choices

I started seeing smoke come from under the hood last night on my bday while in the drive-thru for alberto's, so I pulled to the side to check it out and once I pop the hood I see antifreeze leaking all over. Engine temp was ok, but the drive-thru line was taking forever so I went to King Taco across the street instead. Took it to the shop today and my radiator's definitely gone. Getting it replaced and maybe they can fix other weird problems with my car. It sucks ass watching smoke curl up from under your hood especially since i just spent 12+ hours of my time washing, claying, doing scratch removal, waxing and detailing the car not even two days ago. Paint is smooth as glass. Whatever though, it happens.

desired_speeds

consider yourself lucky to get 189k. mine went out at like 115k.

TLin401

Mine went at 115K too.

You are lucky because it could of started something really bad like blowing your head gasket.

desired_speeds

I was driving mine around steaming n shit when I came to stoplights. By the time I changed it, it was started to spray all over the engine bay.

choices

I will, thanks.

It's strange that both your radiators both went out 115k. I wonder how long others' radiators have last? Is 115k an average or something?

DAiNiUS

Mine's at 117.5 so hopefully it doesn't go anytime soon since I've enough shit to pay for.

batmobile_in_prog

whoo ... know what thats like!!!

blueninja

DAiNiUS and TLin401 how much did ya'll pay to get the radiator fixed?

TLin401

I paid $254 for radiator, install, antifreeze, and bleed/burp.

It isn't OEM but it does the job.

blueninja

Cool. Thanks Tlin401, not too bad.

TLin401

The radiator cost ~$200 so $54 for labor isn't bad at all.

DAiNiUS

Mine didn't go yet

main70072

Mine went at 112,XXX. Ordered a new one and put it in myself for a total of $130 for radiator, antifreeze, and a new cap. Now at 138,XXX and have not had any problems with it.

KaMLuNg

iTrader: (5)

my radiator seems to be on its deathbed... idle starting jumping all over the place last night... no overheat, so i thought there was air in the system when i changed a few of the hoses that broke... radiator and reserve tank was bone dry... and coolant was sprayed around the side of the radiator...

radiatorbarn.com here i come...

anyone use a ebay radiator with success??? they seem to be the same plastic tank with aluminum core like the ones at radiatorbarn... but about 30 bucks cheaper with the same lifetime warranty...

oh yea im at 149,920 mi's...

TLin401

I wouldn't get one from eBay just because I would be too worried about it failing all the time. Also everything from eBay isn't the best.

There are a few members on here, that have gotten their radiators from http://www.radiatorbarn.com and have had no problems with them at all.

tmnhs81

I got mine from radiatorbarn.com for $103.81 shipped

Go90go

I'm glad I found that place and passed it on. Mine's holding up perfectly and I think I paid $140 for it.

~Cheers~

Mandy

Replaced my Camry's (ex Camry, was totaled last OCT) radiator and got it from ebay. Was decent looking for quality, and it is plug and play. Do not know if it lasted.

For the AC, maybe I will not pick the lowest cost from ebay though.

KaMLuNg

iTrader: (5)

i have used ebay radiators in the past... with my prelude and accords and camry's in the past... no issues but to be quite honest, i never held on to the car long enough...

i was just wondering if anyone knew the diff between radiatorbarn or ebay cause it seems like similar internals...

Go90go

I'd trust the RadiatorBarn brand:

http://www.csfimports.com/home.asp

~Cheers~

KaMLuNg

iTrader: (5)

thats good enough for me... i'll put the order in tonight.. its down to 95 shipped now...

Go90go

Really glad to have found them and to have been the guinea pig now, haha!

~Cheers~

bigwerm187

Mine hasnt gone out 220k and still working great....

also i was wondering when you guys drive ur TL's on the freeway does the temp gauge always stay between the middle and cold..???

When i drive on the street it warms up and stays in the middle When i do freeway driveing even for a long time my TL will say cloes to the skinny line on the cold. My TL have never over heated either..

Go90go

^ All TLs do that for some reason, even with all factory components.

~Cheers~

vas25tl

time for a new radiator here too....steaming at stop lights, it's got a hairline crack on top.

How difficult is it to install yourself? Anyone chime in?

I'm checking out radiatorbarn now, never heard of the place.

bigwerm187

ok really i just wanted to make sure beacues at first i thought it was werid... now that i think about it my raidiator is old but still honding up and i hope it stays that way.. lol

KaMLuNg

iTrader: (5)

its like any other radiator install. drain fluids, disconnect hoses, unbolt fans, unbolt radiator mounts, lift up old radiator, and install is reverse of all that...

add in fluids, burp the system...

5point9 had a DIY posted.

vas25tl

I think I might try some kind of stop leak stuff and see what happens before replacing it..

bigwerm187

i wouldn't try that its only going to last for a while. i think your better of replacing it and knowing that the leak wont come back.. because if it does and your out some were and it leaks its gunna suck...

Go90go

DON'T use stop leak. That stuff will clog the rest of your cooling system. You're better off cracking an egg over the crack while it's hot than to use that stuff. No pun intended.

~Cheers~

vas25tl

I was just reminded of the commercials about your brain being on drugs - the egg being smashed.

main70072

Cool... mine does that too and I thought that my thermostat was bad.

main70072

It is not difficult at all to replace the radiator. Like others have said just drain, remove old hoses, disconnect wirings/sensors, remove brackets/fans, and pull up and out.

desired_speeds

I recommend new radiator hoses while you're at it.

KaMLuNg

iTrader: (5)

so far im pretty impressed with radiatorbarn. i ordered it yesterday early morning and got a fedex notification email with tracking number and status that it has been picked up. should arrive from across the country tomorrow. lets see how it goes after i get everything in.

on replacement hoses since you are already taking everything apart. ill go to advanced for that unless u guys have another online heaven now that Hondacuraworld is no longer in the internet business

KaMLuNg

iTrader: (5)

radiator arrived yesterday... started draining the fluids last night... will continue and finish tonight after i get home from work...

Go90go

Did it arrive ok? The ghetto fucks that work at UPS loading here actually opened mine to see if it was for an Integra or Civic because the box says "Standard High-Performance Full Race". I got it with the usual clear tape UPS uses to seal packages they've rummaged through.

~Cheers~

KaMLuNg

iTrader: (5)

it arrived alright i guess... installed and was working fine until i noticed that car was losing antifreeze earlier this week... thought maybe it was another coolant line that may have went bad or a loose hose i put on...

strapped on a pressure tester and the radiator is leaking at the bottom seam... WTF?!?!?! bahhhh... called radiatorbarn today and they said i will have to order a new radiator and send my old one back... they will inspect and return the money for the second order if they dot determine it to be a defect... they said it was a very premature failure and told me to get my car checked for BHG... wtf?!?! can't you understand defect???

hope this works out...