Radiator

[pjtoledo]

the weep hole should not be a noticeable leak, occassional drip maybe, but no leak.

 

[19Walt93]

I hear that plastic radiators are cheaper to produce and weigh a little less. I doubt they weigh much less and all metal radiators seem to be the same price as OEM plastic.

Only the tanks are plastic, as you probably know, the tubes and fins are aluminum. They were adopted because they're a lot lighter than copper/ brass radiators. The aluminum fins don't corrode anything like the old ones did, too. I used a Griffin radiator that's all aluminum for my 351 swap because I mounted it inside the hollowed out core support and needed a custom one. If a stock, plastic tank part would have fit that's what I would have bought. Cheaper and functional trumps polished and shiny any day.

 

[James Morse]

I have JB Weld I used it on a pool pump years ago, it's incredible stuff.

Here's deal on radiator, after getting under truck and really looking at it, I see the wet spot starting under the upper radiator hose and then running down the side of rad.
So I might be in luck there if it's only leaking at the hose, maybe the rad is fine.
Do not have pressure tester and don't want to spring for one unless I really need it.
I was going to replace hoses anyway. It looks like if I take off just a couple things (intake) I can get to the top one pretty easily.

Questions
Spring clamp might be weak. Not finding the part immediately but I'd think it's standard stuff. Would there be any harm in going with a regular hose clamp? I can't see any harm in it as long as you don't break the plastic outlet. Quick release clamps are nice but not necessary.

Here are the hoses, they should be the right ones. I actually could hold off on the bottom one, it looks good, and somewhat harder to do I think (and way more expensive for some reason). But I might order it just to have and put in at my leisure.
More Information for CONTINENTAL 62282 (rockauto.com)
More Information for CONTINENTAL 62118 (rockauto.com)

Or I could go down the street to Advance but then there's no magnets. Plus I need a trunk latch.

I'll put in a new rad if I have to but if I can dodge that bullet I'd just as soon do so.

 

[superj]

i would go with a regular old clamp if you feel the spring one might be losing a little clamp force

 

[James Morse]

Yeah I could even try taking the existing hose off maybe they put it on with crud or maybe clamp is weak.
Now it's really leaking but all the wet is right at/under the hose so it sure looks like it's that unless I sort that and get more leaks who knows.

 

[superj]

for sure. pop off the hose end and see if its got junk around it and then put a regular hose clamp on and it will probably stop that weeping/light drip

 

[James Morse]

Well, it doesn't leak any more there, if it did (I think it did). But I'm still seeing a lot of fluid.
When I look at the bottom of the rad on the passenger side, I see what looks like the end of a drain hose. There's some tubing down there to the outside of the rad tank. What I think I'm seeing is fluid coming out of that drain or relief tube and it drips onto a little metal flange/bracket for the rad. Then here's the thing. Where I'm talking about is forward of the big cross member where the fluid always ends up, but I'm guessing it's possible it follows the fins of the rad and comes out the other (back) side in which case it would indeed drip onto that cross member.

So I'm kind of confused. Is there in fact some kind of relief valve there? It's not an arrangement I've seen.
When the fluid expands it should just go into the reservoir.
I know I should replace rad cap.
Hope that made sense.

 

[Curious Hound]

Many radiators have a drain valve at the bottom on one side. It could be leaking. Might not be shut tight. But don’t force it shut too hard. They are often just made of plastic.

 

[James Morse]

Oh ok I'll check that tomorrow. I forgot they normally have a drain valve, thanks.

 

[James Morse]

It's leaking like gangbusters at the top hose. Pretty frustrating. Hose clamp is tight.
I'm thinking of ordering the hoses which I should do just as matter of course anyway. Probably get rad cap and t-stat as well, all that stuff is cheap. If it's not that (hose connection), then there would have to be a crack on the underside where the outlet connects.
I can take it apart again and put the original clamp, those spring clamps are pretty strong, but every time I do this I lose a couple quarts of fluid so at this point probably will wait for the new hose.
I don't see why a hose with a tight clamp wouldn't seal, unless the hose is just stretched, or I clamped too close to the flange... I dunno.
Will pressure tester do anything different than simply bringing it up to temp?
BTW I don't know if I need rad or not (thinking no at this point) but if I want one with metal tanks, where are they? I can't find one.
I suppose plastic tanks worked fine for lots of trucks, still, if I can get metal I think I'd prefer it, if I have to replace rad.

Will add this. When I started it this AM the cooling fan came on. That shouldn't happen, should it? If it always does that I'd be inclined to replace the sensor for it, unless someone tells me that is standard operation.
When I was working on it yesterday cooling fan seemed to cycle normally. But, truck is old and new to me so you know how that is you could discover multiple things you didn't see.
Leak I did know about they kept insisting it wasn't leaking.

Also will add, that when I started it, I got squeak squeak squeak three like that then a pause then again 3. Went away after about a minute. Something w/ serpentine belt? It's a pattern of 3 then pause. Seems to come roughly speaking from area of alternator or water pump, around there. Maybe bad bearing/bushing on something that just does this when cold, or, symptom of something else?

Which t-stat would I want? Expensive Motorcraft one is 190-197F according to Rockauto.

 

[Garth Libre]

Only the tanks are plastic, as you probably know, the tubes and fins are aluminum. They were adopted because they're a lot lighter than copper/ brass radiators. The aluminum fins don't corrode anything like the old ones did, too. I used a Griffin radiator that's all aluminum for my 351 swap because I mounted it inside the hollowed out core support and needed a custom one. If a stock, plastic tank part would have fit that's what I would have bought. Cheaper and functional trumps polished and shiny any day.

For my 302 radiator I’m much more confident in this all metal metal model. I don’t think it’s just aesthetics either.

 

[James Morse]

Am I in the right forum? That looks like an FFR coupe.

 

[James Morse]

Reset clamp on top hose and tightened it as much as I dared.
Leaks really bad coming out very bottom of end of hose.
Have a mind to get the top hose at Advance they have it.
More espensive than Rockauto but at this point it's a time issue.
If that doesn't solve it then it would have to be a crack in the plastic outlet that is right at the juncture to the tank (one and the same piece).
What else could it possibly be.

 

[Garth Libre]

If I recall where a lot

Am I in the right forum? That looks like an FFR coupe.

Nope, this is 150 hp 4 cylinder Ranger. It's just been heavily modified with a tubular frame and forward pivoting hood. I needed those mods so that I could make it to the dump by closing time.

 

[James Morse]

Nice. Yeah very heavily modivied that's for sure!
I got an upper hose at Advance, but looks like upper connection to it will take a bit of finessing to get off its inlet (or outlet) on the water pump.
So I left the old hose for now. I put the OEM clamp bacl on I think it's fine it's very strong.
And I don't see any leaks. Yet. Ran it up to temp. I'll get it out for an actual drive.
Might be hairline crack at top of rad outlet, can't tell, doesn't seem to be all the way through though. I left a little gap there (didn't seat the hose as far as it would go) so I can see if fluid comes out there... nothing so far.
But no confidence in it at this point on the other hand it either leaks or not. There should be zero drips.