[BugsyC]

My car rides at 12 o clock on the temp. gauge.It will leak a little overnight.When I get out of the car after driving it has that smell,sorta like an overheated smell.. I filled the tank and pressure tested it.Coolant flowed from the bottom left side.I can't see where it's leaking from...Upon further inspection,I find wet all the way up to top ridge on the side of the radiator.Like just under the hose where it goes into the plastic 45degree intake. What do you think?Hose,the plastic intake part or radiator..When I try to fill it it will always take a pint or so of coolant that immediately disappears..If I drive with coolant 2-3 inches below fill hole it stays there.The level of fluid that is..But,I'll have that smell..

 

[Ranger]

The plastic side tank is usually the problem. The tank cracks after many heat/cool cycles, BUT you never "fill" the surge tank. You must leave 1" - 1/2" of head space for expansion. Fill it and it will puke out the excess and seek it's own level.

 

[BugsyC]

Thank You for your reply.The side tank sounds right..It's part of the radiator?? not a separate part? You're correct,it will overflow if filled.It does find it's own level,about 2 1/2 inches down...

 

[Ranger]

The side tank is replaceable, but if you change it, you might as well do both sides, and at that point, it's probably quicker, easier and maybe cheaper to just replace the radiator.

 

[Submariner409]

Correct coolant level, checked cold only, is about 1/2 to 2/3 full, surge tank. NEVER fill it to the top. Coolant expands a lot during warmup, and that tank airspace is the "spring" against which the expanding coolant works to create system pressure - which raises the coolant boil point and also assures "solid" (no bubbles) coolant to the centrifugal waterpump.

If you look closely at your surge tank, is there a FULL COLD legend on the top side, with a flat arrow molded in, going down to about the surge tank mid-seam?

As posted, if a (plastic) side tank is cracked/leaks, replace the entire radiator.

 

[BugsyC]

Got it.Thank You gentlemen.I'm going to bring it to a local repair shop to have it done...I'll let you know how it goes and what they charge me for those who may be interested..While I'm there I'll have a chance to look at the air level system and get that up and running as well as testing the vapor canister solenoids opening and closing.

 

[ELDORADO2K]

Are the surge tank and the side tank you guys are talking about 2 separate things?

 

[Submariner409]

The surge tank is the coolant expansion tank. The old "coolant recovery reservoir" except that the surge tank in an integral part of the pressurized cooling system.

"Side tank" usually refers to the radiator end tanks - plastic stampings secured to the radiator core ends with a LOT of bent aluminum fingers and a formed rectangular silicone seal.

https://www.google.com/search?q=aut...ome..69i57.18436j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

 

[ELDORADO2K]

I never knew about the side tank.

 

[BugsyC]

As promised.I had a new radiator from rockauto ($102) installed today.The old one was leaking from the plastic side near the intake..He charged me $200 to put it in.Add two gallons of anti freeze and the total cost was $350.. Peace of mind...Priceless.

 

[HIOSLIVER]

Usually the radiator......in my experience....had 3 veh replaced, each needed radiators.