Help please.....coolant leak!

[Diameg]

I went for a drive yesterday (for about 10 minutes), and when I got back I popped the hood to mess with some stuff. I undid the battery and noticed that I did not back the car up enough to get the garage door closed. So I pushed it back. Then I noticed I was standing on several wet spots. I could tell right away that it's coolant, so I checked to see if any hoses had come loose or anything like that.
There are no hoses that I can see that it's coming from.
I have ruled out the upper and lower rad hoses, and the drain ****.
The coolant drips from the frame right below the rad itself, it drips from several spots along that frame since it is running along that.
Overnight when the car was not running, it was a very slow drip, probably around 1/8 of a cup the entire night.
When I start the car and let it run, it gradually picks up until it is pretty well pouring down.
Looking under the car, I can see fresh coolant right where the side tanks of the rad meet the grill part.
Do I need a new rad or by some stroke of luck could it be something else?
Thank you.

 

[Rob94]

Check your end tanks dude, but my money says you need a new radiator. Use a flashlight, and look at the crimps on the end tanks when you first start the car cold. You'll see coolant oozing out.

 

[Diameg]

Rob,

With the car not running, underneath, I can see coolant where the crimps meet the end tanks. I would imagine that when I start it, I will see coolant pouring from there.....so that means new rad?

Geez, I'm really surprised, because usually nothing breaks down on these cars....

Anyone know the part number for the rad?

 

[Rob94]

Part numbers will vary depending on whether you go to dealership, or your local parts store. I bought a new radiator last month from Consumer Auto Parts for $153. Not sure of the "brand name", but the part number on my receipt is 43-2192. Go to Autozone.com, I believe they are listing them for $172 there.

 

[sdpatt]

The most common source of a leak from the SHO's cooling system is the rubber seals at the mating surface of the plastic end tanks and the metal tube section of the radiator. These leaks usually respond well to Barr's Stop Leak, but the real solution is a new radiator. The cheapest source I know of is RockAuto.com for $115.

 

[Diameg]

Okay,

Thanks guys.
I guess if I call a place and they say they have radiators for SHO's, it doesn't matter too much what brand name it is?
Autozone and RockAuto etc are not really good options for me being in Canada. After exchange and brokerages etc it gets extremely expensive buying anything from the US, unfortunatly.

Does anyone know of any brand names to stay away from or anything like that?

 

[Sho-N-Go]

109.00 ford radiator. Of course I work there

 

[Shoman94]

toolboy79:
109.00 ford radiator. Of course I work there

Well well, toolboy, maybe you should send him one..... thumbs_u

 

[DavidT]

I agree with sdpatt. Unless using barr stop is against your code of ethics, I would try it.
Here is what happened to me:
I got my Sho a few mos. back (144,000 miles). No coolant leaks. Well I decided to flush the radiator. I took off the cap and it was obvious that someone had used barr stop. Anyway, a few days later I notice coolant leaking. I take it to a garage and they did a pressure check... it was leaking where the radiator meets the plastic tanks. I guess from where I flushed the rad. it flushed the barr stop as well. I was going to add bar stop until a buddy warned me not to (it could harm the engine or something). So I took it to a rad. shop, had the seals fixed for $100 (that included THEM pulling the radiator) Maybe I could've saved $100????? don't know.
Moral of the story: don't mess with it if it ain't broke!

 

[Shoman94]

dkautumna:
I agree with sdpatt. Unless using barr stop is against your code of ethics, I would try it.
Here is what happened to me:
I got my Sho a few mos. back (144,000 miles). No coolant leaks. Well I decided to flush the radiator. I took off the cap and it was obvious that someone had used barr stop. Anyway, a few days later I notice coolant leaking. I take it to a garage and they did a pressure check... it was leaking where the radiator meets the plastic tanks. I guess from where I flushed the rad. it flushed the barr stop as well. I was going to add bar stop until a buddy warned me not to (it could harm the engine or something). So I took it to a rad. shop, had the seals fixed for $100 (that included THEM pulling the radiator) Maybe I could've saved $100????? don't know.
Moral of the story: don't mess with it if it ain't broke!

If you saw what that stuff did to the inside of your rad. Then it will do the same in the engine. Get another rad. Its your safest bet. Why don't you check with shonut they could probably work something out since there right on the border of Canada.

 

[SHO-UP]

I bought a new radiator from radiator.com for $107. It came the next day and had all the needed hardware.

 

[93SHOCOOL]

I am with Rob94 on this one. Your best bet before you go and order an new radiator is to pressure test it. I had the same problem last week and I pressure tested it and the end-tanks were the problem. It isnt hard to replace the raditor at all.

 

[Diameg]

I just went ahead and replaced the radiator today.

I believe the old one was leaking at the seam between one of the plastic side tanks and the aluminum core. Does that mean it's garbage?

I got a pretty good price on a radiator from here in Ontario.

Thank you for all the info guys.

 

[Marccus]

SHO-UP:
I bought a new radiator from radiator.com for $107. It came the next day and had all the needed hardware.

Have to install a new third radiator - plastic tank cracked.

But at least the first one got me to 90,000 mi (and replaced for free under $100,000 warranty) and the second one got me to 260,000 mi.

I looked up prices on radiator.com and they came back with two choices

(1) OEM equivalent replacement radiator @ $119, "guaranteed to fit", lifetime warranty, meets or exceeds OEM specs for fit and quality"

(2) OEM Ford Visteon Radiator @ $144, "original equipment for Ford, ... fits and cools just like when your car was brand new ... two lifetime warranties ... what you would get directly from Ford but at a fraction of the price .... save time on install because this radiator will fit your vehicle perfectly"

Gee ... what's the difference betwwen "guaranteed to fit" and "fit your vehicle perfectly".

Two lifetime warranties? Does that mean the radiator is reincarnated?

Manufacturers are starting to talk like politicians. shoot

I gather you purchased the OEM equivalent and price may have gone up slightly. Is that correct?

Thanks.

 

[shocrates]

I was going to add bar stop until a buddy warned me not to (it could harm the engine or something.)

In defense of Barrs leak, I've had great results while using it. I had to use it in my previous car which was a 89 Mercury Sable with the p.o.s. 3.8 engine. The second time the head gaskets went bad it was from the water jacket to the outside of the engine. I put the heavy duty dissolving pellet version of the stuff in the system and it barred the leak. I liked how it coats the waterways with a film which IMO seems to reduce corrosion. Although I don't recommend putting it in the recovery tank like I witnessed a girl doing to her Camaro in front of Autozone one day.