Well, I'm still a noob so please forgive me. Can anyone tell me WTH this little port is? The one clearly pissing fluid... right down onto my lower radiator hose.

 

It’s a plugged port for digital dash fluid level indicator. If it’s leaking from that hole you need a radiator.

 

You could try to drill it out and install a acdelco 10054615 but chances are you need a new radiator.

 

Ok, I was not looking forward to that... at all, but thank you. When replacing the radiator, are there any other part replacements that are suggested be done?

 

You might want to replace your thermostat and hoses at the same time.
Here are a few radiator options
https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...,radiator,2172

 

LOL It's not leaking from the sensor hole, you've got dirty anti-freeze higher up the tank. Seen about half a dozen of the stock radiators with stress cracked plastic tanks from age. You probably need a new radiator regardless, but unless you're in Australia and gravity works opposite there, water still runs down.

 

Looks to me like it's leaking from just about everywhere.

Time for a new rad. Not to worry; they're very little $$$.

Go here. www.radiator.com Should be maybe $100 - 125. Quick shipping to anywhere in Ohio too; they're in Cincinnati.

Change out your thermostat, rad cap, and heater & rad hoses at the same time. And of course pop both block drain plugs out (the one on the pass side looks a whole lot like a knock sensor for some reason) and flush it, and put in new coolant, between 30% and 50% antifreeze. (2 gal of green juice, the rest of it distilled water - NOT tap, NOT RO filtered) Make it all new again. Give yourself another 10 years before you have to touch any of it again.

Then take it to the quarter car wash and clean it up under the hood.

 

So, I've ordered a generic stock replacement. Found an el-cheap-o on eBay for $59 and came w/ lifetime warranty. From what I can tell, my hoses are still in good condition so I held off on replacing those. Before it arrives I have a question...

Once I drain the coolant (via radiator drain plug and engine block plugs) with the existing radiator still in place how can I flush the entire system?

 

So it's arrived, looks as expected, just a generic replacement...



However, what's this metal that appears to be nearly restricting flow to the outlet/lower radiator hose?



I plan on putting this in come morning weather permitting... but have two questions.

Any suggestions on the trans line removal? (Pre-Sprayed w/ PB Blaster)

Does the whole shroud/ fan assembly come out as one leaving the radiator exposed?

 

Yes, PB Blaster helps stuck iron parts come loose. Best advice I can give you there is, hold the nut that the line's nut screws into still, with a larger wrench.If you don't, you'll twist the line, and destroy it.

Yes the fan comes right off... 4 bolts and a plug.

The metal inside the cold tank is the trans fluid cooler. Don't worry, it's not restricting anything.

Replace all the hoses. All of them. No matter what they "look" like. Just do it. Otherwise, as sure as the good Lord made little green apples, about 2 weeks after you replace everything else, one will burst, leaving you right back where you are now. Just do it. New cap as well. Just do it. Every piece. New. Thermostat too.

 

Old radiator out, coolant looked like 60% - 70% water. It had a rather faint green tint and looked like it may have contained what i'd describe as slightly rusty liquid as shown in my original pic.

New radiator in seated in place, hoses connected fan shroud staged. Top transcooler line went in without a prob, lower one... I'm not quite sure. it didn't go in as far as the top one did, and I didn't force it. I just put it in finger tight. It started raining, so I had to bail. I'll grab replacement hoses and a thermostat a little later.

 

The cooler lines can be a witch with a capital B in the Salt Belt. Glad they didn't abuse you too bad.

 

This morning, I've began to feel the abuse... started my engine, lost about 2 or so quarts of transmission fluid in a matter of seconds. Shut off engine, found that the lower trans-cooler line mentioned was in no way tight...

It's almost as if the fitting isn't catching the thread on the radiator...

BUMMER!

 

It happens. Slide the tube nut on the line back, and push the tube into the port in the radiator. Slide the nut forward to the threads, and turn it with your fingers until you feel it catch a thread and start turning in. You may need to apply pressure against the tube in different directions to get the threads to start. You might also try turning the tube nut backwards while feeling and listening for the 'click' when the threads pass each other. Stop turning when you hear the click and turn the nut forward - then it should thread right in.

If you try to force it, you've got a 75% chance or better it'll crossthread and bugger the radigator or the fitting.

Might also help to do the trans fittings before anything else, so that there's nothing in the way, and the radigator can move around a bit to promote alignment. Besides, if those lines don't go in correctly for some reason all the other lil shiz will have to come back apart anyway.

 

*Solved*

Radiator in, neither transmission line leaking after a bit of Teflon tape on the top fitting and several test runs. Heater hose has a dribble of a leak at the radiator, at the hose clamp area. I can see it bubble out from around the hose end. I'll tackle that in the morning though.

Onto the next project!