ok i parked my car the other day and knowticed a giant green puddle forming under my car, popped the hood and found a big shattered spot in the black plastic on the radiator. this however isnt the problem i work at a radiator shop and got a new on ordered and will be here tommorow and putting it in also isnt the problem.
the REAL problem is.. what caused it? i have never seen a rad blow out like that. most rads can take about 60 psi before having anything like that happen. So i talked to a few of my mechanic buddies and they asked how high is my oil pressure gauge usualy at so we start it up and at idle the needle is slammed way past the 60 mark (the last number on the gauge). I have this pretty good feeling that i have a head gasket problem accuring and causing way to much pressure in the cooling system. also my gas milage is at about 120 miles a tank and getting worse and the car seems to not have any power lately. i have no coolant in the oil at this point so im not completely sure what is going on and was hoping some one here knows what it is.
btw the trans am has a 350 tpi engine.
thanks in advance
lee.

 

to generate enuf pressure,a cracked head/block or blown head gasket letting combustion gases into cooling system,just like if you were doing a rad pressuretest and after starting noticed pressure increasing instead of holding steady,or going down(leak in system)surely hope it's none of the above

 

ok ill test it tommorow when i put on the new radiator, and ill put a new cap on there cause that should have relived the pressure before blowing the side out. ill need all the i can get with this car........ money and advice wise.

 

Could have just been one of those things that happens.

Rad could have had a MFG defect or been whacked and after many years of heat cycling it finally blew out when it pressured up...


But do check for a headgasket leak...