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I walked over to the passenger side and I noticed that there was a puddle of coolant in front of the front right wheel. Looked underneath and I can see the coolant dripping directly from the radiator.
This isn't my radiator, just using it for illustration. I can see the coolant dripping down the radiator where the red arrow is on the bottom right.
What I find interesting is, it doesn't always drip, even with a filled reservoir tank. If there is something cracked in the radiator, wouldn't it always be leaking? I haven't gotten the chance to lift the car yet and look underneath. Any ideas/experiences what could be causing this?
Last edited by swampmonster; Sep 28, 2017 at 05:50 PM.
In my experience, small radiator leaks only tend to actually leak as the system depressurizes. After a shutdown normally. The coolant expansion tank is on the passenger side of the engine bay, so its worth a look around there too. Common leaks are the T joint on the bottom of the tank, and the coolant level sensor plug also on the bottom of the tank.
In my experience, small radiator leaks only tend to actually leak as the system depressurizes. After a shutdown normally. The coolant expansion tank is on the passenger side of the engine bay, so its worth a look around there too. Common leaks are the T joint on the bottom of the tank, and the coolant level sensor plug also on the bottom of the tank.
I'll look around the tank as well. I've replaced that tank like 4 years ago or something. Where can I look around the radiator that would cause the leaking underneath it?
The side caps of the OEM radiator are made out of plastic. They often split at the areas where the hoses connect or where they are attached to the radiator core.
The side caps are the black plastic vertical pieces on the sides of the radiator? So if this is the case, what do I have to do to fix this? Replace the radiator?
I had to replace the radiator in my 2001 due to a crack around the top hose inlet. I ordered a replacement GM radiator from Rock Auto for a little over $200.00.
I thought about the cheaper aftermarket replacement but decided to go with the OEM GM unit. I believe that you get what you pay for.
The original radiator lasted me 16 years is one reason I went with the GM replacement.
I did the job myself and it is not that bad in my opinion. Good luck with your repair.
Unless you are having cooling issues or plan on tracking the car, go with a gm replacement. It lasted 15 years so I'd say that's a good run. It's not hard at all to replace. I have the process documented in my thread.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums/c5-general/4030151-proletariat-designs-97-coupe-progress-thread.html#post1595586519
I went with a different set up but it's the same procedure..... just ignore all the oil cooler bits
No experience with aftermarket radiator replacements so I won't comment on the one you linked to.
A bit of work but it is manageable for a DIY'er to replace their own radiator. Here is a link to a video that will give you some idea of what you face:
Subject car is a C5 Z06 and there are a few minor differences, primarily in how the air cleaner box is retained, between a coupe or vert and a Z06. Nothing extensive.
If your car is an automatic you will have two extra lines that come from the transmission to the trans oil cooler in the passenger side tank. These lines add some additional obstacles to removing and reinstalling the radiator so a 2nd pair of hand is an excellent idea. If the car is an automatic you will need to top off the trans oil once the new radiator is installed as some is lost during the radiator removal process. If you plan to do that yourself then make certain you know how that is done (very specific procedure) since there is no dip stick tube.
Thanks everyone for your responses!
Thanks for the video, I have a manual so it looks like it will be a lot easier to swap out!
I have another question, right now, I've been filling the cooling system with regular water just to get me going until I get the new radiator in and then swap it out during a weekend. I've read that water is corrosive. How long do you think I could run with water until I start hurting my car?
Last edited by swampmonster; Sep 29, 2017 at 10:59 AM.
Since I have a modified car with Twin Turbos cooling is a big issue for me. I personally went with the DeWitts radiator for my setup as I had gone through two radiators in two years both of which cracked and leaked in the lower left and right corners just above the rubber mounts. Since my car is also very stiff with coil over shocks I may be stressing the radiator mount points. I've had the DeWitts in now for two years and "knock on wood" have not had a problem. I chose this option as DeWitts offers a Life Time Warranty.
Removal and replacement are easy to do in a home garage if you are handy. Read threads on how to burp your system once you replace and refill your system.
Many folk use tap water rather than distilled water in the radiator of the car.
I would be more concerned that because the cooling system cannot retain pressure that you overheat the engine and cause damage.
The freeze point of a 50/50 water/coolant mix is 218 * while that of plain water is 212. The cooling system is supposed to be able to build pressure as the coolant gets hotter. For every pound of pressure the boil point is raised about 3 degrees. So with a 15 lb pressure cap the boil point of water only is 212 +3x15 or about 257 degrees. If the system cannot hold pressure because of a leak, the boil point is well within reach of normal engine operating conditions.
That makes sense! I just ordered the radiator! I know what I'm doing next weekend!
Since I have a modified car with Twin Turbos cooling is a big issue for me. I personally went with the DeWitts radiator for my setup as I had gone through two radiators in two years both of which cracked and leaked in the lower left and right corners just above the rubber mounts. Since my car is also very stiff with coil over shocks I may be stressing the radiator mount points. I've had the DeWitts in now for two years and "knock on wood" have not had a problem. I chose this option as DeWitts offers a Life Time Warranty.
Removal and replacement are easy to do in a home garage if you are handy. Read threads on how to burp your system once you replace and refill your system.
Good luck.
I ended up getting an aftermarket "OEM" replacement. We will see how it goes!
To take the radiator out, do I do have to remove the radiator fans? Also, the video above says to lift the AC condenser and push it forward. Does the radiator and condenser just lift straight up? Or raise one side up first to unhook and slide the other side off? One last thing, the video also showed not only the air filter box being removed, but also the entire "air guide" (not sure what its called) that sits underneath it. Does that "air guide" also need to be removed?
Yes the fans will have to come out. They can be lifted straight up to unclip from the radiator. Same process for the condenser. But it will just move towards the from of the car and not removed. The shroud for the radiator/condenser will have to be removed before the condenser can be separated from the radiator. My progress thread has pics on what I am talking about.
Yes the fans will have to come out. They can be lifted straight up to unclip from the radiator. Same process for the condenser. But it will just move towards the from of the car and not removed. The shroud for the radiator/condenser will have to be removed before the condenser can be separated from the radiator. My progress thread has pics on what I am talking about.
Thanks for sharing that write up! When you say shroud, you're talking about the top support over the radiator/condenser? Looking at your write up, it didn't look like you had to remove the air filter box. Is this correct? This work looks pretty straightforward. I hope it goes as smoothly at it looks like it should go!
Coolant leaking under radiator??
