ordered both. I figured I would pull the radiator for better access and to see what's going on and if it ends up I have to replace it it's already out of the truck. So I pulled the upper fan shroud off and there weren't any brackets or rubber mounts on the top of the radiator. If the hoses and transmission lines weren't still hooked up I could pull the radiator out.

So....

1. How is the radiator drain **** supposed to work when it's not broken? So I'll know if I fixed it. Does it twist and drain through the hose barb or just pop out?
2. Are there supposed to be upper radiator brackets on the 4.3? or Does the fan shroud perform that function? The service manual makes it sound like there's supposed to be brackets.

jimdaug said:

2. Are there supposed to be upper radiator brackets on the 4.3? or Does the fan shroud perform that function? The service manual makes it sound like there's supposed to be brackets.

Click to expand...

The upper fan shroud is the radiator mount.

The draincock screws out and the fluid is supposed to come out the nipple. (that sounds so wrong)

Check and Check. I noticed the rubber mounts in the upper shroud the next day but didn't figure anyone was going to reply.

The drain **** body was a bit of a pain to get out. it wouldn't come out of the hole and I ended up tearing the ears of it and the rest of it fell down in the radiator so I had to tilt it to get that piece to roll up to where the upper hose inlet is and fish it out with a pair of needle nose pliers. It's still a little wonky, the body acted like it wanted to just spin in the hole and it took quite a few turns for the plug to finally screw down. But I think it will work for the time being. So much trouble for a $2.50 part.