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Radiator - 10/4/2004 7:21:55 PM   
siamsa24


Posts: 2426
Joined: 2/2/2004
Status: offline 		My radiator in my 1989 Oldsmobile 88 Delta Royale is leaking coolant everywhere and I believe that I need a new one. I have been calling around and everyone that I have talked to says that it will be $200 for the radiator (I do labor myself whenever I can).
This is a question for the car repair gurus out there, does that price sound fair?
And, how long can I wait to replace it (I lose about 2 quarts of coolant everytime I drive about 30 miles) until my radiator blows? I don't have the $200 right now, can it wait 4 weeks until I get a paycheck?
Thank you so much
Profile   Post #: 1
RE: Radiator - 10/5/2004 1:31:47 PM   
Nvernilla


Posts: 303
Joined: 10/1/2004
Status: offline 		Gee I got a new radiator installed for $200

(in reply to siamsa24)
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RE: Radiator - 10/5/2004 1:58:13 PM   
sub4hire


Posts: 6775
Joined: 1/1/2004
Status: offline 		GO/DAN 432017
Ready-Rad Plus; Standard; AC
Lifetime Limited Warranty Ships in 1 day
Weight: 18 lbs. $237.99

GO/DAN 432019
Ready-Rad Plus; HD; Max
Lifetime Limited Warranty Ships in 1 day
Weight: 31 lbs. $238.99

There you go. From partsaamerica.com I'd check a local radiator shop though. Perhaps even rebuild your own it will be just like new then. Why pay for new when you don't have to?
Putting the radiator in should not be a problem. Half an hour job.

Yep, yep dad was a mechanic and I grew up like his son after my brother passed away.

(in reply to siamsa24)
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RE: Radiator - 10/5/2004 1:59:36 PM   
sub4hire


Posts: 6775
Joined: 1/1/2004
Status: offline 		Also, you are sure it isn't a hose right? Upper or lower radiator hose? Also isn't squeaking like the water pump going out?
If the pump is going out it will leak everywhere.

(in reply to siamsa24)
Profile   Post #: 4
RE: Radiator - 10/6/2004 10:04:44 AM   
siamsa24


Posts: 2426
Joined: 2/2/2004
Status: offline 		No, I just replaced all the hoses over the summer and my ex checked to make sure it wasn't the pump. I think that I am going to just try to patch it and see if that works. It's a really old car so I don't want to pour too much money into it.
Thanks for all the advice.

(in reply to sub4hire)
Profile   Post #: 5
RE: Radiator - 10/6/2004 10:07:32 AM   
sub4hire


Posts: 6775
Joined: 1/1/2004
Status: offline
quote:

No, I just replaced all the hoses over the summer and my ex checked to make sure it wasn't the pump. I think that I am going to just try to patch it and see if that works. It's a really old car so I don't want to pour too much money into it.


Take it to a local radiator shop then. Don't try and patch it yourself. Alot of those quick radiator fixes will do more damage than good. At least let them recommend what fix that will help you.

(in reply to siamsa24)
Profile   Post #: 6
RE: Radiator - 10/6/2004 10:31:06 AM   
Sundew02


Posts: 457
Joined: 2/6/2004
Status: offline 		I should have checked your location before replying. But here is my two cents worth. First try a stop leak additive first. It might not stop it, but it might slow the leak down. Second, if you are in an area of the country that will be getting very cold in the next month, no it can't wait. But if it is only going to dip into the low 40's then unless it gets much worse it can wait. Just limit your driving and of course you know to check the level before starting the car. Remember antifreeze is not cheap, the hotter your car gets the more likely you are to do damage to your engine. Just adding water after a few days means you have little to no antifreeze left. I wish you luck. Sundew

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(in reply to siamsa24)
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RE: Radiator - 10/6/2004 10:34:28 AM   
Sundew02


Posts: 457
Joined: 2/6/2004
Status: offline 		Another quick thought, if you have a local U-Wrench-It. Which is a junkyard type used parts place. Check into that. If the car you are taking the part from was hit in the butt then the radiator should be ok. And since you are doing the work the parts can be fairly cheap. Sundew

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~~~~~Enjoy the ride, the landing could get painful~~~~

(in reply to siamsa24)
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RE: Radiator - 10/6/2004 10:54:37 AM   
velvetvixen


Posts: 378
Joined: 1/19/2004
Status: offline 		have you tried ebay? I have sold and purchased many many car parts there with excellent results. Just remember to find out the shipping costs before you bid and ask if the part is returnable or guaranteed or if it is being sold "as is."

www.ebaymotors.com

(in reply to siamsa24)
Profile   Post #: 9
RE: Radiator - 10/6/2004 3:09:58 PM   
topcat


Posts: 1675
Joined: 1/31/2004
From: Tidewater, VA
Status: offline 		Midear Princess-

First point, and utterly critical-

DO NOT run the car on water only as a coolant!

