Have You Serviced Your Radiator?

[negoshi8or]

Hi members,

Spend a little money on your radiator to keep it in good running order

- you will be glad you did!

My car has recently been experiencing overheating issues.

I had just replaced the water pump and thermostat...

I got the radiator cleaned and serviced by NatRad - cost around $200 inc a pressure test, new top tank and O-ring seal.

(The normal price is about $100 if you don’t need a new tank)

The work involved removing the top tank and cleaning out the water galleries.

When you took off the radiator cap you could see some of the gunk causing the blockage - the radiator was 80% blocked!!

In my case the dude at the NatRad store (Perth - Morley) pointed out the top tank inlet was cracked - and he kept it to show me.

Any disturbance of the cooling system (heater core replacement, thermostat, water pump) will cause gunk to move in the cooling system and clog your radiator - think of the "gasket goo" that gets used to when replacing these components - if too much is used there is a good chance some of it will become mobile and clog the system.

Now that most skylines are ten + years in age, it’s a good idea to take the time to get it properly cleaned, besides just giving your cooling system a flush annually. It will keep your car running cooler and be more reliable.

Why not get a new radiator cap too? You can get standard 0.9 bar colour anodized ones from Repco for $12. Mine's red ;-)

And thanks to NatRad for your excellent quality of service.

Edited June 22, 2007 by negoshi8or

[MANWHORE]

100 is fairly expensive. in my cars and my parents cars, I haven't really had any radiator blockage problems. I change the coolant regularly (2-3 years) with nulon extra long life (4 year coolant). No problems at all.

When they use gasket goo like on the waterpump etc, if the mechanic is good/normal, he'll use just the right amount of goo. Afterall, they don't exactly want to go squirting the whole tube in because it does cost money

[Bl4cK32]

Its an easy job to do yourself and u can save the $200 for something else

[R32 Man]

just jap sell a 40mm thick radiator for $400

[negoshi8or]

Its an easy job to do yourself and u can save the $200 for something else

Ummm... how is your post useful?

Unless you can tell members where to get a new top tank for free, a new top tank seal for free, and a pressure test for free...

Why bother posting???

[Bl4cK32]

because telling ppl to pay for a rad flush isnt helping anyone. Unless u need a new top tank replaced or pressure test, then a quick way to save some cash is to service your own rad system regularly, like manwhore has posted.

Ive seen numerous workshops show customers faulty parts that wasn't even on the customers car and say yes, we replaced this see here then proceed to charge a large repair bill.

The more things u do yourself the less likely u will get ripped.

[negoshi8or]

Well of course the more you do yourself the less you get ripped - kinda obvious that one

FYI - it was not just a radiator flush - the top tank was removed and the galleries were physically cleaned out - so no I wasn't telling ppl to pay for a flush they can do themselves. I flushed the system and that didnt cure the problem - hence off to NatRad.

So if a cooling system flush doesnt cure you problems, more action is required.