I posted a few weeks ago about my passenger side radiator endcap cracking at one of the ribs and leaking. I had it replaced and a day later there was a crack in one of the ribs on the backside. A few days later there's a crack in one of the ribs on the frontside. In the same place as the first one I had replaced. The work is guaranteed so thats no problem, but what the heck is with these endcaps?!!? Did I just get a bad endcap or could something else be causing it to crack like this?

 

ttt

 

any ideas guys

 

Guys? I know this isnt a fun topic like headers or "Age old debates" and what not, but I really need this problem to go away. It is so annoying and time consuming, please help.

 

A bad head gasket can leak cylinder presssure into the water jacket. That can cause your radiator to break (basically, there will be thousands of rapid pulses going throught the entire cooling system). I doubt it is coincidence that your radiator keeps breaking in the same spot. I would suspect a head gasket problem.

Dustin

 

Uhoh, that is NOT what I wanted to hear!! I dont have any symptoms of a head gasket probelm though. No water in the oil last time I changed it, no white smoke, power appear to be usual, etc. Could it be anything else?

 

Also, I have a 13psi cap instead of the 18psi cap, so any pressure should bleed off if there was a leak, right? Also head gasket leaks get worse and blow out, they dont stay small, correct? The car has been driving fine and showing no symptoms, not strange coolant loss at all. I am not saying its not a leak, cause I really dont know, but it just doesnt seam right to me. Please educate me if I am wrong though because I really dont know.

 

I can't tell you exactly what the problem is, but a bad head gasket is the only thing I can think of that would make your radiator keep breaking. Maybe someone else has another idea. If the gasket is bad, you can change it out in an afternoon for not too much money.


Dustin

 

ttt

 

Well, I think you were right dkeers. The cap just split again and I had to have it replaced, so I need to get it to a mechanic to have the head gaskets replaced. However, what can I do in the mean time to try and vent some of this pressure build up so I dont crack the brand new endcaps again? Could I try running a really low pressure cap, like 7psi, until I can get it fixed, would that help? I just cant afford to break these radiator end caps and have them replaced for the third time. Any ideas would be GREATLY appreciated.

Also, is there anything else I should have them do when they do the headgaskets? I assume you have to pull the manifold to take the heads off so will they put a new manifold gasket on it? I am so frustrated with this car right now, it has been one thing after another and it couldnt happen at a worse time. Thanks for any and all info.

 

If the headgasket is bad, I would not drive the car at all. I don't think any kind of cap is going to be able to vent the pressure.

Yes the intake manifold has to come off. There are quite a few gaskets and and things to replace. You can save quite a bit of money if you do it yourself. Labor will cost quite a bit, but the parts aren't too expensive. A local mechanic quoted me $1200 to replace the headgasket on my girlfriends truck (that is a 4 cylinder w/ only 1 head too!). I did it in about 7 hours. It is not too hard, just time consuming. There are several online guides to follow.

You should have someone verify that the head gasket(s) are bad. I cannot tell you 100% without ever seeing the car. I just can not think of anything else that would make the radiator fail repeatedly.

Dustin

 

I took it to a shop and they did a test to see if there is any carbon monoxied in the coolant system and there was NONE! They told me that since they found none and that since I had none of the other signs of a headgasket to drive it. I feel like I am walking on egg shells everytime I drive it now because I really thought it was a headgasket. Can anyone think of anything else that could cause my problem. The car does not run hot, does not smoke, no water in oil last time i changed it. Maybe the radiator shop was just trying to cover a shi**y job?

 

Man I just had the same thing happen to mine. The only thing I can think of that may have happened was that my darn battery was sliding around and hit the radiator and busted the ribs. I have a cheap AufulZone battery and for some reason the clamp wont hold it when it's all the way tight. I had to tie it down with some mechanics wire to keep it from sliding back and forth against the radiator tank. Just give that a quick look. Who knows?

 

Battery is cranked down tight...

 

Pull the radiator, and bend the A/C condensor so that it puts less pressure on those tabs on the radiator endcaps that it sits on. I would bet the A/C condensor is putting some stress on the endtanks and causing cracking. Way to go GM, use a plastic end tank as an anchor point for the A/C condensor......