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Most people do not have a pressure tester, that's why all major auto parts stores rent them. For coolant I use a pressure tester, for oil I use dye. Fluids travel in weird ways.
Your money, your time, your car.
good advice... definitely will need to pressure test before i start dismanteling. I pray that I can get it all buttoned up this weekend because I haven't drove her in a few weeks and it's been almost like summer here in Arkansas with 87* Temps
I skipped the pressure test and yestday morning I installed the new GM waterpump, reused the new duralast thermostat and housing. and voila! no more coolant leak! I went on a drive yesterday and today 🙃
hey guys I'm back! there's a new leak at the top of the radiator that luckily I can see easily. small puddle underneath this spot.This would require a radiator replacement, correct? I'm ready to fix this..
@jim993 thank you for the quick and insightful response! I'll be getting new hoses , too, good eye. This will be the third time to drain the coolant but now its gotten easier and I don't mind the coolant cost. I'm likely going for the OEM replacement radiator since I don't plan on doing any road course driving, although i would like to do some autocross again. Those are short two minute runs so nothing like road course temps. The DeWitts looks really nice and does provide lower temps, though!
hey guys I'm back! there's a new leak at the top of the radiator that luckily I can see easily. small puddle underneath this spot.This would require a radiator replacement, correct? I'm ready to fix this..
Thats where mine cracked. tried every kind of sealant out there. Nothing stuck. I even tried to weld it together with a solder iron which helped it slow down enough to last 8 years. and not even added antifreeze, i did add radiator leak sealant which helped also. Just changed it january. So yes, changing it is your best option.
Thats where mine cracked. tried every kind of sealant out there. Nothing stuck. I even tried to weld it together with a solder iron which helped it slow down enough to last 8 years. and not even added antifreeze, i did add radiator leak sealant which helped also. Just changed it january. So yes, changing it is your best option.
Yep, mine leaked in that same exact spot as well and leaked less than a month after replacing the water pump and all the hoses. Since I needed to get it replaced quickly, I went the standard Autozone OEM replacement. If/when the Autozone radiator gives out, then I will probably go DeWitts.
@jim993 thank you for the quick and insightful response! I'll be getting new hoses , too, good eye. This will be the third time to drain the coolant but now its gotten easier and I don't mind the coolant cost. I'm likely going for the OEM replacement radiator since I don't plan on doing any road course driving, although i would like to do some autocross again. Those are short two minute runs so nothing like road course temps. The DeWitts looks really nice and does provide lower temps, though!
Gee....I wonder if a pressure test would have revelaed this?
hey guys, just a little pic update and thought that crossed my mind a few nights ago. Do you think not properly following the coolant procedure to bleed the air out, could have cause the failure at the top of the radiator? It became a new leak after I fixed the water pump and leak, I think. because it didn't leak a drop after two hard drives and then it began leaking.
I filled it up 50/50 with dexcool GM concentrate/bottled water to the cold full line. Started it and let it warm up to 180* , then I screwed the coolant tank cap down. Continue letting engine warm up to 210*, then shut engine off. then carefully open the coolant cap, fill to .5" above cold full mark, start engine and repeat one more time. I kept an eye on the coolant level after that and it stayed right and the cold full mark when cold. 🤔
progress: (I have all replacement parts now, the radiator, 3 hoses and 6 worm clamps! i failed to order a new coolant tank reservoir hose, oops)
In my view, radiators are parts that wear out over time because of the pressure/temperature cycles and fatigue life of the materials they are made of. No, nothing to do with coolant changes. The number of pressure/temperature cycles reached the fatigue life of the plastic tank.
Gee....I wonder if a pressure test would have revelaed this?
lol touche , but i went ahead and installed the new gm water pump without pressure testing because it had just arrived. there was 0 leak for 2 hard drives.
this may seem like a silly question, but do we remove these two clear plastic caps [over the automatic trans outlets] if we have a manual transmission? i ask because they feel quite soft and meltable!
I would leave them unless they turn out to be in the way. Open, crud and dirt could find its way into the transmission fluid cooler. No problem for a 6 speed but-
You or a future owner might find a use for the transmission cooler.
My DeWitts radiator has both transmission and engine oil coolers and the car is plumbed for both.
As far as melting, these ties have been in place for about ten years. I found that rotor temperature after a cool down lap and parking in the paddock was 550 degrees F-
Last Saturday i connected all of the hoses and buttoned the job up. I test drove her, pushing to 5k rpm, and no leaking whatsoever after sitting since Sunday! I'll give it some more time to know for sure, but I'm relieved.
Thank you all for assisting me through this!!
Those cooler union threads would be metric quick disconnect on a 2004. The change from 5/8 - 18 to metric occurred in 2001. Later I will find one of my old cooler union fittings to measure. The metric unions and plugs would have a seal on the end and if a union a spring lock and o ring seal for the cooler line. Takes a small plastic tool to release the cooler line.
Another option would be to call DeWitts and ask them. They have all the correct fittings by year.
This is what a metric union looks like, probably a plug is available. My calc is 18 mm x 1.5 mm.
