Radiator Blow Out – new radiator

[Vlad2]

So I put a new radiator in my buick lacrosse (3800 series III engine). Put about 1500 miles on it and it blew out all the coolant while my wife was driving it home. She got it off the road and shut down fast, so I am hoping the head isn’t warped.. I left it cool for a few hours and just started it enough to move it for the tow truck driver to load it, and then to pull it out of the cul-de-sac around to the back of the house. The finally a few days later into the garage. so here’s hoping I don’t make a milkshake when I get a new one in it.

Anyway, the question I have is, is this common with the new radiators being plastic on the sides and metal in the middle? I bought a Spectra Premium, so not the cheapest one. There is a warranty of 2 years. Is it worth warrantying this or just buying an AC Delco or a Denso and be done with it?

Thanks!
Vlad

Topic

[Billy]

Plastic end tanks are very common. They do wear out, but not usually catastrophically or anywhere near so quickly.

[Vlad2]

yea, I thought it blew out a new hose, I was like I didn’t buy cheap hoses… Reach down, hose is intact and covered on the outside with coolant.. from about halfway up the rad on the passenger side is where it blew out.

When I finish pulling out today tonight I’ll take a picture when I find the actual blow out spot

[Vlad2]

This is odd, I pulled the radiator, looked it over and didn’t see anything that says it blew but water and antifreeze all over the bottom of it. Also, when I picked her up, I looked at it and it was all covered in coolant.

So I pull it cap the bottom outlet and fill it with water.. no leaks.. okay, blow into it, no leaks..

Put it back in the car (with out the fans), fill with distilled water, started the car.. no leaks.. wait unit it hit operating temp, took off my spill proof funnel and capped it and let it run.. no leaks…

I have no idea why this thing leaked.. could it be the crimped joint between the plastic and metal is only going to pop at certain pressures?

I did put in metal coolant elbows, and I a still getting a bit of leak, but I don’t think that could be part of this issue, why was the coolant gone and everything around the bottom passenger side radiator wet?

[Richard Kirshy]

my suggestion to you would be to:
Wash down the engine bay of any coolant and get it completely dry, every nook and cranny.
Completely fill the cooling system and pressure test it using the proper tool.
If there is a leak the system will not hold pressure.

[Author]

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