I hate modern cars...

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pishta

pishta

I know I'm right....
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I blew my Breeze radiator on the way home from work this evening. My heater was blowing cold air all the way home and my temp was creeping higher than usual but it wasnt close to hot (because there was no water to the sender most likely) so I get it home to find that I had a hissing from the upper radiator bung, losing all my coolant. I vent the cap under about 6 rags and it is screaming hot so I let it cool over dinner and fill it with 4 32 oz big gulps of water and I see the water is leaking from the radiator bung. I get my clamp pliers in there to R/R the hose clamp and the frigging bung comes off inside the hose! Damn thing is made of plastic! So I got about 1/2 of the spud still intact but its cracked around 1/4 of the base so I put some JB on it, hose and a screw clamp on what is left of the bung and will let it set overnight. Hopefully itll survive the trip to the wrecking yard for another plastic (cough) radiator. Should I Keep the cap vented so it doesnt build pressure? It just needs to last about a 15 minute drive. I figure I can pull a radiator in about 15 minutes, 4 bolts on the cover, 4 on the condensor and cut rubber hoses with pocket knife. Plastic radiator tanks, WEAK!
 
I had a car pull in my stall to get an oil change and winter prep when I was doing service work at a dealership, I removed the radiator cap GMC truck and
the cap neck cracked !! I here ya pishta, new cars are junk
 
Careful with that JB weld on the plastic radiator bung...... Been there done that with a Mercedes
My wife had..... It won't hold for too long.... Combo of the heat, wet, and pressure will break the seal rather quickly.... If you have another vehicle use it to go get the part.
 
JB weld is great on metal, good on plastic, and is heat resistant. But add heat, moisture and pressure and it seems to give up its hold on the plastic. There are epoxy resins out there more suited for the repair but its not the best way to go. If you can find a good used core, take it to Charlie's radiator in Santa Ana. He can use the aluminum or brass core and find or build new tanks out of metal. Had him do that with my Wife's newer Mustang. He cut and welded up tanks
To the specs of the plastic ones and I ordered a larger aluminum core as well. No more issues with the plastic sh*t radiator tanks. He can make brackets or use existing ones if they are descent.



:burnout:
 
I've tried my plastic welder on 2 different raditors, 96 Camry, and a neighbors Buick ( forget model ) , doesn't work. I dont know what the plastic line material is but I know why there are no production welds. All molded construction. Both cars got aftermarket radiators at approx' 75.00 each.
 
New radiators are not that expensive anymore compared to when they were all metal. I wouldn't waste my time on pulling a used one & risk the same problem shortly down the road until I priced out a new 1 1st. JMO.
 
I don't think you can run a 2.4 without the radiator cap if it is one of the engines with the cap on the motor and not on the radiator. The 2.4 is a absolute coolant pumping volcano style mess when it opens the thermostat which is right under the radiator cap.
 
That radiator lists for about a hundred bucks at O'Reilly's. Go new and forget about it.
 
mcnoople said:
I don't think you can run a 2.4 without the radiator cap if it is one of the engines with the cap on the motor and not on the radiator. The 2.4 is a absolute coolant pumping volcano style mess when it opens the thermostat which is right under the radiator cap.
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True, I pulled the lower pressure gasket on the cap to relieve the pressure to the hose and when I revved it, I got krakatoa in my overflow tank. Violent bubbles that would surely pump all the water out post haste. Off to the wreckers....in the mommyvan. I'd buy new but I need it by 0900 today....and all the parts places are special order.
 
My 2000 Ram 2500 needs a new heater core. The friggin dash needs to come down to replace it. Unless someone out there knows another way to do it. Yeah, I hate them too.
 
srduster340 said:
My 2000 Ram 2500 needs a new heater core. The friggin dash needs to come down to replace it. Unless someone out there knows another way to do it. Yeah, I hate them too.
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I just did one of those few weeks ago, their not to bad. I just drop the column, undo all tge top bolts and loosen the side bolts and roll it down. There is a few bolts on the firewall you have to loosen up i think 5 or 6 of them. Once the dash is rolled down you can slide the old core out and the new one in. Usually takes about 2-3 hours if youve done them before. However if you have a cavalier then the dash does have to come completely out lol and the a/c discharged and the heater box fully pulled to replace the heatercore.
 
Also check radiator specialty shops for cheaper replacement radiators. We order them from radiator depot and they deliver them the 50 miles to us same day. They even gave us a coupon book for $35 off their fuel pump and i think $25 off their radiators. Had one for a honda the other day cost a total of $80 new. The plastic breaks down over time and rots from the inside getting brittle
 
Check craigslist. I got a new radiator for our 02 minivan from a nearby place in Sacramento that sells high-volume and cheap from a warehouse. East European or Mid-Eastern guys, but polite and know their stuff. Of course they prefer cash. Surely you have the same places in the OC. Bought another new one cheap on ebay (96 minivan), but apparently a factory reject since the side tanks weren't parallel, so could only attach 3 of 4 bolts, but works and isn't going anywhere.

Re heater cores, I was pleasantly surprised to find that in my Mopar minivans, it slides out sideways near the accel pedal. All you need is to disconnect the steering column at the floor (easy) to make room. Some newer cars are nightmares and the designers should be flogged. I have heard of having to remove the whole dash. My 80's Mercedes' is a 2-day job of tearing apart the entire center console and new heater cores cost $500 if you can find one.
 
There is a company called 1-800-RADIATOR that sells cooling system parts for good prices. They have locations everywhere.
I just wish I could remember their phone #. :tongue3:
 
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