Heater Core Jinx

About six hours after I posted a reply to the heater core thread, saying I'd only had 2 radiators spring a leak, my wife came home from work. With a leaking radiator. 1997 Lumina with 165k miles. She had noticed a very small puddle under the car after work, then saw a few drops after she parked in our driveway. By the time I checked it out there was no dripping, and no detectable dampness anywhere. Started it up to repressurize, but couldn't find the leak. I was going to leave it for a while. Just check the coolant level. My son happened to come by last night and he has phenom eyes. Coolant level was fine. He spotted green on the seam by the upper hose. Really hidden. I could barely see it even when he pointed me to it. We took out the airbox to check for a leaking hose, cranked the clamp a bit, and restarted. He saw it seeping at the seam, not the hose. I couldn't see it myself. First thing I thought was I'd go get some stopleak to put in. Then he told me the tanks are plastic. I forgot about that. This morning I drove the wife the six miles to work in the Grand Am. Don't trust plastic, don't want her stranded if the tank blows off, and don't want a tow bill. Five days ago I got back from a 2500 mile drive with the car. So I consider the timing lucky. Local O'Reilly's has the radiator for $126. Time for new hoses too. Son and I will replace Friday after he gets off work. Couple hours. I still don't believe in jinxes. Except maybe the Cubs.

--Vic

Reply to
Vic Smith
Loading thread data ...

Sounds like, if the labor is not too much, you'll have an easy and cheap fix. I did a Honda a while back, took about 10 or 15 minutes to do the swap, very fast. The thing that took longest was tightening the hose clamps!

Reply to
PeterD

Won't be that fast! We had it out last year when we put a new condenser in. Can't remember how the condenser attaches to the rad. Two hours is stretching it out. Couple braces, beside the hoses. I'll slow the kid down,

--Vic

Reply to
Vic Smith

Very common for the plastic to split right where the hose connections are. The connection flexes just enough that fatigue cracks form.

Reply to
Steve W.

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.