Help!! Explosive radiator leak

[notyourmomslx450]

Well, as you can see, it's a tight spot.

Slightly better view.

If the rest of the petcock's in there, it's no longer in the hole.

However, given the deterioration on the end of the petcock, it looks like some moron put it in that way (short), and the radiator fluid going down into the hole and swirling over the end of it could explain the pattern of the erosion.

 

[Brentbba]

You are welcome to the one I've got sitting in my garage. Brand new from Dan if you can't get ahold of him during inventory.

 

[GeoRoss]

Not that it matters, but the little rubber gasket is missing from the petcock also.

 

[Brentbba]

Not that it matters, but the little rubber gasket is missing from the petcock also.

Not enough there on the old petcock to tell is there?

 

[97 FZJ80]

I remember removing and replacing the petcock from the top with little obstruction!

 

[notyourmomslx450]

Thanks, John. I've got the little rubber gasket, as well. I just removed it to show how bad of shape the petcock is in.

 

[IdahoDoug]

I think there's a better than even chance it was broken and the culprit removed the chunk with an ez out or similar. Then, with the same talent and ethics that caused him to break the part by confusing which ear on the plug he was twisting, he opted to not tell the owner and simply screwed in what was left. If it is in the radiator, I don't think it's worth worrying about as I think it will just lay in the bottom of the bottom radiator tank.

I'd just buy a new one and put it in, and I'm pretty OCD about things.

DougM

 

[jpwelling]

I had the same thing happen on my "not so cruiser". The plastic threads had degraded from temperature and time and the plug popped out in the parking lot at work after a weekend of wheeling - would have been a lot worse on the trail.
I try to upgrade when parts fail. I replaced mine with a bress bolt and washer and rubber gasket and plan to do the same on my Cruiser one of these days.

 

[landtank]

The pics above don't look like my radiator at all. On mine which is a replaced brass and on the original aluminum the pet cock screws into a nipple of sorts that has a small tube pointing down for easy of draining.

That looks to be an after market setup to me.

 

[jpwelling]

No wonder the plug looks so familiar. Mine that failed was aftermarket on my heep...I think it was from radiator barn and I haven't had a chance to see what the OEM one looks like yet on the Cruiser.

Anyway, assuming the plug is the same as mine, a standard 3/8 bolt should work. Replace it with a brass one when you can.

 

[notyourmomslx450]

The pics above don't look like my radiator at all. On mine which is a replaced brass and on the original aluminum the pet cock screws into a nipple of sorts that has a small tube pointing down for easy of draining.

That looks to be an after market setup to me.

Anyone else have any input on the non-stockness of my radiator? From the fit and finish, it looks like it came in the truck from the factory. Did the factory radiators not have brass lower tanks?

 

[e9999]

where does that rust come from?

 

[97 FZJ80]

Now that I've looked at the picture closely again, it doesn't look like it's a OEM plastic-tank radiator that is fitted on the later model FZJ80.

IIRC, my OEM plastic tank radiator has a shield around the petcock and a rubber drain tube.

 

[landtank]

Anyone else have any input on the non-stockness of my radiator? From the fit and finish, it looks like it came in the truck from the factory. Did the factory radiators not have brass lower tanks?

The OEM rads have plastic tanks top and bottom. I'm like 99.9% sure that is not the original rad. Doesn't mean it's a bad thing, just don't expect a OEM petcock to work well in there.

 

[notyourmomslx450]

Dang it. I wonder if I can find a brass bolt for it? Looks like maybe a 3/8" coarse thread?

 

[LINUS]

If you can determine the tread pitch, what if you used a stainless steel bolt, a washer, and an o-ring? Ace hardwares have plenty of SS metric.

Put the washer on the bolt first, then the o-ring and snug it up.

If I was you I'd at least flush down the radiator just to be safe. And maybe even pull the T-stat housing and check and make sure the piece of plastic didn't end up there by chance.

 

[landtank]

To me, the plastic plug looks OEM and is probably part of the problem as the thread pitch is off.

Go down to Napa or another auto part store, I'm sure they have exactly what you need.

 

[notyourmomslx450]

Right, but how do I know what thread pitch I'd need if it's not a factory radiator, and I can't exactly drive the LX down there. Any ideas where I could look on the radiator to find out what kind it is if it's not factory? I'm a radiator and bolt moron.

 

[IdahoDoug]

Rad is not stock, in fact neither is the plug itself! Didn't even look closely, but when it came up I went to the garage where I have 2 stock rads in the corner. Looks like someone went cheap and got what they paid for.

DougM

 

[landtank]

Right, but how do I know what thread pitch I'd need if it's not a factory radiator, and I can't exactly drive the LX down there. Any ideas where I could look on the radiator to find out what kind it is if it's not factory? I'm a radiator and bolt moron.

I would do my best to figure out what size the hole is and then buy whatever they had that was in that range and test fit until you get one to fit.

Or you could pull the rad and bring it with you and buy just one.