Raditator gone

[joako]

Wow, I really should have changed my radiator when I saw the tiny leak at the bottom. Well today I was driving and all of a sudden I see white steam coming through my A/C vents and start to wonder :WTF: I then see steam from under the hood and notice the temp. is at about 3/4.

I pull over and see the driver side engine bay is wet and for some reason my fan shroud is not attached, I pull it up a bit and can see where the water was leaking out -- where the plastic end of the radiator attaches to the metal core.

I'm lucky as hell nothing major happened -- similar story when my water pump went bad. I was on a roadtrip about 400 miles from home and notice that my coolant level is very low. Fill it up and the next morning I notice an odd noise. Lucky me I take it to a mechanic and sure enough my water pump can be seen wobbling and it is leaking.


My car just hit 80,000 miles the other day. Word to the wise: change your cooling system. Had I not caught these things quickly I would be at a minimum changing the headgasket.

[Bonswa]

another case of... my car is trying to tell me something, hence the tiny leak at the bottom of the radiator. That was the blinking yellow light.

good catch, replace EVERYTHING!!! not just the leaking parts.

[joako]

Well I have the radiator and all the other fun stuff.

However, I can't do anything because I don't have the fan pulley tool and I can't find a place to get it.

Other than that this is an easy job...

[bimmerfiver]

Not wishing ill will on your car, but how can you be certain your headgasket isn't unhappy?

Also, you don't need the tool for the fan pulley....xisco44 just had a thread and this issue was spoken of.

Good luck.

[DuffmanE39]

I've never needed a fan holder, I just use a big adjustable wrench some WD-40 and a hammer. It comes off every time. :)

[joako]

Not wishing ill will on your car, but how can you be certain your headgasket isn't unhappy?

Also, you don't need the tool for the fan pulley....xisco44 just had a thread and this issue was spoken of.

Good luck.

Because it never overheated into the red zone, the moment the radiator gave way I pulled over. It's not a huge leak, the majority of the coolant is still in there.

[PavelK313]

Well I have the radiator and all the other fun stuff.

However, I can't do anything because I don't have the fan pulley tool and I can't find a place to get it.

Other than that this is an easy job...

its 32mm/1 1/4" Just buy wrench from Sears and do it!

[joako]

I do have the 32mm to remove the large bolt, just not the tool that holds the pulley in place.

I can't find the thread by xisco44

[PavelK313]

If you yank 32mm really hard and repeatedly it will come lose!

[DuffmanE39]

I do have the 32mm to remove the large bolt, just not the tool that holds the pulley in place.

You don't really need it, the friction from the belt is enough. Just spray some wd-40 onto the nut before you try.:)

[joako]

I don't have a long screwdriver but a short one seems to provide some leverage. I think tomorrow with two people it should be easy.

I think the radiator in the car was the original from 1998! I am surprised it lasted so long... magic 80,000 miles.

Here is how I got it done:

Insert screwdriver into pulley and use the other pulley to hold it in place! I don't know how I didn't think of that before:

http://www.bouncethem.com/upload/062009/9d278f3030b8aee7a9e5400491228d42.JPG (http://www.bouncethem.com/)

Now, it did cause a bit of damage, but it was quicker and cheaper than trying to get the proper tool:

http://www.bouncethem.com/upload/062009/80878c42a18acb508dbf2c9aa972c209.JPG (http://www.bouncethem.com/)

[joako]

Turns out I need a new water pump. Which is I don't have a problem with, but I had already changed it in February.

[taylorwilsdon]

Turns out I need a new water pump. Which is I don't have a problem with, but I had already changed it in February.

Good indy should warrant it if they did it, or if you did it yourself then the part should have warranty. Either way you're just out time, no more $$$.

[Orxan4ik]

my original radiator, 12 years that is, has 95K miles on it (: and its hangin on zip ties on one, because I hit a racoon doing 75mph and it took out the lower support of the radiator, yet it doesnt leak =) It should and will be replaced though... if and when it leaks :D

[bmwsooner]

My radiator had 115K on it when I replaced it. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with it but I felt that I shouldn't push it any farther.

[Poolman]

While your in there doing all the work--change out those Vanos seals--you''ll love what that will do for the power of the car.

[jamesdc4]

my original radiator, 12 years that is, has 95K miles on it (: and its hangin on zip ties on one, because I hit a racoon doing 75mph and it took out the lower support of the radiator, yet it doesnt leak =) It should and will be replaced though... if and when it leaks :D
:shifty

[joako]

Good indy should warrant it if they did it, or if you did it yourself then the part should have warranty. Either way you're just out time, no more $$$.

It's a little more complex than that, but just annoying to have to replace a waterpump twice in 6 months.


my original radiator, 12 years that is, has 95K miles on it (: and its hangin on zip ties on one, because I hit a racoon doing 75mph and it took out the lower support of the radiator, yet it doesnt leak =) It should and will be replaced though... if and when it leaks :D


I think in my car it was also the original radiator. Probably would have held up for a while if the waterpump didn't die.