Radiator leaking
 

Well I guess its time to start having all the problems with a used car. Anyway my radiator is leaking somewhere. Its not the hoses top or bottom, I changed my cap but now when I shut the car off I can see drops and even sometimes almost a steady small stream coming from the bottom somewhere. I got up under there but I cant see where it is coming from. any ideas? I thought my car was getting hot for some reason looked in the radiator and "no water" I used to run at a steady 160* now I go just a hair past 200*. I need help on where to look. thanks

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wishmister@yahoo.com

1987 White IROC-Z
305 TPI LB9
700-R4 auto tranny
87,000 miles
Very Clean car
Performance Resource Chip
Flowmaster Muffler
Throttle Body Coolant bypass
TPIP air Foil
K&N's
Gutted air box
Accel 8.0 plug wires
Moroso Super Coil
Blue Streak Cap and Rotor
AC Delco Rapidfire plugs
Mobil 1 15/50 Synthetic motor oil
Mobil 1 synthetic Trans fluid.

It's very common for the plastic tanks to start craking right where the core crimps around the edge of the tank.
A good thing to do is to take the radiator out and have a pressure test done on it, very easy to do and it will save you a headache for searching something you can't see unless its actually "spewing" the fluid out when running hot and under pressure, which obviously should be avoided when possible.
HTH

Yeah, thats what happened to mine. The plastic side tank started leaking at a crimp.

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-Justin-
T-Top '86 5.0L LG4 700R4 WS6 Now Bilstein equipped!
T-Top '92 5.0L TBI 700R4
My '86 Firebird Homepage
The F-body Model Kit Pictoral Archive (updated 9/18/00)

There can be only one!!

the side of my plastic cracked and it was the side facing the ac condensor and you couldnt see it untill i took the raditor out..i was having the exact same problem

My plastic tank thingie is leaking right now but i took it out....one screw on right side....(visible) and one underneath(not visible)...access from wheel well. there was a crack where the fill markings are (full hot/full cold). im just putting some sealant on it for now but im gonna get a new one ASAP.good luck
Rick

Can it be fixed or do I need to buy a new radiator?

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wishmister@yahoo.com

1987 White IROC-Z
305 TPI LB9
700-R4 auto tranny
87,000 miles
Very Clean car
Performance Resource Chip
Flowmaster Muffler
Throttle Body Coolant bypass
TPIP air Foil
K&N's
Gutted air box
Accel 8.0 plug wires
Moroso Super Coil
Blue Streak Cap and Rotor
AC Delco Rapidfire plugs
Mobil 1 15/50 Synthetic motor oil
Mobil 1 synthetic Trans fluid.

have you took your raditor out and looked at it to see if you could tell where it was leaking...also i seen someone said something about there overflow tank ....is it your over flow tank leaking or is it your raditor

If it is your radiator, and it is leaking at the crimp more than likely, the tank is cracked on the side of the radiator. Depending on radiator shops, here it cost $109 to replace one tank, and that was the side opposite the cap. However, Advance Auto Parts sold me a new radiator for $115.
HTH

is it easy to take the radiator out? if so how do I do this?

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wishmister@yahoo.com

1987 White IROC-Z
305 TPI LB9
700-R4 auto tranny
87,000 miles
Very Clean car
Performance Resource Chip
Flowmaster Muffler
Throttle Body Coolant bypass
TPIP air Foil
K&N's
Gutted air box
Accel 8.0 plug wires
Moroso Super Coil
Blue Streak Cap and Rotor
AC Delco Rapidfire plugs
Mobil 1 15/50 Synthetic motor oil
Mobil 1 synthetic Trans fluid.

Its a picies of cake I just did mine to day in anput an HOUR. plastic tank crack buy the way.

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87 Z28 305 TPI, Auto, Gutted air boxes, K & N fillters, Dyno Max 3" cat back.

I had to replace my radiator about three weeks ago. I bought an OEM replacement that was aluminum for about 115. Thing weighs five pounds. Old one was brass and copper I think. It was really easy. drain, remove hoses, remove electric fan assembly remove top cap, pull.

I got a brand new Modine aluminum/plastic radiator for $99 at A-1 Radiator in Salisbury MA. Its a cake job, and my car runs nice and cool now. The fins are really close, and they get stuffed up pretty easily.

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-Jason M. 1991 Camaro Z28
"Allow me to introduce myself my name is Mud."

Bill is right, when I replaced mine on the 89 Iroc, there was four 10mm bolts on the top plate and I think all I did was take out the two top bolts (13mm I think.)holding the fans at the top, loosen the hoses and a good idea would be to replce the bottom hose with a new one that has a spring in it to prevent it from ever collasping. An hour or less and your done!
HTH

Well I went ahead and changed my radiator out, when I took it out I found a crack in the plastic casing on one side so i went and bought one from Advance for $117.00 Thanks guys it was a piece of cake. I dont get above 160* but If I got a 170* thermo in it ist that bad cause my thermo will never open?

------------------
wishmister@yahoo.com

1987 White IROC-Z
305 TPI LB9
700-R4 auto tranny
87,000 miles
Very Clean car
Performance Resource Chip
Flowmaster Muffler
Throttle Body Coolant bypass
TPIP air Foil
K&N's
Gutted air box
Accel 8.0 plug wires
Moroso Super Coil
Blue Streak Cap and Rotor
AC Delco Rapidfire plugs
Mobil 1 15/50 Synthetic motor oil
Mobil 1 synthetic Trans fluid.

If your car never gets above 160, I would not even mess with the thermostat, but then again are you sure that your car never goes above 160? The true reading would be what ECM recieves. The gauge from what I've learned in the past doesnt read exactly what the temp is, it might on yours and on other cars but then there are the ones that don't read exactly what the gauge tells. best thing to do is warm up the car to its normal operating tempature and find someone with a scanner to get a true reading.
HTH