So I am getting a new radiator.

Remember my coolant leaking problem? Well it wasn't the heater core. It was the radiator. Lucky me, right.

No

New radiator and labor is freaking exspensive. About $740 total. Great.

Yeah I saw on FCP's site that they have one for $215 about half the price what they want, but it is a universial most likely and it might fit but not properly. Plus the air moving through it might not move so well either.

So I went with the sure thing and am having them replace it.

They say the leak is small, which I figured it was because it was taking a week to two weeks for it to all drain out almost. Anyways... They said the proper fix would be to replace the radiator. The said the temp fix would be to recrimp the fins or whatever but it would only last for a short time.

Glad I finally was able to sell my sway bars. I can use the $300 I made on them for this repair. It has yet to even get to me and it is already spent. Wow how cash flies.

 

Yes I had to just go through the same thing not long ago when the Truck tire was kicked up into my car and took the radiator out.

But I got lucky and found one that was OEM for $160.00 and did it myself.

 

Yeah well I have my car back and it was running fine today.

I get back in it tonight and the coolant light comes on again not to mention I smelled the coolant smell when driving it earlier today.

So I turned the car off and checked the coolant almost bone dry. I noticed a spot on the ground but if they had filled up my coolant it should have been a bigger spot then it was.

So I am thinking either...

1. They didn't refill the coolant tank.
2. The radiator was leaking but something else is leaking also.
3. The raidator is leaking again.

 

Another possibility is that they didn't get it to burp all the way allowing all the air out of the system.
Then when you drove it home it burped and the level dropped.

But I would take it back and make the pressurize the system and recheck for leaks.

Also sometimes if they reuse the factory clamps on the small lines at the coolant bottles they won't hold tight enough and cause a small leak.

 

Took it back this morning around 8:30am.

It is 12:00pm right now and they just called not too long ago.

Turns out an air pocket formed and when it burst all the coolant went into the system making it seem like it had another leak and or they didn't fill it up all the way.

However my dad and I both smelled coolant. Maybe it was residule from when they replaced the radiator, but we still smelled it.

So now I am going to pick it up shortly. Hopefully this has been fixed.

 

Hopefully all is good.

 

Also check the funny heater hoses/fittings which go from the L/R side of the engine to the firewall. They're hard to see but drips from that area will identify the problem. I had one fail several months ago.

Randy
Boise, ID