View Full Version : radiator help
My 1997 silverado 1500 with 5.7 radiator is leaking. Best solutions?
DANGERTASTIC!
10-05-2011, 11:04
Oh I hate that. Check out Autozone or Advance, they have TONS of stop leak stuff to plug up your radiator.
Unfortunatley, it also plugs up your heater core and water pump.
The BEST solution to stop it from leaking is to replace it.
Do you know exactly where the leak is coming from?
Check out a few different shops, alot of places will replace the side tanks if its leaking from there.
It shouldnt be too terribly expensive to replace the whole radiator
BPTactical
10-05-2011, 11:06
Bite the big one and replace it Sniper. Any of the "quick" fixes are temporary at best and will leave you stuck at the worst time (murphys law).
With that new bambino you can't afford that.
The newer Al/plastic radiators aren't like an old copper one that were typically repairable.
There goes your 450.00 you had planned to go elsewhere.
patrick0685
10-05-2011, 11:18
replace it, its not to hard to do it yourself, triggerhappy and I replaced my wifes in like an hour and the actual it only cost me like 150
Call 1-800-radiator. $189. delivered to your door overnight.
hghclsswhitetrsh
10-05-2011, 12:06
Take it to Brighton radiator and muffler on main street north of main street on the west side. Good honest people.
Call 1-800-radiator. $189. delivered to your door overnight.
Good advice, it's the same co that I use all the time. You can do it yourself as they are pretty easy to change. If you want advice on how pm me.
clublights
10-05-2011, 13:00
Call 1-800-radiator. $189. delivered to your door overnight.
+1 on that .. the radiator it self is probably only held in with 4-6 bolts...
of course you will have to remove 5 tons of plastic to get to said 4-6 bolts but not that hard...
it's a 6-8 beer job I'd say.
onedeadpirate
10-05-2011, 13:01
I am not the most mechanic savvy guy and I just replaced my radiator in my Honda a few days ago and it was easy to do and only took a couple of hours. Was quoted $300 and did it for $125.
Performance Radiator Under I25 and Broadway/Lincoln.
Thanks guys ill call around and see what each place quotes me. If not maybe I can talk one of ya into helping me out and entice with beer!
Yea the radiator on the 5.7 arent repairable. The sides are plastic and that's usually where they leak from. The new ones are better quality. 4 bolts plus 2 hoses and its out. Let me kmow if you need a hand.
Thanks guys ill call around and see what each place quotes me. If not maybe I can talk one of ya into helping me out and entice with beer!
Can help if you need. Got floor jack and adequate tools to do a radiator. Can bring extra help on Saturday too. We're always looking for a little work. I'm in Dacono, and he's just south of Brighton.
Call 1-800-radiator. $189. delivered to your door overnight. talk to Ben in loveland he will take care of you
Tweety Bird
10-05-2011, 15:45
Yea the radiator on the 5.7 arent repairable. The sides are plastic and that's usually where they leak from. The new ones are better quality. 4 bolts plus 2 hoses and its out. Let me kmow if you need a hand.
If you do it yourself, it'll get messy because you have antifreeze and transmission oil in there. Keep the critters away when you open the radiator hoses because that green shit is toxic to most anything that tastes it.
So if you do it yourself, don't forget to disconnect the transmission oil lines at the bottom of the radiator. Make sure you have some of the right kind of tranny fluid on hand.
If you do it yourself, it'll get messy because you have antifreeze and transmission oil in there. Keep the critters away when you open the radiator hoses because that green shit is toxic to most anything that tastes it.
So if you do it yourself, don't forget to disconnect the transmission oil lines at the bottom of the radiator. Make sure you have some of the right kind of tranny fluid on hand.
Yup messy is right.
If you want me to help, I just remembered I have 2 quarts of Coastal DexMerc in the garage you can have. Not sure what yours takes, I had it left over from a Cadillac problem. Problem- I bought a Cadillac.
68Charger
10-05-2011, 17:05
I've done it on a '97 Suburban 5.7... not hard at all... and I agree, the aluminum/plastic ones not repairable, and replacement isn't that expensive- since mine's a 2500, I got the heavy-duty extra-thick one for severe service- and it set me back less than $250 at the time.
I'd help you if you weren't so far away- but if you wanna go for a long drive, we could knock off a few rounds on my property here when we're done [Coffee]
I'd take this opportunity to lose the Deathcool... it eats at the intake manifold gaskets (unless you've put in the Felpro stainless "permafix" gaskets)
Trust me on this- I've done 3 Suburbans between mine and the In-Laws, Dexcool softens the plastic intake manifold gaskets- you want to lose either the Dexcool or the plastic GM gaskets, or the intake manifold gaskets will eventually let go- sometimes spraying all the antifreeze out the back of the heads!
use the "any color" Prestone, and give it a fresh water flush before re-filling with Prestone... it won't react with the Dexcool unless there's a high concentration of it left.
I have to do one on my wifes 96 Tahoe, the wierd thing is it only leaks every once in a while, it is definitely the radiator but I have never seen on that leaks when it wants to. It well go weeks without leaking then all of a sudden it will start leaking for about a week straight, then it will stop again. The only thing I can think of is maybe someone put stop leak in it at one time.
I tried calling the 1-800-radiator and was on hold so long i hung up then got busy and didn't call back. I'll try them tomorrow.
I called brighton radiator and muffler and they told me $245 installed with labor.
I'll check around and see what I can get one for, but by the time I add in the fluid and everything else it might just be worth it to take it in to them.
I have plenty of time and I am off for the next couple of weeks so if it ends up being cheaper I would definitely want to get a little help because of all the different fluids and lines and just want to make sure I get it done right!
1-800-radiator wants $190 including tax for the radiator.
By the time I add in the fluids and then all the time and everything else it will pretty much equal out to the $245 it would cost me to take it in.
As much as I like the experience and to get in there and learn and get dirty I think for the sake of time ease I think taking it is looks like the way to go.
anyone thinking something different?
1-800-radiator wants $190 including tax for the radiator.
By the time I add in the fluids and then all the time and everything else it will pretty much equal out to the $245 it would cost me to take it in.
As much as I like the experience and to get in there and learn and get dirty I think for the sake of time ease I think taking it is looks like the way to go.
anyone thinking something different? Talk to Ben in loveland @ 1800radiator and ask him to take the lifetime warranty off which will leave you with a 1 year, it usaully drops the price quite a bit.
Talk to Ben in loveland @ 1800radiator and ask him to take the lifetime warranty off which will leave you with a 1 year, it usaully drops the price quite a bit.
okay I'll talk to him in the am and see.
gnihcraes
10-06-2011, 20:13
Performance Radiator Under I25 and Broadway/Lincoln.
best deal in town that I know of, cheaper to buy from them and replace usually than take out, wait for repair, re-install.
purchased many from them over the years.
I always used radiatorbarn.com. Probably has similar prices though.
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