Aluminum Radiators

My chevy flat bed was heating real fast.I took it to a radiator shop for a check. He informes me it was 60% plugged so that is why is was heating. Then he tells me it is shot, and needs to be replaced. I said, try to save the old one. He says it may be around 450.00 if he can't save the old one. Seams like a lot, especially after a quote of 650.00 for my JD injuction pump repair. I see 4 row aluminum radiators on ebay for 250.00 shipped. Anyone had a good, or bad experience with aluminum radiators? Stan

I just put a waterpump in my 1994 Chevy turbodiesel with 219,000 miles.

I have changed the antifreeze a couple of times over the years and the radiator appeared "clean as a whistle" inside and I removed it and carefully washed accumulated debris from between the fins and it's "back on the job" with NO leaks.

They have plastic end caps - when it reaches near zero it will drip antifreeze on the drive - when it warms up leaks stops - heat doesn't bother. This is a replacement radiator. Had it replaced in the first year and second one did the same. Will try a new shop next time. rather costly one for you.

All I can say is you'll usually get what you paid for.

We put a "cheap" new radiator in a 01 Chevy Impala last summer.. temp ran funny, trans lost fluid (which it never did before) and the anti freeze took on a "milky" look within 100 miles. Flushed and refilled, same thing instantly.

Pulled the rad, sent it back, got a new one.. SAME EXACT THING.. Lasted less than 100 miles.

Car belonged to a good friend, ended up buying a rad that cost $100 more (about $289, I think) and it has been about 10k miles now..

The first 2 radiators came from some "mail order" garbage.. as my dad insists on buying cheap $h!t.. Someday, I pray he wakes up and realizes he don't save a dime.. if anything, it costs him money.. Then, when he takes on a job fixing for someone else, he insists on doing the same. I order all my parts from either OEM or NAPA.. Don't like what it costs? Don't bring it to me then. I've had good luck with NAPA parts, as well as most OEM's.

The bad radiator also ended up costing a tranny too.. Partially the rad's fault, but moreso my friend's fault, as he refused to have a flush done because "The tranny builds more pressure than the radiator, so it's never get anti-freeze in the transmission".. Not until you turn the key off anyhow.. tranny loses pressure as soon as it isn't turning, a radiator holds pressure for a while.

If you see my post in Tractor Talk about the bad running 07 pickup, I said this: "NO MORE CHEAP PARTS" after we chased a problem for nearly a week, and ended up changing a previously replaced distributor cap that was only 6 months old.. Because it was $9.00 cheaper than a Delco cap.. (but gee, all that time spent figuring out the issue was worth way more than the initial savings)

My 2 cents worth.. Sorry for the long post/rant.. I know exactly what you mean about prices of stuff.. Just got done putting $800 into a IP and injectors, and $500 into a recore on a radiator for my big tractor.. and it's still not completely fixed.. Just hate to see people cut corners, and usually hurts the wallet worse when a person decides to do so.

Brad

are you sure he's not just trying to sell you a new radiator?

Most (all?) radiator shops would much rather sell new radiators for automotive/light truck applications than repair used ones. A very long time radiator man told me that there is little money in radiator repair and one must sell new radiators in order to survive.

Dean

amen,,, seen lots of unhappy folks mail order a rad and stuck with it...

check o'reilly's or napa. that way if you have trouble, you can always take it back. I've gotten them, always a decent price and they've worked great!