*cliff-notes at bottom for the lazy*

I hav a 97 gsr wit about 54k miles (prevs. driver didnt go out much i guess).

Here's my radiator history...

a couple weeks ago, my thermostat on the dash went nuts, and it went all the way to H. I kinda freaked, and I pulled over and popped the hood. The engine was fine, the coolant/radiator area was poppin pretty crazy though. I just assumed it was cuz the coolant was low, so the next day i added some brand + water and filled the radiator n reservoir. (I know u "should" use honda's antifreeze but I'm getting an oil change next month so I figured i'd jus do the oil change n gm tranny fluid n honda coolant at the same time. )

Then, yesterday, I pulled in somewhere and I was kinda in a hurry, but I noticed the front end of my hood was steaming. I was in a rush so I didn't have time to pop the hood, n for some reason it slipped my mind on the way home .
Then, today I drove n came home n popped the hood cuz I remembered, and there's coolant oozing out of the radiator cap, its all bubbly and ****.

After I refilled the coolant/water, my temperature gauge has stayed at a good temp. the whole time.

So conclusion is basically...the radiator is leaking n cracked at the top, and I need a new one (because it's not worth fixing)? Would this conclusion be correct?
And I know it's a little bit old being a 97, but other ppl talk about how their radiators go bad at like 110k, and i'm only at 54k. ideas?


*CLIFF NOTES*
-coolant was oozing out of the radiator cap today.
-Is it correct to conclude that my radiator's leaking and it's not worth fixing, and I need to just purchase a new one?
-why is my radiator going bad when I'm only at 54k miles?

 

Yes, Honda uses plastic end tank radiators, so over time they'll eventually crack. Mine cracked where the end tank meets the core, and I have seen others where they have cracked where the upper hose hooks onto the tank.

Your car will overheat if you have a crack large enough to release radiator pressure, as when coolant is under pressure it has a higher boiling point. When you have a loss of pressure in the coolant system, the coolant boils over at a much lower temperature, and can cause overheating issues.

It is best to get your radiator replaced by an all metal radiator. I got mine from Performance Radiator for $175 I believe.

On another note, if you hit the high temp mark on your coolant gauge, you may have caused engine damage as well. I'd keep an eye on your oil and make sure it doesn't have any coolant in it (it will be milky). If you do, you blew a head gasket, and possibly warped the block, the head, or both by overheating.

Hope that helps

 

Just check for leaks and make sure your thermostat is opening up...or just take out the thermostat

 

Same thing happened to mine at 70,000 miles. Then I got a fuidyne.

 

mine cracked too, then i replaced it with a fluidyne. if you plan on going turbo, i'd look into buying a radiator thats the same size as the civic. frees up a lot of space.

 

I dunno, I personally like full sized radiators, and just run a pair of FAL low profile fans.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by AznJohn33 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">... So conclusion is basically...the radiator is leaking n cracked at the top, and I need a new one (because it's not worth fixing)? ...</TD></TR></TABLE>Make sure it's not simply a bad radiator cap. Try to see exactly where or how it's leaking. If you can find a crack anywhere in the plastic tank of the radiator, fine. If you can't find one, try again to see exactly where the leak is located.

 

thanks o_O it was just a bad cap. I guess sometimes the simplest answers are the best ones. on me.

 

I dont wanna say part *****. but geesh. No one said pressure test the radiator. Everyone said the honda rads are gay and to get $$ fluidine. Lets be real help and not part *****. If he pressure tested the rad on day one he would have found the problem.