I have just purchased a 1993 ruby red convertable. I took it to a jiffy lube in my neighborhood for the required Mass. safety/emission testing. While they were doing the testing which involved reving the motor to 2500 rpm numerous times the radiator blew. They had also had the car for over an hour, saying they were sorry it was taking so long but he had to do the emission test again a different way because he did not know the car had traction control.
My questions are: 1. Has anyone heard of such a thing? would the radiator have blown anyway if I was just driving the vehicle?
2. Could the radiator have been defective?
3. Could there be motor damage from this happening?

I drove the vehicle home from where it was purchased,approx. 90 miles with no problems, and numerous times before bringing it to Jiffy Lube. Jiffy Lube states they did everything correct and that the radiator would have blown anyway. HELP!!

 

How're you gonna prove they did something wrong? Unfortunately, radiators do suddenly go bad (I've had it happen weeks after purchase), altho one has to wonder. It is a '93 and you don't state if it's a replacement or not--radiator. Matter of fact, it'd help a bit if you did mention more about the car, such as, any modifications, mileage, what's been repaired/replaced, etc.

When you say it blew, what exactly do you mean? Was there a leak or leaks from the top, bottom, fins, etc.? Did the hoses blow off? What was the temp on the dash gauge (or did you notice)?

As to damage, maybe. But if you/they stopped the engine and there wasn't a high degree of heat (spike), it could be ok. Obviously, get it towed to wherever you're going to get a new rad.

And don't go back to that JL.

Next up is to either DIY, and do the whole nine yards of installing all new appropriate stuff along with the rad, or taking it somewhere. Depending on how nutso you are, make sure you get a good quality rad. There are the equiv of $10 rads, and there are the better ones. At the very least, no less than a stock, OEM GM rad, plz.

Tell us what happens.

 

With only what you've been able to tell us, there's no real way we can tell you whether the rad just blew on its own, or if the crew at Jiffy Lube did something to contribute to that.

Yes, the radiator could have been at end-of-life when you bought the car. Or maybe not. If you can post photos of the radiator, we might be able to offer opinions about what went wrong.

If the engine overheated, it could be damaged. If it didn't, it should be fine.

If you are going to do the radiator swap yourself, contact Chris May at Superior Chevrolet (1-800-728-8267). Tell him you are a Forum member and he will sell you a replacement at a great price. I bought a new one for my '94 from him a few weeks ago.

Be well,

SJW

 

Thanks for the info.
The radiator, as well as all hoses and the rest of the car are all original.

The car has 40k on it. I was told by the dealer that I bought it from that the car at one time had been in a garage under cover for four years. The dealer then bought it from the original owner and his wife used it for the last 4 years. I am unsure of the temp on the motor when it blew, however I witnessed the radiator let go and spray antifreeze all over. The kid sitting in the car immediately shut down the motor.
I immediately took a garden hose and sprayed off the body of the car careful to avoid getting water on the very hot motor, however some slight overspray did hit the motor and immediately sizzled and hissed, so the motor was obviously very hot.
I had the vette flat bedded to the dealer where I bought it and they are putting in a new oem radiator since the vette was still under the 30 day warranty and since it would not pass a safety/emissions inspection the dealer has to fix it.

 

Be sure and keep an eye on your Optispark distributor, too. They are very susceptible to damage from coolant damage, especially the unvented models like the one in your '94.

Is the dealer picking up the tab for repairs? If so, definitely push for a new Opti and plug wires, too.

 

If the kid shut down the engine as soon as the radiator blew, the engine should be just fine, unless the radiator blew because the engine was overheating and the radiator cap didn't release the pressure (not all that likely). Odds are the engine is fine.

The Optispark, however, may be a different story. If it got doused with coolant, it may be curtains for the Opti...

Be well,

SJW

 

Thanks for the replys, I have e-mailed the dealer with the info on the optispark and wires, I hope they agree and do the work. How hard and expensive is it to change an optispark?

 

It isn't anything that should be feared, but it is a PITA to swap an Opti, and it's not inexpensive. Total cost depends upon whether an OEM Opti or an aftermarket Opti is installed, which version of Opti it is (first- or second-generation -- your '93 will be first-gen, which is more expensive for an OEM Opti) who does the work, and what other items are swapped at the same time. Generally I recommend also changing water pump, plug wires, serpentine belt, coolant hoses and flushing the cooling system while everything is opened up to access the Opti (with new spark plugs being an additional option).

Will this work be done at a Chevy dealer?

