Radiator Replacement

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Apr 10, 2024 | 02:02 PM

JoePa2

Thread Starter

Cross-Country

Joined: Oct 2011

Posts: 74

Likes: 10

From: Pennslvania

Radiator Replacement

Well I'm finally finished with my radiator job on my 1998 Ford Club Wagon with a 5.4 - I mentioned in an earlier post that I had coolant on the garage floor and had a hard time figuring where the leak was coming from - ended up finding a crack on the top plastic part of the radiator - the coolant dripped down the drivers side of the radiator making me think that the leak was there somewhere on the bottom - the hardest thing encountered was taking the bottom radiator hose off the old one - got a new radiator at Auto Zone that cost me 3 hundred - then the hardest thing - trying to put the fan back on after installing the new radiator - I'm 90 years old and don't have the strength I used to have - just couldn't do it with the. shroud in the way - I finally got the fan back on but had to put the it on without the shroud - I cut the Botton of the shroud so I could get that on - after the shroud was on I patched it up. using aluminum tape I had laying around - I used a couple layers of tape and it seems like it its a good repair - felt pretty good doing this job - but it keeps getting harder as the years go by - Joe

Apr 15, 2024 | 10:26 AM

Mike1

Lead Driver

Joined: Mar 2006

Posts: 6,259

Likes: 438

From: IL

I don't think that tape will stay forever. If it were me I'd either drill small holes on either side of where you cut it in two and zip tie it back together or I'd run to Harbor Freight, buy a plastic welder and weld it back together. Good luck with it whatever you decide to do, or not do, but you got the important part done

Apr 16, 2024 | 06:09 AM

JWA

Fleet Owner

Joined: Aug 2010

Posts: 21,253

Likes: 1,656

From: Reynoldsburg, Ohio

If the crack or split can be seen and somewhat easily accessed I'd use a JB Weld product to their cleaning and surface preparation suggestions.

Apr 17, 2024 | 08:52 AM

econo93

More Turbo

Joined: Aug 2017

Posts: 516

Likes: 72

From: Tucson

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoePa2

..... I finally got the fan back on but had to put the it on without the shroud - I cut the Botton of the shroud so I could get that on - after the shroud was on I patched it up. using aluminum tape I had laying around - I used a couple layers of tape and it seems like it its a good repair - felt pretty good doing this job - but it keeps getting harder as the years go by - Joe

I did similar with mine since I've needed easier access to check the belt, tensioner (air pump delete), misc. leaks,etc. I cut mine in half at top and bottom so there's a left and right that can be removed individually. It makes it easier for me to reach the radiator drain from above when the DS half is removed. I used 3/4" X 2" pieces of flat aluminum stock and pop rivets to hold the halves together and just drill them out when needed.