coolant puddle under car

[SHOmethewayhome]

i'm gonna take a wild stab and say my trusty, dependable lasts forever SHO radiator finally gave it up.

any idea on how much one from a junk yard would cost or if any of you guys have one you could part with? unfortunately i dont have the funds for a brand new one, i'm trying to save up for my 60k service (plugs, wires, cam sensor, water pump, gaskets, shims and such).

i'm also looking into a difficulty rating on R&R on a radiator and hoses/thermostat.

any help would be appreciated.

 

[TopGunnYFZ]

Contact RCM automotive, they may have a used radiator if not they have the best prices i've found on radiators. I just bought 2 from them, as far as replacing it im not to sure how it will be on a gen 1 but im assuming it would be a little bit easier than a Gen 2 ATX. I changed my gf's radiator in about 1.5 hours not hard at all.

 

[SHOmethewayhome]

yeah, i kinda figured. appreciate the info.

looks like i'll be spending my weekend changing it out. i found out the autozone by my house has one in stock for 100 bucks or so, and i tried calling the pick n pull by my house all day and couldn't get thru to find out how much its gonna cost to get one from the two Gen2s that they have sitting down there.

figure i'll do the hoses and T-stat while i'm at it too.

 

[ChuckD]

What part of the valley you in? If you go to AZ or Checkers let me know I can help you out with my discount. Its only 10% but every little bit helps.

 

[SHOmethewayhome]

What part of the valley you in? If you go to AZ or Checkers let me know I can help you out with my discount. Its only 10% but every little bit helps.

i'm in ahwatukee, but if i remember from what you said at the meet back in october you're in peoria? i'd probably be over in northwest phoenix/glendale area on saturday when i do it, PM me a way to get a hold of you if you'd be so kind as to extend the discount. i think... i think by saturday i'll have enough to get all the requisite upper 60k parts minus the shim packs for the valves.

my list so far consists of:

water pump and gasket

valve cover gaskets

cam position sensor

plugs

plug wires

cam seals

new accesory belts

timing belt

Radiator (new from checker or Vato-zone)

upper and lower hose

4 gallons of Coolant (for flushing out after 60k and because if i remember right this car takes just a RCH over 2 gallons for a full system(any recommendations? i usually just run prestone II premix).

6 quarts of 10w30 ( i usually flush a quart of clean oil down into the pan to help get the old oil out of the pan, put the plug in and then pour it full)

oil filter

fuel filter

air filter

wing and a prayer.

i didnt include the crank sensor because that was done in july, i also didn't include shimming the valves because i dont have money or the time to order the shim kit. i'm going to check to make sure they're at least close to spec if not in spec and pray for the best at this point. if they're more than .015 out i think i'd be having major, noticable issues right?

i'm gonna see about the possibility of doing the front motor mount some time next month, if i wait any longer my 'polished' intake will 'are belong to tom':wave: AND then sometime between xmas and new years the old girl is getting SFCs and an H brace made over at the local 1607 millwrights training facility (woohoo SHO projects done during welding school:woo-hoo with front and rear LCAs Tie rod ends, end links and hopefully if santa or my relatives/wife love me enough konis and eibachs.

speaking of H braces, does any one have a spec sheet or any idea on ideal distance between the front and rear of the piece that the lower control arms bolt to where the brace would go between? i mean i could make one to fit what it is now, but was wondering if there was a baseline to where it should be stock before it had 17 years of regular driving and then 7 months of abuse from me, it may be a little flexed and i figured making a brace the right demension and then pulling it with the bolts to the brace might be the ticket if it is twerked.

i got plenty of 0.125X1x1 tube, a plasma cutter and welder with an AWS certified inspector to check my dirty work after, so i figure i might as well take a swing at the H brace tas well as the SFCs. i figured i could just stitch the 1x1 together instead of 1x2, to me having the 'beam' the two sides welded together down the middle would make it stronger than a 1x2 piece.

 

[ChuckD]

Oh and if you want being on my side of town we can do it at my house on Sat. I have all my tools from the shop. I don't have any specilaty sho specific tools though.

 

[Fourcats]

i'm gonna take a wild stab and say my trusty, dependable lasts forever SHO radiator finally gave it up.

any idea on how much one from a junk yard would cost or if any of you guys have one you could part with? unfortunately i dont have the funds for a brand new one, i'm trying to save up for my 60k service (plugs, wires, cam sensor, water pump, gaskets, shims and such).

i'm also looking into a difficulty rating on R&R on a radiator and hoses/thermostat.

any help would be appreciated.

