First solo job on my car didn't go so well .... Aaarrrrggghhhh!

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flynlady

flynlady

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I was so excited this afternoon to undertake my first solo job on my car. The car has been running hot, so I took the radiator to a local shop for a pressure test and flush. I was hoping this would get me through until the engine swap next year, so that I don't have to buy a radiator now.

My husband had a working dinner so I changed the thermostat and reinstalled radiator all by myself and waited for him to get home to make sure I had done everything right. I was so proud of myself. I'm totally uncoordinated with the tools. I was basically raised by a single mother and I learned how to use a butter knife and high heel shoe as tools ... Not wrenches and ratchets!!!!!

So my husband gets home, checks my work and everything appears ok. I filled up the radiator and the damn thing started leaking!!!!! After checking all of my fittings, etc, we figure there is a hole in the core somewhere.

Could the pressure test or flush have caused the radiator to leak?

I'm sooooooo frustrated!!!!!
 
Oh yea it could, but they should have seen that and notified you ASAP.

Is it leaking from the finned area?
 
My best guess is that there had been A previous hole in the radiator sealed by stop leak and when it was flushed it opened it back up. All in all you
Can still look at this as a victory as it wasn't anything you caused
 
The radiator shop should have found the leak when they pressure tested it.The best way to learn how to work on these old Mopars is doing what you did,jump in and try it.Just take your time and learn from your mistakes.


Jim
 
68383gts said:
the radiator shop should have found the leak when they pressure tested it.the best way to learn how to work on these old mopars is doing what you did,jump in and try it.just take your time and learn from your mistakes.

Jim
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x2 great job girl!
 
TrailBeast said:
Oh yea it could, but they should have seen that and notified you ASAP.

Is it leaking from the finned area?
Click to expand...

Radiator is BACK out of the car :banghead: and I'm bringing it back to the radiator shop in the morning. I'll try a little honey again and then I'll go total ***** on them...LOL!

It appears to be coming from the lower part of the radiator where the finned area meets the lower frame of the radiator itself. I don't know if I've explained that very well.

toplscuda said:
My best guess is that there had been A previous hole in the radiator sealed by stop leak and when it was flushed it opened it back up. All in all you
Can still look at this as a victory as it wasn't anything you caused
Click to expand...

Hadn't thought of that but it certainly could be possible.

The first thing my husband asked was what had I done. BUT I know I was careful and even told him I was pretty smart by sticking a screwdriver through the hole in the bracket to hold it in place while I started the other bolt. I KNOW it wasn't anything I've done. VICTORY!!!!!

68383GTS said:
The radiator shop should have found the leak when they pressure tested it.The best way to learn how to work on these old Mopars is doing what you did,jump in and try it.Just take your time and learn from your mistakes.


Jim
Click to expand...

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I'll get after it again tomorrow...LOL :headbang:
 
Sounds like you did everything correct on your end, a tip that helps me on radiator install is to use a peice of cardboard on the radiator side that faces the fan, this way you don't have to worry much about the fan flattening the fins etc... If your installing with the fan on.
 
Be ready for them to charge you for the repair. (A test is just that)
and it needs repair because it wasn't able to pass.
Sounds like you are on the right track to gettin it done.
 
flynlady said:
Radiator is BACK out of the car :banghead: and I'm bringing it back to the radiator shop in the morning. I'll try a little honey again and then I'll go total ***** on them...LOL!
Click to expand...


Take the tools your mom trained you with. If the heels don't work, use the butter knife.
 
Revhendo said:
Take the tools your mom trained you with. If the heels don't work, use the butter knife.
Click to expand...

Exactly.

Sounds like its leaking from the joint between the core and the tank. A pressure test should have showed that at the radiator shop, especially since you didn't even pressurize the system before it started leaking.

Sounds like the radiator shop skipped a step.
 
"Radiator shop." Yup. On the other hand an XX year old radiator, anything can happen

156653d1338348122-explosion-69-coupe-radiator.jpg


kitten-hug-radiator.jpg


frozen_car.jpg
 
Some shops will flow known bad radiators just to get the money. Do you remember if the radiator had any green lookin funk on it anywhere prior to taking it to the shop?
If it did, that was a telltale sign to throw it in the scrap pile. That was corrosion. The reason it's pretty much dead when you SEE green is because they corrode from the inside out, starting at the solder joints. So once you see it, it has progressed a lot. If it was like that, the radiator shop did you an injustice by even trying to fix it. I don't see where any of this was your fault. It sounds to me like you did everything right.
 
im impressed that your really taking matters into your own hands and getting it done and not waiting for a man to do it. :laughing:

really sounds like you did everything right on your end.

trans cooling lines can be a bear to R & R without twisting or stripping them off so im impressed you got passed those. and some radiator hoses are stuck on and can be a new experience to a beginner LOL

Great job and please keep on posting ...your awesome
 
Radiator repaired ... No leaks!! But it appears I have the wrong radiator. The brackets are on the wrong side. This doesn't surprise me since so many other things have been wrong on this vehicle.

So, husband decided to add a bracket to one side and trim a little off the other. This moved the radiator more to center of the fan, which we thought might improve the airflow to the radiator. It seems to help somewhat.

I've noticed that consensus of the Forum is that a shroud would be helpful. Can someone tell me if the 1966 Plymouth Valiant Signet with the 225 /6 even had a fan shroud?

Thanks!
 
flynlady said:
Radiator repaired ... No leaks!! But it appears I have the wrong radiator. The brackets are on the wrong side. This doesn't surprise me since so many other things have been wrong on this vehicle.

So, husband decided to add a bracket to one side and trim a little off the other. This moved the radiator more to center of the fan, which we thought might improve the airflow to the radiator. It seems to help somewhat.

I've noticed that consensus of the Forum is that a shroud would be helpful. Can someone tell me if the 1966 Plymouth Valiant Signet with the 225 /6 even had a fan shroud?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
they indeed did. maybe someone on here has one.

by the way, congrats on a job well done :thumbrig:
 
Just remember, if all else fails "GET A BIGGER HAMMER"...Good job on the R&R on the radiator.
 
How are your knuckles/fingertips after working on a radiator?

Lose any skin?
 
Hey, way to go on the radiator install! Now that you're "on a roll"......got another job lined up for the Val?
 
4spdragtop said:
Great work, glad ya got the rad issues solved! Whats next??
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New TOP .... woooohooo ... should have it by August! BUT can't run the a/c with the engine still running hot.

YY1 said:
How are your knuckles/fingertips after working on a radiator?

Lose any skin?
Click to expand...

Not too bad ... I gloved up, mostly to save my manicure (yes, wrenchers CAN have manicures!) ... I am bruised though and put a nice size goose egg on my head from the bumper ... :banghead:

RaniDart70 said:
im impressed that your really taking matters into your own hands and getting it done and not waiting for a man to do it. :laughing:

really sounds like you did everything right on your end.

trans cooling lines can be a bear to R & R without twisting or stripping them off so im impressed you got passed those. and some radiator hoses are stuck on and can be a new experience to a beginner LOL

Great job and please keep on posting ...your awesome
Click to expand...

Thanks ... it's not in my nature to wait for a man!!

There was a lot of cursing and grunting going on when I was trying to the get the hoses off more than anything else.
 
flynlady said:
... Thanks ... it's not in my nature to wait for a man!!

There was a lot of cursing and grunting going on when I was trying to the get the hoses off more than anything else.
Click to expand...

Boy, I've been there myself! Made up a few very unladylike words along the way of my resto too. Keep in mind that sometimes throwing things helps ... sometimes not. :-D
 
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