CAMRY 2.2 ltr Radiator.

Just got my first real fault on my 2.2 auto CAMRY Had it new since 1995.

86.000 miles and radiator is loosing water some place. Its not a hose. But it can cope day to day if I run locally.

I just priced a replacement from my Toyota dealer its GB£290 which = US$ 550.

A local company Advanced Radiators have a new replacement product from Denmark at GB£82 = US$156.

It looks fine, aluminium fins but plastic headers.

I have noticed an odd comment about using Distilled water when refilling system. However the info with this RAD suggests fully flush out with a hose. Is that a NO NO ?

I am replacing all hoses and stat at this time to.

The Refill from Toyota with RED anti freeze is £15.00 = US$ 28 for a 5 litre made up charge. Will that be distilled warter mix ? Does it really matter ?

Any comments on the Rads with Plastic rather that steel headers.

Johnny UK.

Reply to
JM
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Plastic header tanks (or lower and top tanks) are a feature of all cars today, and the real reason they use them, is because they are cheaper to make. BMW and VW were a couple of the earliest manufacturers to use them and for the most part they were reliable,...but not as reliable as copper/brass tanks. My daughter's '98 Hyandai Sonata V6 cracked its top plastic tank on a very hot day here (Australia) while cruising at 60 mph on a country highway. The cooling system was otherwise in good order,..so it was just bad luck. Personally if I had a failure in my '96 4 cyl Camry radiator tank, I would replace it with a metal one,..if I could source one. As to not flushing the ally core? I cant think of a reason why you couldnt do this. The core-tubes are sealed with a neoprene gasket as are the tanks. Maybe this is the reason why reverse flushing is not recommended? Cant think why tho, aslong as the flushing pressure is not too high. Many folks like to use genuine Toyota coolant. Becaue the engine has an alloy head and the rad-core is also aluminium, It any case its imperitive to use a coolant or coolant mix with distilled water, that is recommended for the engine, Otherwise corrosian can start due to incorrect PH factor with associated sludge build-up. Equally, its important to keep the cooling system sealed, so no air can get in to aid corrosian. A new radiator cap and hose replacement when necessary will help here.

Jason

Reply to
Jason James

Hi Jason,

Thanks for the comments. Regard They ( the Rad manufacturers ) recommend flushing out the engine block. As in to the top hose point then obviously running out the bottom connector.

Ok on the all metal. Yea I can go along with that to some extent. I don't even know if the " Toyota" one is metal. , just a hell of a lot more expensive.

A comment from the place I purchased the Alternative from is that locally Toyota buy from them. Maybe just a real good mark up.

So I do wonder if the Toyota Recharge Antifreeze is mixed with distilled or TAP water. Maybe I will mix my own .

Thanks

Johnny UK.

Reply to
JM

OK, there is an important consideration here. If you are going to flush your engine (block and head), you dont want rustand debris which may have formed in the engine water-jacket, getting into the radiator. So its important to either 1.keep the radiator completely out of the engine flush procedure, or, make sure the engine is "downstream" so no dirty water flows thru the rad-core. Similarly, when flushing the radiator, keep it disconnected from the engine.

I think its a given that most Toyota parts are going to be dearer than non-Toy parts. With some parts eg air-filters, oil filters, rad-caps, but not thermostats for example, as they are a critical part of the cooling system, I go with non-genuine. As to the the radiator, I would go with Toyota as long as it wasn't grossly more expensive. If a cheaper brand is available (as you have found), I would try to get some opinions on its reliability. But because it is a crucial cooling system component, any doubt, dont buy it.

If that is true, then you have no worries.

Tap water varies in its quality so much, that I wouldnt use it. Where I live, the local council puts some crap in it which leaves a layer of crud when it evaporates. Use distilled water if its not premixed.

Jason

Reply to
Jason James

=3D=3D=3D I was able to find the original equipment Toyota from the dealer closer to the aftermarket price. For sure, it was less than half your quoted dealer price. Check online sellers and other Toyota dealers. I also seem to remember reading a TSB that the design of the plastic radtiator tanks was improved on later versions. If the coolant has been replaced with any regularity and you've been using the Toyota brand, there should be no rust or sediment in the engine block which means flushing would not be required. There is nothing about flushing in the Toyota service manual, only draining radiator and cylinder block.

Reply to
Daniel

=== I was able to find the original equipment Toyota from the dealer closer to the aftermarket price. For sure, it was less than half your quoted dealer price. Check online sellers and other Toyota dealers. I also seem to remember reading a TSB that the design of the plastic radtiator tanks was improved on later versions. If the coolant has been replaced with any regularity and you've been using the Toyota brand, there should be no rust or sediment in the engine block which means flushing would not be required. There is nothing about flushing in the Toyota service manual, only draining radiator and cylinder block.

Hi Ok Daniel.

Thanks for your comments.

Well there is a leak some place in the rad. so difficult to see.

Regarding the TOYOTA situation here They are up there with BMW regarding costs. Last time I got an hourly rate from my Totota Outlet it was £82 per hour inclusing taxes. BMW were £108 per hour.

The main other suppliers in UK are Advanced Radiators. So I have the " Plastic" one now And just ordered Top and Bottom hoses

2 hoses for the Rad to GearBox. New Stat. O ring and Gasket for that. Rad Cap. 5 ltr RED antifreeze refill.

Cost from Toyota is £92.00 or circa US$174.

So I will have them all together over the week end. Then just pick a warm day to do the job.

Tks

Johnny UK

Reply to
JM

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