local radiator vendor?

tblume · 03-11-09, 12:49 PM

anybody know where I can get a replacement rad? my stock (plastic) is starting to seep at the top where the clamp thing holds it together

looking around I see threads on brass/copper and aluminum replacements, I'll look further but local gets a bit of priority over mail order. by local I mean the Jefferson nation and the northern rest of the state BTW...

Ebag333 · 03-11-09, 01:51 PM

Call cdan.

TOY350 · 03-11-09, 02:17 PM

Is yours repairable? I am guessing not since you can't solder plastic but I don't know for sure.

tblume · 03-11-09, 03:18 PM

I've seen a plastic welding thing at HF, probably not 'cause it's where the clamp deal is...... I'll post a pic here in a second.

tblume · 03-11-09, 04:28 PM

not the best time to take a pic: were it hot it would show a lot more wetness on the plastic bit

2ndGenToyotaFan · 03-11-09, 09:48 PM

It could probably be fixed.... but there's a thin line there... Do you want to be tooling around in the woods with a band-aided radiator? Probably not...

Back to the real question.... No, I don't know first hand of any rad shops.... I think there's one in Yreka... But that's probably not the best option for you!

tblume · 03-11-09, 11:22 PM

don't think so, unless they can beat CDan and you can pick up and deliver for the bargain

I guess I'll be spending some more bonus coin on the crusher than I had thought, good cause though.
What else would you '80 guys recommend doing at the same time? I'm thinking PHH delete, Tstat, hoses top & bottom & whatever other hoses attach to keep the coolant in, IIRC there is a thread on splitting the fan shroud to make belt changes more easy? Belts done maybe 3K ago, & I have done the fan hub fluid change with heavy weight silicon oil already. time to do the plugs and wires I have sitting aside, maybe time to do the EGR fooler too...

Ebag333 · 03-12-09, 12:25 AM

PHH there's a place I like locally better. But you should get the clamps from Dan (ask what he used).

Dizzy is cheap and good to do. Do the breather at the same time. Cap, rotor, and o-ring.

You can replace the PVC hoses (the two on top of the engine). They become brittle and crack inside. Good time to add filters. (Also replace the clamps, they're cheap.)

The windshield wiper diverter valve goes bad after a while. Good if you have no fluid in the back (or get fluid in both spots).

Spark plugs are really cheap from cdan.

The Toyo washable air filters are uber if you have an after market one.

Starter rebuild kit is good (hint, do it BEFORE it stops working).

I'm sure there's other stuff I'm missing, but that's what I can think of off the top of my head for stuff that's cheap, and small.

TOY350 · 03-12-09, 11:37 AM

Common leak is the oil pump gasket, perfect time to do that. I did mine and it was well worth it since mine was seeping. I would not cut the shroud, I have had no problems with belt changes and such with it in one piece. Crank pulley seal another good one I did while in there.

Kief · 03-12-09, 07:46 PM

I have jb welded a pinhole on the open area of a plastic radiator, it looks like the seam is going.. not reliably repairable. There are some viable aftermarket replacements out there like radiator.com. I have never bought from them but the 60 series section had a good thread on this. OEM is more but usually as good as you can get. Keep us posted.

tblume · 03-12-09, 10:56 PM

thanks gents, good one toy350, the first two crushers of mine died untimely deaths by oil starvation, I am paranoid of that now

jamister1 · 03-13-09, 08:57 AM

I've used Medford Radiator several times with success. I've never bought a new radiator from them but I had them pressure test, clean, and repair leaks in them.

tblume · 03-13-09, 08:08 PM

CDAN was out today, local guy has a taiwanese replacement for $325 on the shelves, I'll see what dan can do monday...... after the running around today I fretted and dropped a Barrs stop leak in there, slowed the seap, and I isolated the source; it's maybe 3/4" above the attaching seam, I'm tempted to smear some JB weld on there..... buy a little time.

Kief · 03-14-09, 10:34 AM

FYI, I have torn down motors that probably had bars leak in them... It is only advisable for emergencies as it will clog up more than just the leaks. It can block small passages in your heater, radiator, engine block and head and settles out in areas of low circulation causing hot spots that will effect the life expectancy of your engine.. One engine I tore down had a freeze plug on the back of the block that was packed solid behind it.. Nasty! I don't know for sure if it was Bars leaks but corrosion alone couldn't have built up that volume of deposits.. The motor had been rebuilt recently but they neglected to boil out the block. Keep an eye on it..

tblume · 03-14-09, 11:34 AM

great, just what I wanted to hear

oh well, I'll survive; maybe ought to get a donor engine for a leisurely teardown/rebuild now that I have a budget surplus

hmmmmmm...

