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.
#1 Job in the world, being a Dad!
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.
Dan
Flying an airplane is just like riding a bicycle; it's just a lot harder to put cards in the spokes. - AIRPLANE! - 1980
Blinkin! Fix your boobs! You look like a bleedin' Picasso! - Robin Hood: Men in Tights, 1993
Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups. - November, 2008
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.
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
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.
Last edited by 68Charger; 10-05-2011 at 17:29.
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ, we are the III%, CIP2, and some other catchphrase meant to aggravate progreSSives who are hell bent on taking rights away...
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!