What's that smell?

Hey look there's green stuff on the ground.

Yeah, got to Home Depot this weekend and smelled coolant. The truck was up to operating temperature, and around 70 degrees outside. The leak is coming from where the top reservoir connects with the core. The shop I called said they could look at it but expected it would need to be replaced due to age alone. So, apparently I'll be replacing the radiator as I'm not sure it's worth the expense to repair (if it can be repaired) as it's 24 years old.

In perusing the forum, checking NAPA, and Ford Parts, I'm leaning towards Champion Radiators. A new one from NAPA is ~$300 more and from Ford is ~$700 more. From what I've seen it's well made. Anyone hear of or have a bad experience with Champion? Or strongly recommend another brand, even the $1,000 for Ford (ouch)?

And while the radiator is replaced, I'll be doing everything else (water pump, thermostat, fan clutch, hoses).

There's a supposedly new oem unit floating around craigslist down here. I went with a champion for cost. All the yards wanted the same money for beat up corroded ones. Haven't had a problem so far but I also don't tow at the moment. Only haul what fits in the bed, couple yards of dirt, fire wood etc.

I recently checked auto zone and they have a spectra copper core radiator going for around 350 and spectra aluminum ones are around 250.

I sell the Performance brand all alluminum rad. I've got 3 of them in different trucks in my fleet. I've had no issues what so ever.

Sight unseen
A second opinnion?! As you are taking a shops phone diagnossis for word of god!?
A leak could be a hose!?!!!

Thanks guys.

@Clb, Yup I held the phone close to the radiator so he could diagnose... just kidding! If only a phone diagnosis were for real. But no, I know from self diagnosis the radiator itself is leaking, not a hose or the cap. The shop I called was a radiator shop, and I was asking about the feasibility of repairing vs replacing.

Got to the point the radiator, alternator, and air pump is off. To get to the lower thermostat bolt I had to actually unscrew the ingoing fuel line to the fuel filter so I could move the fuel filter bracket enough. I didn't see anyone mention that on other threads or the tech article. But the tech article showed some rubber fuel lines, mine are 100% metal. So that was the only option with the metal fuel lines that hardly move. No biggy, just curious.

Got the thermostat out, and wow, I don't think it's original, and I don't think it's the right one? At least not compared to any others I've seen, including the new motorcraft one I put in. Geez!




Well on to the water pump tomorrow.

when i did my t-stat, i had to remove the entire passenger side belt system, and fuel filter housing.
a pain in the ass design flaw.

and since i was going through the cooling system....
i also took the drivers side system and re-sealed the lower hose housing on the engine...

may want to look at that, nothing like getting it all buttoned up, and having it leak.

Please consider changing the upper and lower hoses while you're in there... I had one explode after putting on a new radiator cap. It couldn't handle the proper pressure and dumped several gallons of fleet charge.

Matt_INW said:

Got to the point the radiator, alternator, and air pump is off. To get to the lower thermostat bolt I had to actually unscrew the ingoing fuel line to the fuel filter so I could move the fuel filter bracket enough. I didn't see anyone mention that on other threads or the tech article. But the tech article showed some rubber fuel lines, mine are 100% metal. So that was the only option with the metal fuel lines that hardly move. No biggy, just curious.

Got the thermostat out, and wow, I don't think it's original, and I don't think it's the right one? At least not compared to any others I've seen, including the new motorcraft one I put in. Geez!

You must be registered for see images attach

Well on to the water pump tomorrow.

Click to expand...

You are correct about the stat not being an oem one. Your lucky the engine did not overheat because of this stat. They are gasser stats and can't flow the volume of coolant to keep our engines cool. Sure glad you went this deep into it.

Well it's all buttoned up. No leaks/mistakes that I can find. Might need to replace a transmission line which I forgot to replace before putting the radiator in. Yes I replaced both radiator hoses, and one heater hose. The other heater hose is an odd contraption with a T in it, and is $200 from Ford. Or I could make one. But the other heater hose was actually in good shape, though I replaced it anyway. Since it was, I'm keeping the wierd one in place, for now.

I found one of my minor oil leaks... one of the bolts on the bottom of the water pump was letting a little oil out. It shouldn't anymore with new thread sealant.

Took the truck on a 150 mile road trip today, first one in a few months, still seems all good. Was 55-63 MPH the trip, moderate hills here and there (it is washington after all). Got 16.7 MPG, a little disappointed, but I suppose I shouldn't be given original injectors and IP etc.

Heres the deal on those odd heater hoses. They are nothing special. Sure, they look expensive but you really do not need that small hoes running off the Tee down to the bottom of the radiator. What that does is wrams up the coolant at the bottom to speed up the heating of the trans fluid on the auto tans. Just remove it and be happy. Ford is ripping us off charging that price. The fitting at the bottom is only about 1/8 inch opening for flow anyway. No matter what the hose size is feeding it.. Now a final note about hoses here. See the hose leaving the passenger side heat. Thats the hot supply to the heater. Because its hot all the time is has a better chance of failing because of the heat it sees. Same with the top radiator hose. Any return to the radiator or block is cooler coolant and less likely to fail. Now before you ask what supply hose goes to what heater fitting.. I do not know that it wakes a difference. Coolant flows thru the heater core either direction. I suppose someone may have this info but I don't.

Aaaand, the radiator is leaking.





Last time I order out of state for something that critical.

Now to wait for best case 4 days shipping back, 1 day for them to review, 4 days to ship back to me. NINE days without the truck, likely more, not happy.

Which brand did you end up using?

The RMA process has been stupid slow. Once the refund is confirmed I'll provide the name. If the company wasn't states away i would have tried a 2nd radiator. But the abysmal turn around time is just not going to cut it for me (a week to the day from my call to FedEx picking up the defective one).

Meanwhile I found a local shop that's going to order this (likely on Monday) from across the state. It's actually brass and copper! Pricey at $495, but I'm just not thrilled about shipping thousands of miles away anymore, or plastic tanks, or $1,000 at the dealer.

http://thermalsolutions.mycarparts.net/products/(TSM)-432194?product_application_id=5647688704

Thermal Solutions main site... http://www.thermalsolutionsmfg.com/automotive-parts-catalog/