Radiator leak

[Fine89]

Looks like my rad is seeping where the metal and side plastic is (near lower hose).

Anything that's more a pain on the SHO when changing radiators? Any good(cheap) places you bought from?

Thanks

 

[sdpatt]

It is a fairly simple change. If you don't have a Chilton's (or other) manual, you can peak at one in the rack at the store. You have to remove the plastic panel over the radiator to access the fan and shroud assembly, the expansion bottle, the crash sensor, fuel pump relay module and the upper radiator mounting brackets. Nothing magic, just see what is in the way and carefully remove it.

The lowest cost source I have found is RockAuto.com at $115.43 (just verified). You can get them at many local auto stores (1-2 day order, usually) for around $140-$160.


------------------
Scott

1991, 254K miles, glass hood, police grill, SVO shifter, Catz fogs,
K&N, 73mm MAF, Superchip, PP Y-pipe, Borla cat-back, 190 lph pump
Eibach/Tokico/polyurethane, SHO Shop front & rear strut braces,
16x7.5" Moda R1, 225/55ZR16 Bridgestone RE730, -1 deg camber x 4,
6 disc CD, Class II hitch, Silver award at SHOklahoma Car Show

 

[Fine89]

Thanks...I'll geive them a try.

Do you think I can put some Barrs Leak in to get me through the winter?

 

[rlw001]

http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1693500343

The Radiator Doctor. I just bid $114 and won. The price includded shipping. Nice quality.



------------------
Bob W
94' ATX, SHOshop Y-Pipe, SHO Shop UDPs, 70mm FPS MAF, SuperChip,
K&N Panel, Coneless, 96' Brake Upgrade, Colgan Bra, PIAA 1552 Driving Lights, Eibachs/Tokicos, 24mmFSB, 26mmRSB, Subframe Connectors, 17x8 TSW Hock Rs, 225/45/17 Bridgestone RE040s, 255lph Walbro Fuel Pump.

 

[93SHOCOOL]

Have you tried to pressure test the system??

 

[dkautumna]

Mine was leaking where the plastic tanks meet the radiator. I had the gaskets changed. Of course, he had to pull the radiator to fix it. It cost me $95. It fixed the leak.
93shocool is right. Pressure check it to be sure where the leak is coming from. Mine only leaked when the engine was running.
It beat paying $200+ to have a new radiator installed.
David

 

[93SHOCOOL]

I learned that the hard way...we wont go into it. I also have a leak somewhere around the front driver side of the motor. Somewhere around the front of the car possibly a lower radiator hose. (I am not lazy nor am I an idiot, I havent gotten underneath to check things out because I just had reconstructive ankle surgery) Does anyone have any suggestions???

------------------
93ATX
-Emerald green
-20% Window Tint
-Green Interior neons
-Yellow painted dash/accents
-Front and rear lens covers
-Coneless, K&N
-Rebuilt trans
-Koni Struts (adjustable)
-Eibach Springs
-BF Goodrich Comp T/As
for slicers
-KMC Big Alice rims w/BF Goodrich Scorcher T/A's (yellow)
-A few minor motor mods, Yeah Right
-Best et. 15.60
-Possible Rebuild this spring??? (if I ever get around to it)


91MTX
-Stock
-Best et. 15.80 (babied)
-Sad to say but my BEATER

93 Ford Mustang LX 5.0
-300+hp
-Featured in Mustangs and Fast Fords Magazine
-Shorty headers
-Trick flow heads
-Cobra intake
-3:55 gears
-Posi rear-end with disc brakes
-B&M shifter
-Rebuilt trans
-Ford Motorsports Clutch
-Off-road "H" pipe
-Alloy Pony Rims
-Powerdine Supercharger
-best et. 11.90 on street tires
-I guess you could say a "Vette Killer??"
-NOS???

Its not how you stand by your car, its how you drive your car

Its not how hard you drive the car, its how hard the car drives you

You have go to be kidding me this kid has a Taurus and he wants to race me?? (Little did Johnny know he was about to race a SHO!!)

AOLIM name: Xlevitronx or ClarkthaCop
mailto:[email protected][email protected]</A>

 

[SW SHO]

I posted the same problem recently. Mine was leaking very little coolant from near the driver headlight area.. It's not the upper hose so I crawled under and it looks like it was coming from a T fitting connecting some 1/2 inch tubing, but after further inspection it looks like a leak from where the plastic meets the core. I think a pressure test first is best as it will eliminate any guess work and possible save us money.

