Repair or replace radiator?

[Honky Kong jr]

look how cheap this one is. 32"x19" is a little smaller than my current one. but it's made in America and only $170

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That’s pretty cheap lol can’t see the details but I’m guessing it’s a 2 row with 1.25” tubes.

 

[Frankenchevy]

That’s pretty cheap lol can’t see the details but I’m guessing it’s a 2 row with 1.25” tubes.

unfortunately the reviews for some of the cheaper ones are poor now that I've read into it. the same complaint several times which suggests its common. they leak after a short time. it's like most stuff nowadays, sometimes you get a good one, sometimes you get a bad one. I'm sure the bad experiences are reported much more than the good experiences.

this one is direct fit, funny how adding two inches doubles the price. I'm wondering if they build the oem type ones to different spec or on a different line because the "direct fit" ones seem to average higher reviews. 2 core, 1-1/4" tubes

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[Honky Kong jr]

unfortunately the reviews for some of the cheaper ones are poor now that I've read into it. the same complaint several times which suggests its common. they leak after a short time. it's like most stuff nowadays, sometimes you get a good one, sometimes you get a bad one. I'm sure the bad experiences are reported much more than the good experiences.

this one is direct fit, funny how adding two inches doubles the price. I'm wondering if they build the oem type ones to different spec or on a different line because the "direct fit" ones seem to average higher reviews. 2 core, 1-1/4" tubes

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Mine is a direct fit for a 67 Chevelle with manual trans

 

[Frankenchevy]

I'd fix it without a shadow of a doubt. $160 is a bit high. $45 is a great price, and mine was $85 to rod, fix a leaky tube, and paint it. That's in the Jimmy. I wish my car still had the factory radiator, but it has a craptacular parts store plastic tank/aluminum tube and fin one. It lasted almost ten years before two tubes started to leak where they go into the tank. I had it fixed a couple miles down the road for around $50, which I thought was a bit pricey for the service, but it doesn't leak anymore for the time being. I'd love to imagine it lasting until 2027, but I'm sure other tubes will start leaking in the same region well before then.

Doug said it might not be able to be rodded. I'm hoping for a reasonably priced repair.

 

[Craig 85]

Repair seems high to me. It would depend on how good these guys are at radiator repairs. To shoot you a price on a repair without looking is kinda spooky??

I live nearby Frankenchevy and he's partially basing the price off my radiator repair at a local shop which was $160. The owner has been in business since 1982. Labor is definitely more expensive here in California, even more if you're in the SF Bay Area. I had my big block radiator rodded out, a couple weeping tubes soldered and a new filler stem added.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

Well, if the guy does a good job, it’s still worth it more so than getting a new one, I think.

 

[Frankenchevy]

Dropped it of at Auburn radiator today. Hopefully it doesn’t have any problems. He said a new replacement of my radiator costs over $800 and is an inferior product. Fingers crossed

 

[Rusty Nail]

It will work out alright, sleep easy.

 

[Rusty Nail]

It's ready now.. they called, right?

 

[Frankenchevy]

It's ready now.. they called, right?

radiator guy called yesterday. said I'll be able to pick it up Friday. $260 for the repairs, reconditioning and guarantees it'll be like new again.

 

[Rusty Nail]

$260 vs. what number were we trying to best?

HOLY CRAP 800 DOLLARS!?

I still vote repair over replace..does that count for anything?

The good ol' boys of the GMSB kickin in AGAIN!

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[shiftpro]

I'm looking at $500+ to recore my 3 core diesel rad for my 496. And it's about 4 hours away. Sure I would like to only spend $160 whatever but it's not reality for strength and reliability.
The bulk of the cost is the copper core, not the labor. I'm building a 'camper' basically that I can go in deep AND return home, so over I'm building everything.
Twin 16" Spal electric fans, again for redundancy. One fan would get the job done but I sleep better with extra.
My point is, for my application and peace of mind, $500 for a strong copper 3 core rad is a good deal.

And as I mentioned earlier in this thread, hard use, gravel roads, and years of trouble free service is not the place for an aluminum rad. But I'm talking extremes here, not for everyone I understand.

 

[shiftpro]

The other issue with aluminum rads is electrolysis. Your alum rad is getting eated up! There are anodes I believe attached to the rad cap to supply a sacrificial lamb to mitigate your rad getting thinner every day. It's slow, but it never sleeps.

 

[Dougnsalem]

I'm looking at $500+ to recore my 3 core diesel rad for my 496. And it's about 4 hours away. Sure I would like to only spend $160 whatever but it's not reality for strength and reliability.
The bulk of the cost is the copper core, not the labor. I'm building a 'camper' basically that I can go in deep AND return home, so over I'm building everything.
Twin 16" Spal electric fans, again for redundancy. One fan would get the job done but I sleep better with extra.
My point is, for my application and peace of mind, $500 for a strong copper 3 core rad is a good deal.

And as I mentioned earlier in this thread, hard use, gravel roads, and years of trouble free service is not the place for an aluminum rad. But I'm talking extremes here, not for everyone I understand.

I totally disagree with you. I have MANY years working as a professional mechanic. I have even worked for a strictly radiator repair shop. In all of that time, I have seen just one radiator that was damaged from flying debris. Excluding of course, vehicle impacts. To say that an aluminum radiator is so inferior to a copper one, is pure *********. They are lighter, cheaper, USA made, and are 25% more efficient than a comprabable copper one. They are weak and eventually leak??? Sure. When you weld tabs on the tanks and solid mount them. Or, as I have also seen, when you solid mount it by the core. If it is cradle mounted on the tanks, the there will be no issues. They can't hold up to extreeme off road stuff??? Earlier you even mentioned that they weren't suitable because of flying debris from "extreeme" off roading. Humm. I guess that is possible- Do you have really nasty squirrels tossing rocks at your rigs??? F'n LMAO..... WTF???

 

[Dougnsalem]

The other issue with aluminum rads is electrolysis. Your alum rad is getting eated up! There are anodes I believe attached to the rad cap to supply a sacrificial lamb to mitigate your rad getting thinner every day. It's slow, but it never sleeps.

Duh. Yeah, they are what, 10, 20 bucks? I have never ran one and had no issues.