Thread: my poor hot smurf

So, driving around today and the temperature gauge shoots up so far past the hot point that it disappears out the drivers window. The family and I limp home as softly as we could manage it and then let it cool down. After pouring in just over 2 litres of water into the radiator and starting her up again I am greeted by this:


What is missing from the photo is the actual squirts of water that came out. Now my questions. Can this be repaired or am I up for a new radiator? Is it worth getting repaired or shall I bite the bullet and get a new radiator? Is it possible to repair/replace myself? and any other questions that I haven't asked but should have.


Cheers for any advice,

Rhys

thats not good at all, iv repaired my own radiator on my old smurf with a bit of brazing/soldery stuff. sealed up real good.

They can replace the top tanks. but if the core is half buggered you might as well look at getting a whole new one. Might also pay to checkout the hoses etc too.

Brass tanks? Shouldn't be a problem

just noticed its a shadow and not a big hole. looks like they should be able to fix it. take it into a radiator shop. new ones can also be a lot cheaper than you think sometimes.

Now its all cooled etc first check is fill her up with clean water and with the cap off look for bubbles while someone loads the motor for you (easy in an auto one foot on brake and the other a bit of throttle in reverse, same in manual but good hand brake and dont burn the clutch).
Lots of bubbles indicates other problems like possibly blown head gasket/cracked head.

If all good there a reputable radiator place should be able to remove the tank and advise on the condition of the radiator, acid clean and new tanks may be as good as new or it may be past it.

Change your oil too, oil does not like being overheated.

There is a good Radiator round in Wairaki Road not far from you too. Let me know if you want a hand.

Thanks for all the advice guys.

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Now its all cooled etc first check is fill her up with clean water and with the cap off look for bubbles while someone loads the motor for you (easy in an auto one foot on brake and the other a bit of throttle in reverse, same in manual but good hand brake and dont burn the clutch).
Lots of bubbles indicates other problems like possibly blown head gasket/cracked head.

Will try this shortly.

Originally Posted by gadgetman

There is a good Radiator round in Wairaki Road not far from you too. Let me know if you want a hand.

To be honest a hand would be grand if you had a bit of spare time over the weekend. I'm not too up with it on cars and it kinda feels like I should be starting to learn some of this stuff. I've always been happy enough to take it to the garage up till now.

Rhys

Ok, so had a mate come around and we tried the above there was some bubbling but it settled down after a bit?.......... He seems to think its ok (aside from the leak of course). He also pointed out that the radiator has already been fixed once before and once he said that I remembered that it has been. So leaking from the original repair, he suggested that it would be better to replace it this time around. Any thoughts?

Cheers

A conversation with a radiator specialist I would suggest is warranted; they should at least be able to tell you the $ for a new one, and estimate the repair on a previously repaired one. We all have budget woes but I've certainly learned that to fix anything more than once is highly questionable logic. Even a wrecker might have an option worth considering as even they (I believe) must sell as fit for purpose

If your lucky you got away without engine damage.

See a radiator specialist (I suggest an old one)

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

If your lucky you got away without engine damage.

See a radiator specialist (I suggest an old one)

Motor seems OK. No bubbling under load but when pressure comes up there is water coming out in at least three places from the radiator. I think a replacement radiator is in order.

It's around 500 for a new brass one

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

If your lucky you got away without engine damage.

See a radiator specialist (I suggest an old one)

Good advise.

I certainly wouldn't buy a replacement from a wrecker.

I found I had a pinhole leak from a tube in the core of my 80 series Lancruiser.

The grumpy old local radiator specialist gave me the options;

Pinch the tube to stop the leak, that potentially makes the rest of the radiator work a bit harder under load,then the next one has a leak etc...and it was 18 years old with 400k on it.

Re-core it with an Aftermarket core, which may last two months or two years, no guarantee given, due to the unknown wall thickness of the core tubes, and previous problems with them.

Replace it with a factory item... 24 month warranty on it.

I talked the price down 40% at the local Toyota dealership, and did it myself, piss easy.

Yes it wasn't as cheap as the other options, but they're false economy if you look at the potential repair bill of a cooked engine/cracked head.

I sold the truck recently with 496k on it, and the new owner was chuffed to see a receipt for the factory radiator and hoses.

B

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

If your lucky you got away without engine damage.

See a radiator specialist (I suggest an old one)

I should have said if you are onto it and lucky.

Most people only look at the gauges when it stops.