Radiator trouble PICS INSIDE
Radiator trouble PICS INSIDE Ok well my radiator started leaking today...i was goin to go get some new rear tires mounted on the Z...the old rears were not completely shot yet so i figured id have some fun before i tossed them so i went to pick up my buddy and his camera 
...well we did a few burnouts and some donuts and took out and when i was driving down the highway my check guages light turned on...so i looked and saw that my temp guage was burried all the way on the red!
I immediatly shut off the car and pulled over to the side...popped the hood and saw that my radiator was shooting out coolant from the drivers side. Basically all the coolant leaked. I towed my car back home and pulled of the airbox and noticed that the leak is coming from the black plastic thing at the edge of the radiator on the driver side. I called parts stores thinkin it was my radiator and got rediculous prices...
I called my local slavage yard and they said they could order me a new one for 150 bucks so compared to autozones 273.99 its alot cheaper. I then called the radiator shop and they told me that they didnt think my radiator actually needed replacement. He told me that i probobly blew out the tank. I got pics so you guys tell me if i should replace the whole thing...i dont have very much money so i would like to go with the best and more affordable solution.
...well we did a few burnouts and some donuts and took out and when i was driving down the highway my check guages light turned on...so i looked and saw that my temp guage was burried all the way on the red!I immediatly shut off the car and pulled over to the side...popped the hood and saw that my radiator was shooting out coolant from the drivers side. Basically all the coolant leaked. I towed my car back home and pulled of the airbox and noticed that the leak is coming from the black plastic thing at the edge of the radiator on the driver side. I called parts stores thinkin it was my radiator and got rediculous prices...
I called my local slavage yard and they said they could order me a new one for 150 bucks so compared to autozones 273.99 its alot cheaper. I then called the radiator shop and they told me that they didnt think my radiator actually needed replacement. He told me that i probobly blew out the tank. I got pics so you guys tell me if i should replace the whole thing...i dont have very much money so i would like to go with the best and more affordable solution.
Last edited by camaro981289; Mar 30, 2010 at 08:42 PM.
I forgot to include that my car overheated about a month ago...had a coolant leak i wasnt aware off i added coolant and have been driving it since...today was pretty hot outside so i think the radiator tank was maybe cracked and probobly just blew the rest of it today.
TECH Regular
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 496
Likes: 0
From: GARDEN GROVE, CA
I just replaced my radiator on Saturday. I got one at Autozone for $106. It said it was for a v6 but after researching I found out it's the same one as a v8. I was lucky and just had a tiny pinhole that I used stop leak for 2 weeks.
You have to take it out either way...so either take it to a radiator shop and have them replace or reinstall that plastic tank, probably cost you $50-$60. Or get a new one for $100+.
And the difference between the A4 and M6 radiators is that the A4 has a tranny cooler inside the passengers side plastic tank.
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And the difference between the A4 and M6 radiators is that the A4 has a tranny cooler inside the passengers side plastic tank.
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hmmm i took it to a transmission shop last summer because my tranny was overheating...he told me that my car didnt have a transmission cooler and suggested i buy one so i bought a B&M super cooler i havent installed yet...
Put the tranny cooler on, it'll prolong the life of your tranny for sure.
If it turns out you don't have a tranny cooler in your radiator....thats actually a good thing...because they can leak later on through the two ports. To simply see if you have one...look at the passengers side plastic tank and see if there's two ports with metal fittings on the back with metal lines attached.
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Go to the end of this thread and look at how I mounted my cooler. I suggest doing it this way, and not putting it up against or to close to the condensor. They get hot as hell and will cause a huge hot spot area on the condensor. It will then super heat the condensor and send that heated air right into the radiator. The way I did it, the cool ram air flows all around it and mixes the super hot air coming off the cooler before it goes through the condensor.
My cooler is in front of my condensor on the passengers side, nevermind the other cooler behind my air dam, thats my power steering fluid cooler.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/general-m...teering+cooler
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My cooler is in front of my condensor on the passengers side, nevermind the other cooler behind my air dam, thats my power steering fluid cooler.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/general-m...teering+cooler
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Last edited by LS6427; Mar 30, 2010 at 10:16 PM.
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Verdad Gallardo Go to the end of this thread and look at how I mounted my cooler. I suggest doing it this way, and not putting it up against or to close to the condensor. They get hot as hell and will cause a huge hot spot area on the condensor. It will then super heat the condensor and send that heated air right into the radiator. The way I did it, the cool ram air flows all around it and mixes the super hot air coming off the cooler before it goes through the condensor.
My cooler is in front of my condensor on the passengers side, nevermind the other cooler behind my air dam, thats my power steering fluid cooler.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/general-m...teering+cooler
.
My cooler is in front of my condensor on the passengers side, nevermind the other cooler behind my air dam, thats my power steering fluid cooler.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/general-m...teering+cooler
.
Thats a good idea man im going to mount my b&M tranny super cooler like that...Its starting to get hot here so my transmission is probobly going to start actin up soon like it did last summer...i mean just cruising around for an hour in 90 degree weather and it starts slippin bad...So this should help alot....but right now i need to get this coolant leak fixed wather its the stupid plastic tank or the whole radiator itself im goin to go to the Radiator shop to see what he suggests i do...Thanks alot man
Those factory coolers are hilarious. You either have your tranny fluid flowing through 210* hot coolant or you have it going through the B&M cooler thats got 70*-90* ram air flowing through it. You can even put two coolers on if you want to, one on each side, its another $20.00 and 5 minutes work.
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On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 143
Likes: 0
If you do have the tanny cooler in the radiator.....whatever you do don't let anyone talk you into getting it again. Just get a hollow tank put on if you decide to repair it and use the aftermarket B&M cooler. If you get a new radiator, get it without the cooler.
