LX to GX - First Time GX Owner (1 Viewer)

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Unfortunately. But, I began the exchange/return/refund/replace process with Rock Auto (which I've never had to do) and am hoping to have a resolution by tomorrow morning/afternoon. If they cannot replace with unbroken part then I'll opt for refund and find a different option.. maybe a mishi
If it makes you feel better I also received a damaged radiator from rock auto. It's pretty common.
 
I had a Rock Auto radiator shipped to me in a "double boxed" arrangement, and the box was still compromised via the shipper. Fortunately the radiator itself survived, but it gave me pause for sure. Large fragile things, and heavy things (floor jack) really are iffy propositions w/ typical shipping infrastructure. The point is to plan accordingly if possible. It's a crap shoot!
 
I'm tellin' yah... if the replacement they send me is still compromised, I'm saying screw it and just buying the all aluminum mishi and never looking back.

And then begging my wife for forgiveness, of course.

Has anyone ever experienced issues with Mishimoto all aluminum rad's before?
 
I'm tellin' yah... if the replacement they send me is still compromised, I'm saying screw it and just buying the all aluminum mishi and never looking back.

And then begging my wife for forgiveness, of course.

Has anyone ever experienced issues with Mishimoto all aluminum rad's before?
I put a Mishimoto on my Miata after the OEM plastic tanks cracked at 75k and it did everything a radiator is supposed to do without any issues.
 
^ Yeah those plastic end caps are the weak point! For a GX application, is it a bolt-in, w/ AT lines?
 
I have a 2010 and just did a new water pump. It has about 150k on it. I was not having any trouble with overheating etc.

When we finally got to the water pump, it was actually leaking: lots of pink flakes all over it. So, Im glad I did it, it could be your problem, and it was cheap and easy to fix.

Welcome to the club!
 
Yeah, it's for sure the radiator.. sent off the broken one on the 3rd. The holiday week/weekend is taking its toll on the situation but that's alright, I have all the time in the world (not sarcasm.. for real, I have lots of time). And we leave for vacay in the wife's car this coming Saturday.. so if it ain't here by then, big whoop.

RockAuto is in the process of shipping the new rad to me today with no idea of it's expected arrival. Hopefully not while we're out of town lol but that would figure, right? Given my luck with resolving the situation.

@markthegrea I seriously hope that once the fan, old rad, and whatnot are out I don't notice any more leaks. Pray for my sanity lol
 
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How should I go about clearing this of the spray packing foam? I was thinking a small drill bit or something like that, as not to damage the fitting itself but to just try and clear out this crap.

This is the replacement. Nothing broken or bent or anything besides the clogged res fitting.
IMG_8364.jpeg
 
How should I go about clearing this of the spray packing foam? I was thinking a small drill bit or something like that, as not to damage the fitting itself but to just try and clear out this crap.

This is the replacement. Nothing broken or bent or anything besides the clogged res fitting.
View attachment 3674275
Any way to to blow from the inside out so nothing falls into the core?
Maybe a short, small diameter flexible hose (silicone hose?) attached to an air supply (compressor) to blow outward.
 
I have a shop vac, a hose that size and an air compressor. But the foam is dried inside the tube. Worth a try!
 
I have a shop vac, a hose that size and an air compressor. But the foam is dried inside the tube. Worth a try!
Perhaps as you're blowing from the inside, out, you (or someone) can be breaking up the foam from the outside with a drill bit (or whatever). This way, as it gets broken up, it's still blown outward.
Just be sure you seal the the hose you are blowing with on the inside connected to the radiator tube so when blowing, you're not swirling particulates back into the radiator.
Maybe a little duct tape to hold and seal the blow nozzle in place and seal the inside so air is only blown outward.
 
Perhaps as you're blowing from the inside, out, you (or someone) can be breaking up the foam from the outside with a drill bit (or whatever). This way, as it gets broken up, it's still blown outward.
Just be sure you seal the the hose you are blowing with on the inside connected to the radiator tube so when blowing, you're not swirling particulates back into the radiator.
Maybe a little duct tape to hold and seal the blow nozzle in place and seal the inside so air is only blown outward.
Pipe cleaner or flexible plastic rod. You should be able to insert through the cap opening and push it right out. Drill bit might strip paint/coating.
 
Back from vacay. Battery is dead. Jumped off wife’s car and it ran smoothly. Did not drive it around the block like I normally do but let it idle until up to running temp while I reset radio and messed around with other settings. Shut it down and tried to crank it up again and it wouldn’t even click. One reason I’m not a lover of push button start but oh well. Off to Wally World this morning for a fresh battery. Then… maybe… just maybe… I can finally swap out radiators this afternoon.
 
Back from vacay. Battery is dead. Jumped off wife’s car and it ran smoothly. Did not drive it around the block like I normally do but let it idle until up to running temp while I reset radio and messed around with other settings. Shut it down and tried to crank it up again and it wouldn’t even click. One reason I’m not a lover of push button start but oh well. Off to Wally World this morning for a fresh battery. Then… maybe… just maybe… I can finally swap out radiators this afternoon.
With all due respect, you lost me as to why a keyed ignition would be better than a push button? You'd get the same result, except with a key, you can hold the and keep cranking a car that won't start, whereas the button one needs to push it over for each try. But with a dead battery, that last sentence would be a moot point.
 
it made me uncomfortable to hear the starter clicking a ton of times after just one push of the start button. I’ve seen where a starter has been burned up from doing this in a push button start vehicle. But, I digress.
 
Back from vacay. Battery is dead. Jumped off wife’s car and it ran smoothly. Did not drive it around the block like I normally do but let it idle until up to running temp while I reset radio and messed around with other settings. Shut it down and tried to crank it up again and it wouldn’t even click. One reason I’m not a lover of push button start but oh well. Off to Wally World this morning for a fresh battery. Then… maybe… just maybe… I can finally swap out radiators this afternoon.
Hope today's battery and radiator replacement get you rolling without issue for the next few years. Since you are breaking into it, I'd recommend doing one or more fluid exchanges of the transmission. Easy with Techstream, Scan Gauge or other. Good luck and hope these problems are behind you soon.
 
Hope today's battery and radiator replacement get you rolling without issue for the next few years. Since you are breaking into it, I'd recommend doing one or more fluid exchanges of the transmission. Easy with Techstream, Scan Gauge or other. Good luck and hope these problems are behind you soon.
Appreciate that very much.

Radiator, tstat, and battery changed out this evening and it’s all buttoned back up. Did not have to remove the bumper and my 3” extension worked great. Only trouble area was ensuring the lower rad hose/connection point didn’t knock any a/c stuff loose. The fan/clutch and shroud weren’t too bad coming off and back on but it was touchy with a/t fluid high and low connections.
 

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