Lance

 

[93SHOCOOL]

SW SHO, I thought thats what the problem might be, please keep me up to date with any findings that you have. I am in dire need of getting this fixed just due to the fact that I go to college 3hrs away from home and running the SHO without the right amount of coolant and making that kind of drive could lead to disaster.....(i hope not though)

------------------
93ATX
-Emerald green,20% Window Tint,Green Interior neons,Yellow painted dash/accents,Front and rear lens covers,Coneless,K&N,Rebuilt trans,Koni Struts(adjustable),Eibach Springs,BF Goodrich Comp T/As for slicers,KMC Big Alice rims w/BF Goodrich Scorcher T/A's(yellow),A few minor motor mods, Yeah Right
-Best et. 15.60
-Possible Rebuild this spring??? (if I ever get around to it)
91MTX
-Stock
-Best et. 15.80 (babied)
-Sad to say but my BEATER

93 Ford Mustang LX 5.0
-300+hp
-Featured in Mustangs and Fast Fords Magazine
-I guess you could say a "Vette Killer??"

Its not how hard you drive the car, its how hard the car drives you
You have go to be kidding me this kid has a Taurus and he wants to race me?? (Little did Johnny know he was about to race a SHO!!)
AOLIM name: Xlevitronx or ClarkthaCop
mailto:[email protected][email protected]</A>

 

[SHOnOFF]

I'll tell you one thing, man. From one college student to another (I'm in Ohio, too, by the way)....do NOT take the car to a dealership!!! Even though you could have them take a look at it to try to diagnose the problem and then just pay them to get the car back without them fixing it...don't do it! I had a leak over Christmas Break and thought it might be the same thing you're talking about. (I had my endtanks leak on me last winter and had a new radiator put in under warranty, so I thought I could get away with a new radiator again - this time for free.) No such luck...they charged me $31 to tell me the WRONG THING!!! They said it was the 3 heater hoses leaking, but when my dad and I took off the intake (2 hour job - first time doing it) and got in there, it was a small split on the underside of one of the hoses leading to the intake/throttle body. less than $10 for a new hose and some clamps. lots of time, work, and a few bloody knuckles.

all in all, though, definitely a better way to go. let us know how it turns out, man. good luck.

------------------
Brian
'94 Green ATX
5%/13% Tint
Coneless/Boxless
Upper 60K - Finally! (8/18)
Blazer driving lights
96 Brake Upgrade
24/26mm sway bars waiting to go in (need bushings)

 

[SW SHO]

Now I am truly puzzled? The "low coolant" light came on and of course I'd been putting coolant/water in the res. tank. So, since my leak is relatively small, I thought "how could the coolant really be that low?". Well, I took for the radiator cap to see plenty of coolant in there. I'm going to do the pressure test soon. I'm guessing one of these 1/2 inch tubings are leaking or it a leak from the res. bottle/tank running down to the drivers side? ****, maybe it's both that and a leak from the plastic meeting the core.. either way I have leak and need to fix it.

Lance

P.S. I carry 1 container of pre-mixed coolant and 1 container of water in trunk just in case when traveling... always. You never know when you'll need it, and when you do it'll be in the middle of nowhere.


------------------
92 Black MTX, 95K K&N, Stock but not for long !

 

[93SHOCOOL]

Thanks for the help guys. I am gonna check things out this weekend. Taking it somewhere to get it fixed isnt a problem because I am a part time mechanic back home (cleveland) and I can just take the SHO there to get it diagnosed, but this time I was just trying to take care of it myself. SHOnOFF where do you go to school??

------------------
93ATX
-Emerald green,20% Window Tint,Green Interior neons,Yellow painted dash/accents,Front and rear lens covers,Coneless,K&N,Rebuilt trans,Koni Struts(adjustable),Eibach Springs,BF Goodrich Comp T/As for slicers,KMC Big Alice rims w/BF Goodrich Scorcher T/A's(yellow),A few minor motor mods, Yeah Right
-Best et. 15.60
-Possible Rebuild this spring??? (if I ever get around to it)
91MTX
-Stock
-Best et. 15.80 (babied)
-Sad to say but my BEATER

93 Ford Mustang LX 5.0
-300+hp
-Featured in Mustangs and Fast Fords Magazine
-I guess you could say a "Vette Killer??"

Its not how hard you drive the car, its how hard the car drives you
You have go to be kidding me this kid has a Taurus and he wants to race me?? (Little did Johnny know he was about to race a SHO!!)
AOLIM name: Xlevitronx or ClarkthaCop
mailto:[email protected][email protected]</A>