Antifreeze, in addtion to not freezing or boiling as easily as water, acts as a lubricant for the waterpump. running the system on straight water for any length of time will take out the seals and bearings, and then you'll need a pump too.

Other than that:

Make sure, make realyreally sure, that it is the radiator that is leaking. If it definatly is, consider buying a used one from a junk yard. If you do go this route, don't be shy about playing the 'girl card'- dress as you would to do the work, but do make an effort to look cute. It's not unlikely that the person behind the counter will make a little more effort to makesure you get a good one.

stop leak additives will likely not fix a leak as large as the one you are describing, but might be worth a try as a tempoary measure.

I am not sure, but I think that your car has plastic tanks (the end parts if the radiator). If so, patching it is going to be almost impossible.

Good luck

stay warm,
Lawrence

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-there is no remission without blood-

(in reply to siamsa24)
Profile   Post #: 10
RE: Radiator - 10/6/2004 3:33:27 PM   
siamsa24


Posts: 2426
Joined: 2/2/2004
Status: offline 		Horray! Someone read my profile! Thank you Topcat, that actually means a lot to me

Did I say I was just adding water? If I did then that was a mistake, I am adding the proper mixture of water and antifreeze/coolant.

I think I may look into a junk yard, my ex (who is very, very good with cars) looked at is and said it was a hole in the radiator.

I tried the fix-a-radiator stuff in a bottle and that slowed the leak quite a bit. I can't hope that it won't dip below 40 degrees this winter (I wish!) because I live close enough to Lake Erie to get the lake effect snow

Thank you everyone for the advice, it's nice to know that there are people out there that I can go to for silly things like this

(in reply to topcat)
Profile   Post #: 11
RE: Radiator - 10/7/2004 8:27:48 AM   
sub4hire


Posts: 6775
Joined: 1/1/2004
Status: offline 		I don't know, from my experience I still have to say purchasing a radiator from a junk yard is more problems than it is worth. This is an older car. Hey, if you lived in California...you almost would'nt have to pay smog fee's anymore. It is a classic car according to our standards out here.
Suffice to say if you find that radiator it will probably have rust in it. So, then you will need to take it to the radiator shop. Hmm, where have I heard this before?
If you happen to have rust in the radiator yep, it will get into the engine and damage it. Why make a small problem an even larger one? The junkyard radiator is going to need to be checked out no matter what.
I'm not a fan of the quick liquid fixes either. I do know some do more harm than good.
We used to use K&W block seal back when I had my first piece of shit car. It did a decent job. Yes, it would help to heal a radiator. However, if your radiator is plastic. It won't help you out.

Let us know what happens.

(in reply to siamsa24)
Profile   Post #: 12
RE: Radiator - 10/7/2004 10:39:20 AM   
BluesMate


Posts: 20
Joined: 9/12/2004
Status: offline 		deletedeletedeleted

< Message edited by BluesMate -- 11/7/2004 8:39:13 PM >

(in reply to sub4hire)
Profile   Post #: 13
RE: Radiator - 10/7/2004 10:55:57 AM   
sub4hire


Posts: 6775
Joined: 1/1/2004
Status: offline 		I don't know if they are interesting. I just keep having flashbacks of that old piece of crap I had. I think it was a 74 vega. Know why vega's aren't still around? They had aluminum engine blocks. Which meant they would conduct heat in a way you could blow a head gasket every couple of weeks. Overheat...etc..etc.
I had that car I believe from the end of my sophmore year to maybe christmas after graduation of high school. Went through 5 engines. I can't say how many head gaskets and radiators.

So, yep I'm a little passionate when it comes to radiators. Perhaps more so than other engine parts..hehe.

(in reply to BluesMate)
Profile   Post #: 14
RE: Radiator - 10/7/2004 11:52:11 AM   
Sundew02


Posts: 457
Joined: 2/6/2004
Status: offline 		Hi blues, Well I will say that I have NO fascination with any auto part, laughing. I agree, I have never had a problem getting a radiator from a junkyard, now trannies, yes lots of problems. Its real easy to run a little flush through a radiator and have it workable. Having survived my own teenage cars, and those of my rugrats, I have learned. Mechanics seem to think females have a sign over their head that says "screw me" without a kiss, laughing. It takes a bite of my agressive personality, and a mumbled "bitch" from them to get only the work done I need. So the minor stuff I do myself. MMMmmm I never drank from a drainage ditch, but I have had to use river water for "old faithful" a time or two. Sundew

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~~~~~Enjoy the ride, the landing could get painful~~~~

(in reply to BluesMate)
Profile   Post #: 15
RE: Radiator - 10/8/2004 7:38:23 AM   
BluesMate


Posts: 20
Joined: 9/12/2004
Status: offline 		deletedeletedeleted

< Message edited by BluesMate -- 11/7/2004 8:40:07 PM >

(in reply to Sundew02)
Profile   Post #: 16
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