So I was driving and noticed steam/smoke coming from the hood, so I pulled over to have a look and noticed three little holes with antifreze coming out. The crack is on the top left of the radiator. This sucks, going to cost $500 to get fixed... But I have like a 10 mile drive to the dealership to get it fixed, how should I do this? It is so cold out so it will not overheat but I dont wanna mess anything up. Im sad.

 

Should be around $120 for a replacement radiator,[aftermarket] and around 1 hour labor for radiator R&R.
$200 parts and labor.
Skip the dealer for this repair and find a good independent shop.
10 mile drive should be okay, just don't push it; if the coolant gets too low the temp sending unit will misread and never show that the engine is over heating.

 

Yeah take it to an independent shop and let them mess it up.. Just remember, you get what you pay for.. At the dealership, it's 2.5hrs labor plus parts and you get a pro working on the car with the backup of a full dealership...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PnX-R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yeah take it to an independent shop and let them mess it up.. Just remember, you get what you pay for.. At the dealership, it's 2.5hrs labor plus parts and you get a pro working on the car with the backup of a full dealership... </TD></TR></TABLE>

how hard is to change a radiator and bleed the cooling system?

it took me like 45 minute from start to finish, are you sure you that's not a horzontal row vette radiator?

geez, 2.5 hours? what exactly you guys do that i can't do at home?

 

I have to agree with that it is veary easy, and shouldnt talk you more then an hour as long as you are a little bit machnicle inclined.

 

Fellas, ya'll forget that not many ppl out there are Mechanically inclined. Hell i was like that a few years ago but look @ me now I CAN BUILD A FREAKIN ENGINE. LOL
J/k

 

Dood... it's easy. Self explanitory...

DRAIN IT(duh!)
Take out top hose and bottom hose.
Take out tranny cooler line(Auto only)
un plug the fan connectors
take out the top mount(holding the radiator)
pull out assembly
transfer the fan and all things.
put it back(check hoses for leaks or cracks)
use new clamps(HELPS SO MUCH!)

TADA YOU'RE DONE! Radiator from eBay works great. should be around 150-200 for pretty good ones. OEM

 

At a honda dealership how can you be sure a 'PRO' is going to work on your car?
My experience at a central Florida dealership where I had radiator and transmission flush:
Entire job took a total of 25 minutes. Turns out the 'PRO' took the radiator cap off while it was hot and coolant bubbled out all over the engine compartment. He didn't even clean up the mess. When I drove off steam came from under the hood. When I looked at it and saw the mess I went right back and the mechanic and service writer said they knew I was in a hurry (I had said I could wait 3 hours) so they didn't bother for it to cool down!
Who knows what they did - or not do - to the transmission.
Total bill $80.

 

Crack an egg open and put it in there lol worked on Mythbusters

 

[QUOTE=The-Kid]Dood... it's easy. Self explanitory...

DRAIN IT(duh!)
Take out top hose and bottom hose.
Take out tranny cooler line(Auto only)
un plug the fan connectors
take out the top mount(holding the radiator)
pull out assembly
transfer the fan and all things.
put it back(check hoses for leaks or cracks)]
use new clamps(HELPS SO MUCH!)

TADA YOU'RE DONE! Radiator from eBay works great. should be around 150-200 for pretty good ones. OEM[/QUOTE


you make it sound so simple. i am sure there is a lil more involved. but of course having a repair/service manual will give the complete process. i might have to do a friends car and if its this easy that will be gravy. i am not very mechanicly inclined but while doing my own 5 spd swap and susupension upgrade, i think i am on my way to being inclined.

 

The point is that it's easy enough that an independent shop should be able to perform the repair without any issues whatsoever. If they can't, they shouldn't be in business.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by philadd &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The point is that it's easy enough that an independent shop should be able to perform the repair without any issues whatsoever. If they can't, they shouldn't be in business.</TD></TR></TABLE>
yes!!!.

also for the messy dealership I have seen a lot of flate raters try to skip corners, and the like which cost in the long run. thats what you get when they worry more about how fast it gets done then it getting done right.

 

DON'T be a sucker!!! go to you're friendly neighborhood junkyard and get a replacement=$20. DIY = 1 1/2 HOURS....

 

Thanks for the help guys. What I ended up doing was getting an "aftermarket" one, not anything special, just not made by honda. So that was like $150, then they just put it back in, I also ended up needing a new thermostat. Its all fixed now and running like the beast of a machine that it is.

 

I have a 93 accord and i changed my radiator. the part cost me 85 and my dads friend put it in, took noly and hour. drain coolant, take hoses off, unbolt a few bolts, slide out, replace with new rad, connect hoses and fan, bolt back up, and fill with coolant.

the only hassle would be to fill the proper way and bleed the air out of the system.