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I have a vehicle (2002 GMC Envoy, posted about previously) which has a radiator that's leaking. It "turns over" the water in about 3 days, maybe 4. Put it this way--I had it serviced Wed to fix an oil leak around the oil pressure switch and have the 5W-30 oil changed (that's now done) and have them diagnose why the water was leaking, they added more fluid and today 2 days later I got around ½ a gallon in the radiator itself, and managed to get the other ½ gallon in the "spillover" reservoir. I thought it was possibly the heater core that was the source of the leak, as it's broken and I knew that (although those tend to leak inside the cabin) but in fact the radiator needs replacing (the heater core has already been bypassed), I've been quoted about $375 to have that done.
I will have that done, in the interest of preventing long-term engine contamination (and to keep from having to continuously top up water), but in the meantime next week we will have a given night where it's due to get down to around 27'F overnight. Further, that's what my 1Weather app says, but most nights recently it's typically gotten down to around 5 degrees more than what it says, so it may well get down to 22 or 24 that night.
I'm trying to prepare for that in a way to prevent the engine from cracking. I figure that I can simply start adding 50/50 radiator fluid instead of plain water about 2 days prior to the given night and keep doing that up to the night in question so by the time 2 days have elapsed and the given night is "upon" me it will be mostly 50/50 radiator mix in there at that point with it having replaced the plain water that's leaked out, and I should be OK. (Understand that overnight not much fluid gets lost, the guy wasn't able to "trigger" the leak until he put an air-pump type of device in place of the radiator cap and then pumped it up.) I would buy an engine block heater, but besides $70 being a bit on the high side right now for me also being in eastern TX I figure few places around here sell those, they seem to be something more common in places like North Dakota etc.
Am I on the right track here? Also, at the risk of sounding like a dummy, I've been adding water/fluid both in the "main" cap (which is HARD to unscrew) and in the "overflow" tank. Should I simply just add to the overflow tank only? Should I instead maybe look at leaving the vehicle overnight at the home of a friend who has a garage where they can keep it warm? One person mentioned putting a "shop light" in there with an incandescent bulb (if you can still find the things). Again, in the next month or so, when funds allow, I WILL be replacing the radiator outright and having them establish proper fluid-water balance, this is just to get me by until I do that.
I would just add a 50/50 antifreeze mix, period, if it is freezing at night and don't add any water only. That should take care of it and it won't freeze. Don't mess around with what you are doing too long though. Cooling systems need to work properly and it is well worth the money spent to ensure it is working right. I have some older vehicles, and if there is a cooling system problem, it all gets replaced to working order. It is not something to skimp on or put off.
definately do the 50/50. straight water will freeze and break parts.
also if you insist on driving it, i don't see the harm in trying the little round pellets for stop leaks.
i have left a package in a few older cars in the past where i was carrying around extra water to get me by and for whatever reason it worked amazingly well in those applications.
the last one literally was letting a stream onto the ground when the thermostat passage opened. wouldn't have believed the stuff works as good as it does if i didn't see it.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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You can get a new radiator for that online for under $100, and install in less than an hour if at all mechanical. With the cost of antifreeze these days, it will save you money over time.
It's not just a matter of keeping the radiator full a cooling system needs a certain amount of pressure to operate properly. With a leak in the radiator you won't have the right amount of pressure in the system.
For now buy a bottle of "Bar's Stop Leak" you can buy it anywhere, wal mart, parts store, etc. People swear by this product and I personally know of a radiator that lasted years after using a similar product.
This product will slosh around your coolant system and plug up where it's leaking at. So top it off with straight coolant if you've been adding a lot of water or 50/50 will probably work.
This should slow the leak to where you aren't loosing all your coolant/$$$. Then when you are able to fix the leak properly do it.
An old trick is if you ever get a leak out in the middle of nowhere, if you can round up some raw eggs, crack the whole carton into your radiator and top off. When you get to a shop flush it out and fix the leak properly.
LOL ... "50/50 is fine for a light 27F freeze. just run vehicle long enough to circulate entire system."
Fact is, you could run a significantly lesser percentage of anti-freeze for protection to this temperature. From the viewpoint of the least amount of pollution from the leaking radiator fluid loss, I'd run a much lesser amount of glycol anti-freeze. Per the Redline chart, somewhere around 13-14% anti-freeze would be more than sufficient to protect the engine and components until the radiator could be addressed. I'd get a "cheapie" anti freeze tester to see what solution is in the radiator and if the anti freeze is significantly stronger percentage than needed, I'd only top up with plain water until the solution got much closer to the needed anti-freeze protection required.
Just so you have an idea as to the strength of the anti-freeze, here's the chart:
50/50 anti-freeze is approx -34F protection ... way overkill for the project at this time.
It would be wasteful to use such a strong solution at this time. And after the radiator and heater core repairs, I wouldn't run a much stronger solution than needed for your climate/driving area needs. Lower concentrations of anti-freeze transfer heat better than strong solutions. You only need to run anti-freeze to protect to your normal lowest temps and a minimal strength for the additive pack for rust prevention in the cooling system components/engine block.
PS: a "cheapie" anti-freeze tester, usually a small tube with several floating balls in the column is a couple of bucks at your local auto parts box store. Handy to have around for those of us who live in climates where winter temps can reach -25 F or so overnights to keep tabs on what's in our radiators. I've seen more than a few engine blocks cracked in our winters come through the shop.
For now buy a bottle of "Bar's Stop Leak" you can buy it anywhere, wal mart, parts store, etc. People swear by this product and I personally know of a radiator that lasted years after using a similar product.
I don't mind doing that and will try it, especially since the leak when he showed it to be looked more like a "drip, drip" leak than a "squirting water hose" type of leak (although if you give it 3 days or so I will leak out everything). I just figured that such was a gimmick that didn't really work, but what the hey I'll try it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hemlock140
You can get a new radiator for that online for under $100, and install in less than an hour if at all mechanical. With the cost of antifreeze these days, it will save you money over time.
I'm "mechanical" to the point of changing oil, well I have swapped brake pads before. If it is simply a matter of losening 3 screws and EASILY unscrewing the hoses and sliding it right out, then I'm good, if it requires removing other components to get to where you do that, that's WAY beyond my scope (and the readings I've done such as this suggest such would be the case). I had to have someone help me change the headlight bulb on my Toyota Corolla, if that means anything. I've searched YouTube but haven't found a step-by-step on changing this particular radiator for the 4.2 engine.
Shy, I'm sure you'd be surprised at how easy it is to replace a radiator. HOWEVER if something went wrong (a hose ripped) and you needed to run to the parts store...well... s.o.l.
Except for the components you have to move out of the way (which may be plenty, not looking at your vehicle) it's 2 hoses and probably 4 bolts. Still I think you got a good price, 3 and change. We just changed the Isuzu's radiator and there was plenty of cussing going on. I don't think it was a flat $100 either for parts.
One time my Ford Escort was leaking water out of the flush valve at the bottom so... listening to the junk yard guy, I pulled the radiator and used JB Weld to seal up the valve. My friends were shocked that "a girl" could do that. Of course, I was an ejection seat mechanic at the time. lol
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