The Radiator split open today so as usual with my exploits I'll be chronicling this adventure with the rest of you guys.

Step one......Clean up Garage in order to get Vette inside.

That will take a few days as I am the worlds worst procrastinator.

I might get a Photobucket account so I can post up picks

I was inspecting and the radiator seemed to be split open just in front of the upper hose radiator inlet port. The cowling is in the way so I can't see for sure where it is. Once I get the Plastic off, I am sure the trouble will be revealed.

My plan is to pull the Radiator and take it to a shop to get repaired and boiled out. I've flushed my system three times since I put on the new Water pump and it is still rusty as shat in there. So maybe this is a small blessing.

I do know this, I had a meeting almost 70 miles away scheduled for today.....since I've been on business travel so much in the past four weeks I got screwed up and thought the meeting was Tomorrow. I decided to run a small errand not far from home when the radiator let go. Can you imagine if I was running along on the freeway at 80+ mph....never knowing the coolant was spewing out the whole time??? Thank God I screwed up my schedule.

I'm already counting my blessings on that one.

 

Now adays what it cost for an end tank, seal, boiling out the radiator and retesting when its done you can just about buy a new radiator with a warranty. This way there isn't any down time either.

 

I haven't even looked at cost of a replacement or the cost to have one repaired. This is something I haven't fooled with in Decades.

 

looks like one at Kragen for $189...

 

.....Yeah and it seems average cost for repair ranges $125-$150 and you've still got one old side tank and the core. Atleast you can turn in the core section for and get a few bucks for the aluminum.

 

I know exactly what you mean.

Shortly after I took delivery of my '88 while I was on a job in Mesa, AZ I was backing into the parking spot at work just as the LH tank split from the radiator and dumped all the coolant on pavement. What a larger PITA it would have been if she had split on my drive back to SE NY...

 

If you can find a shop that will touch a plastic tank. I couldn't.

 

I just bought a Delphi radiator from Thepartsladi on ebay for $115.00 and its a GM part. Delphi was a supplier for GM for years and is the same radiator I had in my 89 coupe. It cools just the same as the one it replaced and I don't think your going to beat the price on a stock radiator. WW

 

Go new....search around.
Mike

 

A bit expensive but Dewitt makes a nice replacement radiator.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...ghlight=dewitt

 

Good advice.

 

I can never find this "Parts ladi" on Ebay. I've looked a couple of times and I never find the store.

*edit*
Never mind, after searching ebay and finding nothing, I googled "Thepartsladi" and it was the first hit......great going Ebay...

 

Damn! GM Parts Direct......$427

thepartsladi........$130 shipped.

Both Delphi radiators.

 

So, $85-$99 for a radiator overhaul (Repair that includes boil out) and a day at the shop.......Not looking good for the repair side of things.

Thepartsladi is in Florida, that means time is an issue.....5 days best scenario from UPS ground service.

 

aight the radiator is ordered from thepartsladi.

Ships Tomorrow and will be here in 5 working days....crap..I guess I'm driving the Trooper for the next week.

 

Curious, she is located in Destin, Fl, but the phone # is in Alabama??

 

^^I dunno, I called an 800 number

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/84-85...mZ160199835694

 

Why did you ask that? that question has bothered me all afternoon

 

Don't worry about it, you will get your radiator. Great people to deal with....WW

 

thanks....The only thing bad I've heard about thepartsladi is about the rear wheel bearings not being very rugged. But then, who is making a rugged rear wheel bearing??