Be well,

SJW

 

No, The dealer I bought the vehicle from is a small independent dealer. If I can convince him that they should be doing this work because the vehicle failed to pass the required safety/emissions testing for Mass. and these problems are all related to the blown radiator.
Any suggestions and or help in convincing the dealer that these problems are their responsibility would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

Again, depending on how much water/coolant got on the Optispark, if any, and IF it had any lasting effect, you may have a problem. Trouble is, I've read here on the forum where drivers have doused their Opti and weeks later, something happens and the Opti dies on them. That's not good, especially if it's past the warranty from the dealer.

I'm glad if this had to happen that it happened within your guarantee. I would advise the dealer of the Opti potential AND if they choose NOT to replace it at this time, put him on notice maybe even with pictures of the radiator as it blew or shorty thereafter. A one-way, certified letter will usually suffice when/if you ever have to go to Small Claims.

You don't need to be adversarial about it; just matter of factly say this is what CAN happen, if it doesn't, we're both better off (well, not really you, since getting a new Opti at someone else's expense would then last you a very long time). But if it does, and it's after the warranty period, you know and I know what caused it and it is your (Mr. Dealer) responsibility.

As sjw said, it's not that it's so expensive to replace parts (wp and Opti parts maybe 350) but labor to do it will be at least that and maybe a bit more.

Good luck and I'm going to assume you're getting a decent radiator and not some offshore, el cheapo brand that will expire in the near term. Right? That will be on the bill even if there's no charge. Again, the difference in cost could be 50+, but overall not that expensive. And sjw should know; he just replaced his with a factory unit.

BTW, is this a Chev dealer or another type? If Chev, it's good to some extent.

 

They are probably going to balk on the important peripheral items like the water pump and Opti, but it's entirely possible for the Opti to have been damaged by the coolant leak.

The written warranty spells out the warrantor's promises to fix or replace an item or part if it doesn't work properly.

The law requires that written warranties be worded so as not to mislead a reasonable, average consumer about the protections the warranty provides. Warranties must be written in plain and readily understood language and must contain a good deal of important information.

The law helps you by requiring the warrantor to clearly and conspicuously state all the information that you should consider. Nevertheless, both good and bad warranties still exist, so you should shop around and compare written warranties carefully.

 

Because this is a small, independent dealer, you may be able to persuade them to install a quality aftermarket Opti if the Opti on your car has been killed by a coolant bath. The first-generation OEM Opti that your car came with is deficient in its design (which is no small part of why we are fearing that a coolant bath may have killed it). The replacement OEM first-gen Optis are no different that what was installed at the factory (deficient). Two aftermarket solutions exist:

1. DynaSpark, which is a very well-engineered and well-made bolt-on replacement for the Opti. It is totally watertight, and solved a whole host of deficiencies that existed in the first-gen OEM Optis. There are a lot of Dynas that have been installed for a long time now, and they work very well. I installed one on my '94 two years and ~18k miles ago, and I'm very pleased with it. The manufacturer actually encouraged me to go ahead and hose it down if I wanted to -- something you NEVER want to do with an OEM Opti.

2. MSD is also now marketing a bolt-on Opti replacement. It looks like a good unit, but is new to the market so not a lot can be known about its long-term performance.

If your car now needs an Opti as a result of the coolant bath, see if the dealer will allow you to pay the cost difference between a replacement OEM unit and a Dyna or MSD. If they will, consider paying the extra $.

If the Opti needs to be replaced, also consider springing for the extra $ to replace the water pump, coolant hoses, and plug wires while the job's being done. It's generally a good idea to do all of these items while the car's torn down far enough to access the Opti.

With any luck, all your car will need is a new radiator. Let us know how it goes.

Be well,

SJW

 

I requested that the dealer put in an original equipment radiator, I woud like to keep the vette as original as possible. As for the other elements I e-mailed the dealer my requests and am still waiting for a reply. If I don't hear something tomorrow I am going to call.
Again thanks for the info.

 

FYI, the factory radiator was a single row, aluminum core, plastic tank unit. Regardless of anything else, insist in an aluminum core.

RACE ON!!!

 

If you do end up having to change out the radiator yourself, it is not that bad of a job - a little messy. Oh, and those 7mm screws that go down the sides of the radiator shroud can be a real pai. A 7mm GearWrench makes this a lot easier.

Alternately, you can call Jeremy at Fred Beans Chevrolet (also forum sponsors). He had a new OEM rad. out to me in a big hurray - and not too terribly expensive either.

Best of luck to you...