I found a small leak/crack in the top plastic tank.

do you fine folks have advice on brand name preference? I figure Motorcraft will cost half as much as a new van

I have no idea what to buy. Local auto parts stores of course will be my best bet for warranty. But Rockauto will have the best price

 

If you need your van running today then you are stuck with what ever you can get the fastest.. Have you thought about a radiator repair shop. They can replace the top as well as clean it..

RA does not always have the cheapest prices.

Example: This is probably not your radiator RA list many different part numbers and i wasn't sure which one is yours so i just picked the one listed as Motorcraft.
If I had the exact part number I could look around for a reasonable price.
A difference between you and I is that I don't need the part today...

RA
http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/f...,radiator,2172
MOTORCRAFT RAD44 {#9C2Z8005B} Info
(Only 2 Remaining)
$483.79


Amazon

Ford 9C2Z-8005-B, Radiator

Price: $237.28 & FREE Shipping

 

I have had really bad luck in the past with aftermarket radiators from auto parts stores. Yes, they offer a lifetime warranty, but they seem to last about a year and if you need to take advantage of the warranty, you'll need to hang on to your receipts. If I were in your position, I would try to either repair the factory radiator or by an OEM part.

 

Actually according to FordPartsGiant.com
7C2Z-8005-A
Radiator Assy
Fitting Vehicle Options: 10 Cyl 6.8L SOHC EFI NA, 8 Cyl 5.4L Modular SOHC Callout Name: 8005 Replaced by: 9C2Z-8005-B

 

deleted and added to orignalpost

 

Rockauto might have the best price, or not, but if anything goes wrong, including them shipping the wrong part, expect nothing but grief and it will be ALL your fault.

If everything goes perfectly, RA is great. When it doesn't, well, that's another ballgame.


As for brands, unless you are going to pay top dollar, I'd go with a Spectra from Advance Auto Parts. Lifetime warranty.

 

I actually don’t need it in a huge hurry. I saw it again today and it looks bad but apparently not losing much coolant.

Im liking the idea of getting it fixed. But I didn’t think they could fix a radiator with plastic tanks.

Ill post a pic tomorrow morning.

 

Rock Auto all the way. Got a GREAT radiator for my old BMW from them for $100ish when the dealer wanted $450. It is a Nissens brand which I found on the Internet was superior to the OEM version.

Don't fix a radiator with plastic tanks; they are throwaways. Just order a new one and put it in.

From what I gather, your van doesn't need to run for more than a year or three longer. Radiators are a commodity and you don't need Motorcraft for that. Maybe do a quick bit of research on some of the alternate brands on the web and find one with generally good feedback.

George

 

The lost art of rebuilding parts at home!
Call (800) 433-6309 and order a new top tank with a gasket for $25 and replace it yourself.
https://www.thermprocesses.com/produ...roducts_id=351

 

Yuk....crimping aluminum tabs on an old radiator with vise grips strikes me as a shaky process, and Murphy's Law says the core will end up leaking soon anyway. I'd buy the $125 level Rock Auto in a brand like Denso that makes OEM radiators and have a completely fresh unit. When I was a kid with no money, I would solder cracked radiator tanks but in those days they were copper...(talk about recycling value). If the plastic is cracked in an accessible place where you could keep it clean and dry, you could also clean out the crack, rough it up, and load it with epoxy or JB Weld. But $125 for a new Rock Auto radiator is the cost of 1 hour of shop rate labor...

 

Ive got a spectra from Pep Boys (I know, Pep boys was my last choice) in my 94 club wagon, Has lasted about 2 years so far.

 

I agree the aluminum tabs could break off but for some with little funds, replacing the top is the way to go..

Here is a shop with a machine to do it..


Here is a shop with a less expensive set up for crimping it back tight.

 

My mom's 78 has had a spectra for around 10 years now but she only drives about twice a week now and is lucky to put 3000 miles a year on the van..
I still have her old copper/brass radiator but the guys at the radiator shop said that if it has been sitting dry for years it is probably impossible to clean it. Her old radiator fits my 88 and I also have a spare copper/aluminum in my 85. I also had my 88 radiator cleaned last year by a shop so I am set on radiators!

 

Here’s what I’m up against.

 

All over the board here on replies. And I actually like them all.
Problem is that my life sitch has changed drastically. I left the big dollar job to start my own business and now I DO need this van to serve big weekly mileage for at least 6 more months. I’m on a rough start because my rear axle has tremendous backlash and the transmission tailpiece bushing has a LOT of looseness. It has lots of driveline noise.

And the engine smokes excessively after idling for a while.

Also I still have cyl 5 misfire after changing the spark plug twice and then also swapping the coil ***’y with #4.

As a side note: I’m in the market for a 2nd van to do the exact same thing (I have one employee already). I’m a little bit interested in a Chevy HHR or Transit Connect but they’re a little small (and the Ford is expensive). My new company will cover 18 counties in central Florida and I need lots of cubic feet to hold product.

**Anyway back to the radiator. Thanks for the input. I like all options. Mostly I like the Pep Boys radiators having good personal reviews from you. I’ll look into that first.

Exactly what type of coolant goes in this? Gold/yellow/something else?
Or should I just do what the owners manual states?

man I hate to spend money on a 320,000 mile vehicle...