Radiators

You Need A Pressure Test Kit. Stant And Other Great Tool Companies Make Them, However They Cost Near $ 100.00 For A Good Set. It Is A Small Pump With A Pressure Guage That Fits Where You Remove The Radiator Cap. You Pump The Pressure Up To A Little More Than You System Is Rated Say 19-20 Pounds For A 17 Pound System. I Suggest You Call A Radiator Shop Or Good Mechanic That Can Test This For You. You Can Find These On Ebay Also.

Probably every 5 years or so

thinking on the electrical fan this car has if I remember rite the grand am regal and Oldsmobile all have a thermostatic electric fan. But if the sensor isn't working to tell it to go on it wont. Suggestion make sure with test light that there is current at the fan motor on both sides of sensor.

possibly clogged heater core, remove heater core hoses and flush with a hose until clean. reinstall hoses fill with coolant and let it run. if heater core is too plugged up you will have to replace it.

Drain the water from your radiator. Remove the top and bottom radiator hoses. Remove the radiator stabilizing bolts. Remove the radiator retaining bolts. Reverse the process to install the new radiator.

Could be a small hole or even be corroded. Remember it is under pressure so a very small hole will squirt out. check all rad hoses also for tightness and condition.

my radiator has plastic tanks and cracked after a lean mixture of coolant froze and expanded the plastic tanks.

if it leaks on left side of engine at hose,could be a bad water pump! on 3.1 engine. if pump is bad it will leak out of releif hole on bottom of pump!

A radiator cap would not cause a leak! However, if the radiator cap is holding pressure, other weak parts could signal issues in need of attention.

This is the procedure from the LR manual, I figure they spent some time getting it right.

1. Remove bleed screw from heater return hose.

2. Slowly fill the system through the coolant expansion tank until a steady flow of coolant is emitted from the bleed hole.

3. Fit and close bleed screw in heater return hose.

4. Continue to fill system through the expansion tank until coolant reaches to the base of the expansion tank bleed hose.

5. Fit expansion tank filler cap.

6. Start and run engine at idle speed for 5 minutes.

CAUTION: DO NOT operate air conditioning

7. Switch off engine.

8. Squeeze bottom hose several times to remove any trapped air.

9. Start engine and run at speeds varying between idle speed and 3500 rev/min for 7 minutes.

10. Switch off engine and allow to cool.

11. Remove expansion tank filler cap and add coolant until it reaches the 'MAX' mark on the expansion tank.

12. Fit expansion tank filler cap.

13. Start and run engine until normal operating temperature is reached.

CAUTION: The bottom hose must be warm/hot, this will ensure the thermostat is fully open.

14. Ensure warm air is available at vents.

NOTE: If warm air is not available, an air-lock may be present in heater matrix. If necessary, allow engine to cool, remove expansion tank filler cap and repeat bleed operation at heater hose

15. Switch off engine and allow to cool.

16. Check for leaks and top-up coolant to 'MAX' mark on expansion tank

17. Fit underbelly panel.

18. Fit engine acoustic cover.

There is no drain cock on the radiator. Pop the lower rad hose off or have a pressurized evacuation exchange done at your local quickie lube.

The easiest way to replace the radiator is to first drain it. The drain plug is located on the bottom left hand corner of the radiator. when you are facing the car. Next remove the fanz should be 2 if you have ac. To access the bolts easily remove the intake. Should be 10mm screws. The harnesses for the fans are located near the headlights respectively. Right fan near right headlight. HEres the tricky part if you want the work to go buy extremely fast you should remove the bumper skirt and bumper. Then you remove the front support beam that will hold the latch to the hood, the horn is attached to it. Once that's done disconnect the remaing hoses and remove. IF you don't want to take the bumper off just remove all hoses and the fans like stated above. anpull out radiator you will have to play with it a little but it will slide out. Its a fairly simple job.

Would hold around 10 litres, it is recommended when replacing coolant, to do so with a 50-50 ratio of water to coolant concentrate.

Keep in mind that I am only a "shade tree" mechanic, but I do have some experience with this very problem...Take the radiator cap off and look in the filler neck with the engine running. BE CAREFUL!!! If you see bubbles sniff around the filler neck and see if it smells like exhaust gases...like burnt gas. If this is the case, the head gasket or the head itself is the culprit. Exhaust gases will blow passed the gasket/crack in the head and pressurize the cooling system. This pressure probably found a weak spot in the heater core and that would explain the steam. There may be other explanations but this is what happened to me today. When I identified the smell of exhaust gases coming from the radiator,it was evident that the problem was with the gasket/head.

I ran out of time on Saturday to do it, but it looks like you remove the battery. Then you can reach down and open the drain plug. It is just below the battery at the bottom of the radiator.

If it is coming off from the lower rad. , then I would check the fitting on the rad. Maybe the ridge on the rad. outlet needs to be replaced.

no, they are not related. tiny bubbles that make the radiator "foam up" is the result of exhaust gas leaking into the radiator. causes are blown head gasket, cracked cylinder head or cracked block. hth

The best way to find out is go to your local auto parts store, ask for a haynes or chiltons manual on your vehicle. This will tell you everything you need to know about working on your vehicle.

well im 16 i dont know 2 much about cars yet...but on my dad's 85 vette an aftermarket computer chip caused the main fan to not come on at all....(may be related with temps idk) but i think you have to get some sort of sensor... i believe you would have to buy a kit like this http://www.ecklers.com/product.asp?pf%5Fid=40416&dept%5Fid=1252

Should be on either the bottom or the rear lower section of the radiator

Possible cracked block or a blown head gaskets.

Could be that the metal pipe that the hose is going on to is out of shape or damaged thro corrosion, your hose clip might need changing ( the device you tighten around the hose ) or something is defective in the Radiator Cap, you may need a new cap or, you have a serious Blockage in your Radiator. if you can't find the problem, you better take your car to a service centre to a Mechanic, before you Cook your engine, then you will be up for serious $$$$$.

most are on the bottom left side of the radiator

I my favorite reliable,cheap in expensive and most important no damage to your radiator or your engine is dish liquid soap. Dish soap has the strenght to remove greese, dirt,corrotion and though germs and at the same time it causes no internal damage because the chemicals use are smooth oily and gentle specialy made for human needs but strong to fight though task.

red water, i can think of two possabilities, rust,but that would not be exactly red. 2 a leak in your transmission cooler that runs through the bottom of the radiator. transmission fluid is usually red. a leak here would get into your cooling system.

It shouldn't cost much, if you have a local car salvage lot, EX " You pull a part", you should be able to find one in the range of $40-60, new your looking at $80+ and then of course labor is another thing.