...Take it to the parts store and have a pressure test done on the system & cap. I had a "cold leak" the other night, a clamp wasn't as tight as it might have been.

 

[SHOmethewayhome]

Oh and if you want being on my side of town we can do it at my house on Sat. I have all my tools from the shop. I don't have any specilaty sho specific tools though.

i'll call you at sometime around 10:30 to discuss particulars...

and I definitely appreciate the offer. seems like theres only three things really 'Specialty SHO specific' when it comes to tools i carry

 

[SHOmethewayhome]

so, interesting development whilst under the car taking off the lower hose to swap (more on this in a second) i looked up at the oil pan and the Y pipe to check for any bad dings or cracks and noticed something interesting. keep in mind i've yet to really be under my car at all. with the exception of about 10min to replace the shift boss bolt one day like a month ago i've never had a chance to really inspect the underside.

anyway, like I said there was definitely something different about the Y pipe, then it hit me... There aren't any catalytic converters on this y pipe... SO... in a way i guess it's kinda good i couldn't afford the Sho source GB y pipe, there's already a catless one under there.

more pics to follow tomorrow if i can get it on the lift at the shop down the street from my house. they usually have at least one bay open on sunday.

also, checker gave me the wrong lower hose so i wen't to return it and they dont have one of them in their computer for the SHO. the lower that is on there is in pretty good shape so i re-used it with new clamps after checking it out and making sure there were no obstructions or bulging inside of it.

anyone know a part number for the lower hose?

 

[gurucomputers]

checker gave me the wrong lower hose so i wen't to return it and they dont have one of them in their computer for the SHO. the lower that is on there is in pretty good shape so i re-used it with new clamps after checking it out and making sure there were no obstructions or bulging inside of it.

anyone know a part number for the lower hose?

I had the same issue most stores will say it is not listed. NAPA couldn't even find one in their book. I ordered the hose kit from RCM for $57.00.

Includes:
1- Upper Radiator Hose
1- Lower Radiator Hose
1- Heater Hose 1
1- Heater Hose 2
1- Oil Heat Exchanger Hose

 

[SHOmethewayhome]

thank you sir!

also, didn't get a chance to take it to the shop today, but i'm putting the digital camera in my backpack right now so i have it tomorrow. i'm gonna go to a shop and see if i can get pics of the whole exhaust, because after looking at pics, it looks a lot like a dyna-max kit from what i remember saturday when i was under there.

it looks like cat-less y pipe into ******, a foot of pipe, then a cat, then about two feet of pipe and some bends to go around the rod shifter, then a piece of straight pipe, then another y under the gas tank and out to two mufflers and tips bent down.

this would make my car that much more worth the $500 dollar pricetag i paid for it.

 

[F-22 Raptor SHO]

before you buy the radiator, get up under there and look at the end tank crimps...perhaps a pair of channel locks could save you some money.

As to r & r a radiator, it is not much more difficult than replacing a starter. hardest part for me is cleaning up all the mess it makes. Lower radiator hose is a pain, but overall, an easy job.

 

[SHOmethewayhome]

before you buy the radiator, get up under there and look at the end tank crimps...perhaps a pair of channel locks could save you some money.

As to r & r a radiator, it is not much more difficult than replacing a starter. hardest part for me is cleaning up all the mess it makes. Lower radiator hose is a pain, but overall, an easy job.

thanks mike, i got er done at my friend's house and just replaced the radiator, i got a new one for 0.00 and figured since i got it so cheap i might as well put it in and call it PM work. the hoses were old looking and i already bought coolant and hoses and a thermostat and such...

i really need to carfax this car because when i was up in albuquerque for work last night i was looking thru the service records and it looks like the radiator was replaced in 2004 and the car had only 52,*** miles on it, and going back from there in the maintenence record reveals that it was taken care of well and there is a possibility that the woman who sold me the car was mistaken when she listed it with 168,000 miles when i bought it. in fact i'm thinking as i am now home and pouring thru the 2004 to 2007 records and seeing the mileage intervals for oil changes (4 a year 2004 to 2007) a 60K performed at 59,864 (1098.54 in labor... ouch) and other things it leads me to believe this car hasn't rolled all the way through the odometer yet. the records point me to believing that the car actually only has 75,*** miles on it.

:woo-hoo:

this weekend will be the upper and front 60K, the weekend between xmas and new years will be the front motor mount, the suspension renovation, SFCs and an H brace, and ALSFBs. first weekend in january should be a clutch, flywheel (possibly) and the ceramic TOB.

figure after all that i'll take it to firebird and see what it can do without a worn clutch, loose motor mount, beat up suspension, and plug well leak.

i'm shooting for low 15s.