I wrote to LT @ metaltech, I should be sporting a bumper and sliders first part of April, I'll post a thread on that when I get them

retrofive · 03-14-09, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tblume

I wrote to LT @ metaltech, I should be sporting a bumper and sliders first part of April, I'll post a thread on that when I get them

Nice

2ndGenToyotaFan · 03-14-09, 12:50 PM

Tim's got a budget surplus!!! Get him!!!!!!!

tblume · 03-14-09, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2ndGenToyotaFan

Tim's got a budget surplus!!! Get him!!!!!!!

catch me if you can find me!

not really a surplus, more like temporary deficit whitewash, with a side of pork barrel projects

knoll0351 · 03-14-09, 02:09 PM

So now that it's too late, an egg in the radiator will also fix a leak and shouldn't hurt anything else... worthless knowledge

tblume · 03-17-09, 03:47 PM

UPDATE:

ordered parts from CDan, factor about 6 bills for rad and all hoses, Tstat and gasket. The crusher is immobile until I do this R&R; the whole top plactic bit is disintegrating at an alarming rate, where it used to seep only when hot, it seeps now when looked at closely while cold, and from multiple sources. Picture a bunch of paralell cracks running across the front of the top part. It looks like the crystaline structure is failing? is this possable? seeps now while cold and squeezing the thing with moderate pressure induces more fluid loss. I may have a cheap aftermarket unit but doubt it with the factory service records the PO had, more likely original and 216K have taken their toll.

Not loving the Mercedes, but enjoying the MPG

CJF · 03-17-09, 04:31 PM

Now you'll be good for another 15+ years.

tblume · 03-17-09, 11:05 PM

that's what I'm talkin' about......

tblume · 03-23-09, 05:02 PM

aaw hell, you can replace the top and bottom tanks without buying a new radiator all together????!!!!

should have looked in the FSM first it would seem.

oh well, new all around or cobbled together shadetree style, i guess i prefer doing it now right once.

Ebag333 · 03-23-09, 11:06 PM

I don't think you can.....

I'd always heard if you broke the nipple on the top you have to replace the whole thing.

tblume · 03-24-09, 02:27 AM

that was the first thing to break, 6 months ago, enough left to clamp to.

looking closer it is a VERY INVOLVED deal to re-tank your radiator, better to get one complete. can be done, might be the only option in a pinch if you are in kerdyukistan and have three radiators with one part from each that could be salvaged.

half way thru the job tonight, taking my time and doing all the hoses involved in the system. PHHectomy will be last after I have the rest in and my knuckles and arms are good and scraped, just need to pedal down to the local NAPA for green stripe in the morning.

tblume · 03-24-09, 10:30 AM

and also, if you don't have one of these:

Cal-Van Tools Flexible Hose Clamp Plier - 731 at Sears.com

or similar, you need one.

tblume · 03-24-09, 11:14 AM

and gearwrenchs

tblume · 03-24-09, 11:42 PM

would have posted sooner but had to go tow the mercedes out of Philomath; master cyl went tango uniform sunday. wish I had the camera with me for that shot, two of the five most reliable rigs on earth, one down for a standing 8 count, being towed by the other bouncing back from an "injury hiatus"

but, I got the PHH-ectomy accomplished, all the hoses, Tstat and the radiator changed out, nothing special to report, the tools I have attached are big helps in the garage

#1 is self explanatory,
#2 - get a set of these for your modern hose clamps, you'll thank me. PHH clamp came off like a sardine tin lid, after the gearwrench and prybar attacked the TWO BOLTS? that hold the 7 inch? rigid pipe to the back of the head it was a piece of cake popping that sucker apart; longest part of the job, not counting the bike ride in the rain to NAPA for "green" stripe, (mine is yellow

) and shielded clamps.
#3, you can get at least a gallon in the block this way, probably more if you are willing to let it burp and settle out longer than I gave it.

and a half

, more frustrating than changing the belts, but not terrible.