Hey guys,
Can't figure out why but my radiator leaks at random. Sometimes I can drive it all day and it won't leak a drop and the temp will be normal other days like now I can fired her up to let her warm up and run a little bit and then she starts pouring as soon as I shut it off...Can't figure out why

 

Where is it leaking from?

 

That's the thing I cant tell it looks like somewhere on the lower half...can't see anywhere it's leaking from on the top side..

 

If it has Plastic tanks, as mine does. It could be a crack. My wife has a 93 Lumina. I drove it 550 miles 2 weeks ago and it leaked before I left. It looked like it was coming from the top of one of the plastic tanks. Well I go home, no leak. We went to go to Kingman a couple of days later and I started it up and let it run a few minutes it looked OK. When we got to (Kingman 35 miles away) I opened the hood and there was anti-freeze everywhere. So I topped it off drove back and no leak.
So bottom line have it pressure checked. If it is a tank, replace the radiator. Don't let someone talk you into repairing or replacing only the tanks. A radiator is around $225. Try radiatorbarn.com might save a few bucks.

 

Thanks. I'll have to check it out. Where could I take it to get it tested? and you have a rough estimate of the price?

 

I would say any shop that works on cars & trucks. Ask friends about garages that do good honest work in your area. If you purchase the radiator from them the check should be free. I would think a fair price to have them do the work would be complete around $400/$500. That would be a new radiator/flush/ new anti-freeze, & labor. You might also check with a radiator shop. Get a few quotes. Then go with who you feel comfortable with. That is how I do it when I don't want to do something. I check out a few different shops. I don't always go with the cheapest price. I go with the shop that I feel comfortable with.

 

I would not pay someone $400-$500 to work on your radiator. You can get a brand new 2 row radiator for $163.98 and they have them in stock at the store. If you want a 4 row heavy duty unit, they can order one of those for $268.98.

I like supporting my local shops. But it's getting so they can't compete with the chain stores. I just bought a 89 f250 with a diesel, and did not like the white stuff I saw inside the radiator, even though it was cooling ok. I took it to a local radiator shop where they said they could clean it out for $50.00. I pulled it out(I am telling you, that is the biggest radiator I have ever seen) and took it over, and they would not mess with it because if they dipped it, they said it would start leaking. I got them to look up a new radiator, and the cheapest they could get it was for $540. I looked up a brand new radiator at the chain store, and it was $347.98. Sorry, but that is just too much difference for me to buy the radiator though my local shop.

 

Dave, I agree with you 100%. But reading his post it appeared he has no experience in doing mechanical work. The 86s have plastic tanks. Repairing them is a waste of money in the long run. I told him to try radiatorbarn.com were they offer good prices on radiators. But if you don't know how to pressure a radiator then changing on out might be tough.
Again I was under the impression he was going to get it done because of lack of knowledge of doing repairs. I maybe wrong if so I apologize.
Craig

 

Yes, you never know someone's mechanical ability or desire to get their hands dirty. I sometimes wish I had the money to pay someone to do my work, but the few times I have hired someone, I have been disappointed in what I payed for.

But a radiator job is not too bad if you don't have one of those fans that unscrews with the large nut. This diesel I have has one, and I had to make me some tools to get it off. Funny thing is, I was aware of it being lefthand thread, and it was also written on the radiator shroud. But when I went to put it back on, I tried and tried for 15 minutes to get the threads started, but could not get it to go. Then I realized I had forgotten the lefthand thread thing.

 

Yea I'm with you. Sometimes I will pay to have work done. Then I feel guilty for not doing it myself. My wife is great she tells me if you don't feel like doing it take it to someone and get it done. I have a shop here that does some stuff for me. I have a good relationship with the manager & the mechanic. They let me help or watch. I can negotiate prices with them and they will put on my parts also. So I use them once and awhile. They do my tires, alignments, etc also.
I had a Ranger with that screw on fan deal. What a deal the first time I ever did that one.
A radiator on an 86 F250 is pretty easy. Mine I believe is four bolts, the hoses, A/T lines it is out. I cant remember if each mount has two bolts or one the shroud has two on top and clips on the bottom. But reading this guys posts I got the impression he had no experience in repairs.
We live in and RV Park. My neighbor bought a new trailer. He his wife & boy moved here from Phoenix to take a job @ the hospital. Well he & his boy were living in a Class C motorhome. Well the wife moved up last week and she wasn't going for that so they bought a nice 35 ft fifth wheel. Well yesterday she asked me if I would help her husband get the sewer piped so they could use it. So I talked to him last night & volunteered to help him today. He is a good guy. But it was clear to me he had no idea how to get this job done. So I told him what he needed & he got it. Today we got him set up. But it was clear he just didn't know. So I was glad to help him & told him somethings to help with living in and RV. We have lived as full-time RVers for 10+ years.

 

In my experience if you want a cheap and quick fix that can work for years try adding a bottle of irontites all weather seal it worked for me with a bad head gasket and also a leak with a frost plug its like 20 bucks a bottle and i think its worth a try

 

that irontites stuff might plug up the passages in the rad and could cause overheating, I think its better to just replace it and not have to worry about it in the future

 

in my experience the stuff workes awesome my truck runs cooler now than it ever did and the stuffs still in there