Those factory coolers are hilarious. You either have your tranny fluid flowing through 210* hot coolant or you have it going through the B&M cooler thats got 70*-90* ram air flowing through it. You can even put two coolers on if you want to, one on each side, its another $20.00 and 5 minutes work.
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Those factory coolers are hilarious. You either have your tranny fluid flowing through 210* hot coolant or you have it going through the B&M cooler thats got 70*-90* ram air flowing through it. You can even put two coolers on if you want to, one on each side, its another $20.00 and 5 minutes work.
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Yep just got back and its goin to be the coolant overflow tank or the gasket. i have to pull the radiator out today and take it back to get pressure tested. And ls6 u were right the tranny cooler is inside the tank on passsenger side...so the transmission shop guy is a retard...and yea my car has a 210 thermostat installed...im goin to buy a 160 degree one today along with a new tank...the radiator guy thinks its been leaking this whole time and thats y the transmission is overheating...he doesnt think i need the b&m but i like that setup ls6 did and im thinkin about doin it also since ill have the radiator pulled out
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 143
Likes: 0
Yep just got back and its goin to be the coolant overflow tank or the gasket. i have to pull the radiator out today and take it back to get pressure tested. And ls6 u were right the tranny cooler is inside the tank on passsenger side...so the transmission shop guy is a retard...and yea my car has a 210 thermostat installed...im goin to buy a 160 degree one today along with a new tank...the radiator guy thinks its been leaking this whole time and thats y the transmission is overheating...he doesnt think i need the b&m but i like that setup ls6 did and im thinkin about doin it also since ill have the radiator pulled out
Well pulled the radiator off today...its really dirty but besides that it doesnt look too bad...im takin it to the radiator shop tomorrow first thing in the morning. Hopefully it is just the tank or the gasket...
Actually, its hotter than that at times. When the t-stat senses the coolant is at 195* (or whatever the stock t-stat is rated for) the coolant is ALOT hotter around the cylinders and in the heads about 1 foot away. When it rushes into the radiator after the t-stat opens, thats some hot **** going right through that dumbass factory PS cooler and the tranny cooler in the radiator where that hot coolant is just gonna sit around the tranny cooler static just heating it up...or keeping it hot as hell. Yes, it cools off after a bit from the fans and ram air, but there's another rush of HOT *** coolant coming in a couple minutes later.
You really don't think that everything GM designed is GOOD....do you?
And did you miss where I said....if you touch the factory PS fluid cooler after the engine is up to operating temp you will get 3rd degree burns.....hell just the rubber hose will burn the hell out of you....BUT my aftermarket PS fluid cooler just gets warm. Which part did you miss there?????
I'd like to see someone also put there hand around a tranny cooler line after the car has been driven for awhile, and hold it for 3 seconds. My tranny cooler is pretty hot, but NOTHING like the stock tranny cooler always sitting in a bathtub of burning hot colant.
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On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 143
Likes: 0
Yup....they sure did. They did it because they thought people might take their cars out on a road race course, where the PS fluid gets close to 300*. Then radiator coolant would help a little bit. But not for a street car.
Actually, its hotter than that at times. When the t-stat senses the coolant is at 195* (or whatever the stock t-stat is rated for) the coolant is ALOT hotter around the cylinders and in the heads about 1 foot away. When it rushes into the radiator after the t-stat opens, thats some hot **** going right through that dumbass factory PS cooler and the tranny cooler in the radiator where that hot coolant is just gonna sit around the tranny cooler static just heating it up...or keeping it hot as hell. Yes, it cools off after a bit from the fans and ram air, but there's another rush of HOT *** coolant coming in a couple minutes later.
You really don't think that everything GM designed is GOOD....do you?
And did you miss where I said....if you touch the factory PS fluid cooler after the engine is up to operating temp you will get 3rd degree burns.....hell just the rubber hose will burn the hell out of you....BUT my aftermarket PS fluid cooler just gets warm. Which part did you miss there?????
I'd like to see someone also put there hand around a tranny cooler line after the car has been driven for awhile, and hold it for 3 seconds. My tranny cooler is pretty hot, but NOTHING like the stock tranny cooler always sitting in a bathtub of burning hot colant.
.
Actually, its hotter than that at times. When the t-stat senses the coolant is at 195* (or whatever the stock t-stat is rated for) the coolant is ALOT hotter around the cylinders and in the heads about 1 foot away. When it rushes into the radiator after the t-stat opens, thats some hot **** going right through that dumbass factory PS cooler and the tranny cooler in the radiator where that hot coolant is just gonna sit around the tranny cooler static just heating it up...or keeping it hot as hell. Yes, it cools off after a bit from the fans and ram air, but there's another rush of HOT *** coolant coming in a couple minutes later.
You really don't think that everything GM designed is GOOD....do you?
And did you miss where I said....if you touch the factory PS fluid cooler after the engine is up to operating temp you will get 3rd degree burns.....hell just the rubber hose will burn the hell out of you....BUT my aftermarket PS fluid cooler just gets warm. Which part did you miss there?????
I'd like to see someone also put there hand around a tranny cooler line after the car has been driven for awhile, and hold it for 3 seconds. My tranny cooler is pretty hot, but NOTHING like the stock tranny cooler always sitting in a bathtub of burning hot colant.
.
Yea the guy at the radiator shop told me the same thing he said there is no need for another transmission cooler he said the one in there should be fine but i already bought a b&m super cooler and its supposed to reduce the temperature...im also going to install a 160* thermastat
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Hey my car doesnt have a PS fkuid cooler...at least i didnt see one on there where is it located??
...but its running better now 