My OEM radiator has split 1/4 inch apart at the top seem, and when I drive the car it blows a lot of steam out of that hole, Is there anyway I can repair the radiator?
you can take it to a radiator repair shop. but i would bet that it would cost almost as much as a new one. and you'd still have a 30+ year old radiator. i'd opt for the new one if you can.
Thats a good point, but a lot of guys around here at the other local shops suggest I have it repaired, because its really not that bad. Other than the cho-cho train effect it has once it gets warmed up.
If you have a rad shop thats good, take it to him an let him decide. One in Blairsville Pa Looked mine over an said to replace with new. Thinking it was near $180 and a quailty one! I thought he treated me fair. He does get all my business, before an after.
"Thats a good point, but a lot of guys around here at the other local shops suggest I have it repaired." "if it's the org. radiator it will just spring a leak somewhere else."
My grandpa's '78 Bronco sprang a leak back in '04. I took the radiator to a shop and had them solder it up. Cost 10 bucks... has been fine since then. But that truck is rarely driven more then 4 or 5 miles down the road, it's mostly used to just run around the fields, mountain and other property my grandpa owns in NC. On a vehicle that is depended upon to drive further then a few miles on a regular basis, I would just replace the radiator with a new one... Would suck to find out when you are 70+ miles from home that you have another thin spot...
1/4" is pretty bad... soon as you fix it, your system will find the next weakest link and blow that out. Overheating kills engines, so if you're having to drive it, check the antifreeze everywhere you go, you can't be too careful. Yeah a new radiator would be around 200 bucks for most, but it will last you through the years instead of rigging it now. But, again, money is an object....
After I had the radiator repaired, it found a new hole to leak from. (You guys were right.) So I purchased a new radiator from Advance Auto Parts for $100 yesterday. After the install and a few test runs, My gauge is telling me that the temperature is 210 degrees, goes back down to 160 degrees. This process repeats itself while I'm driving. Also a few times i will stick at a 151degrees what could the problem be? A sign for a new thermostat?
I can't believe this conversation is going on over a radator. You first didn't want to replace an old one and now you don't replace the thremostsat for the small cost and keep having ongoing issues. What about the hoses? Are they old and hard? What about the pressure cap? The system operates at about 16 psi and will blow old hard hoses at some point. Point is to service the WHOLE system and give yourself a break from going back and fixing it more times than you need to.. Cost the same in the end but more work.
new one I picked up weel built aluminum one on ebay for $200. Looks good well made. Wont need another after that
