REVscene - Vancouver Automotive Forum

baggdis300 · 03-19-2011, 06:58 PM

well, my radiator is leaking at the bottom, i pulled it out today

and now i need to find a radiator shop that can see if its a easy fix
considering aftermarket is 300$ + tranny cooler + 2 week wait.

if i could get it patched up for less than that and quicker than 2 weeks, then well i will def just get it fixed.
i really don't like the idea of having to mount up a separate tranny cooler.

anyways, im looking for peoples experiences with radiator shops in SURREY/DELTA

not looking for any in vancouver, richmond.

possibly south burnaby/new west.

thanks

Antwon · 03-21-2011, 07:39 AM

What vehicle do you have?

baggdis300 · 03-21-2011, 10:12 AM

2005 lexus is300 automatic(rad has tranny cooler built in)

Antwon · 03-21-2011, 10:13 AM

How big is the hole? is it leaking pretty bad?

baggdis300 · 03-21-2011, 10:36 AM

i cannot see a hole.

but as soon as i started to fill the rad with distilled water i got about 1 litre in before i started hearing gurgling and saw water spilling on the ground.

its going to need to be pressure tested...

bloodmack · 03-21-2011, 10:39 AM

just take it to any shop, i don't think there are shops that specialize in rads. Where is the leak coming from? The rad its self or rad hoses? If your rad is leaking you might need to get a new one, or at least a used one from a junkyard. Its fairly easy to replace rads. I'm not to sure about a lexus tho.

subwoffers · 03-21-2011, 10:41 AM

There are specialty rad shops that can rebuild rads/add more fins inside bla bla bla, but you don't need one.

baggdis300 · 03-21-2011, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bloodmack

just take it to any shop, i don't think there are shops that specialize in rads. Where is the leak coming from? The rad its self or rad hoses? If your rad is leaking you might need to get a new one, or at least a used one from a junkyard. Its fairly easy to replace rads. I'm not to sure about a lexus tho.

it took me about 10 minutes to remove my rad as there was no coolant in it.

the part that took the longest was removing the under engine panel.

as of today i have the rad out minus the fan waiting to be pressure tested as i do not see any holes and i replaced the upper rad hose with a new one.

i also inspected the lower rad hose and did not feel any cracks/tears

Antwon · 03-21-2011, 12:30 PM

If its a small leak, you can use the stop leak stuff and also some high heat epoxy to seal it and it works.

We've done this on my RS4 when we were doing a long drive/cruise in Germany, road debris hit my rad 3 years ago. It hasn't leak until ever since

bloodmack · 03-21-2011, 12:38 PM

I see, does your car have any hoses that go through the firewall ? (mine does and the inflow hose was the problem).

baggdis300 · 03-21-2011, 05:16 PM

the fluid dripping came from near the lower rad hose.

and that stop leak crap...

i rather not have to replace a plugged heater core as well.

daytona675 · 03-21-2011, 05:41 PM

well double check and make sure the drain port is not open if it has one

baggdis300 · 03-22-2011, 05:12 PM

wow, i put a garden hose in the upper part of the rad...

water started leaking like crazy all along the base/upper

im trashing it and getting a new one...

chris_89T · 03-23-2011, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baggdis300

wow, i put a garden hose in the upper part of the rad...

water started leaking like crazy all along the base/upper

im trashing it and getting a new one...

Common. We see the upper tanks leaks all the time. At my shop we usually buy from a place called performance radiator. Aside from one DOA unit, weve had very good service with them, and honestly, they look pretty much identical to OEM.

I would not personally ever run that stop leak stuff in my vehicle. If you've ever torn a motor apart that has had that stuff run throughout, you'd think twice before using it. I cant say all of its bad, but some of it is outright terrible.

nickmak · 03-23-2011, 09:53 PM

yeah stop leak sucks, i had to change a heater core on a prelude or something (i don't even know what car is what at this point.) today because it was plugged from that shit. the customer could have replaced their leaking heater hose and fixed the oil leak that caused the hose to swell, but instead we had to replace the hose, fix the oil leak AND pull the dash out.

baggdis300 · 03-24-2011, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris_89T

Common. We see the upper tanks leaks all the time. At my shop we usually buy from a place called performance radiator. Aside from one DOA unit, weve had very good service with them, and honestly, they look pretty much identical to OEM.

I would not personally ever run that stop leak stuff in my vehicle. If you've ever torn a motor apart that has had that stuff run throughout, you'd think twice before using it. I cant say all of its bad, but some of it is outright terrible.

i ordered one in from lordco, 280$ and i still have to buy a tranny cooler...

cause the OEM one was built into the rad so im guessing ill need an air to oil cooler...

hopefully it will work just as good cause i don't have a tranny temp gauge..

baggdis300 · 03-25-2011, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris_89T

Common. We see the upper tanks leaks all the time. At my shop we usually buy from a place called performance radiator. Aside from one DOA unit, weve had very good service with them, and honestly, they look pretty much identical to OEM.

I would not personally ever run that stop leak stuff in my vehicle. If you've ever torn a motor apart that has had that stuff run throughout, you'd think twice before using it. I cant say all of its bad, but some of it is outright terrible.

THANK YOU, you saved me 150$. and a week, as lordco had to order one in from the east coast, and charge freight fee as well...

chris_89T · 03-26-2011, 10:45 PM

No problem. Try to help out where possible.