[Vwdiesel] Restrictive radiator

[Nate Wall]

Hmmm....I once switched to that orange "Lifetime" coolant that looks like cough
syrup. I think it was the Prestone in the silver/grey jug. Forget the name. I
had all kinds of slow leaks all of a sudden, especially at hose connections.
Drained it out and replaced w/ VW blue. End of problem. I also once developed a
leak at the seam of the end tank-to-radiator core, the gasket most likely.
Several radiator shops said the only fix was a new radiator (why not remove the
end tank, use new gasket and install a new crimp plate?) and new radiators were
about $400 for the TD, I was told. (I just plain don't know where to find these
good deals you all talk about). Well, I took a claw hammer and a big screwdriver
and knocked the metal tabs a little tighter against ther gasket in all the
locations I could get to. That was 8 years ago, and still no leaks!



LBaird119 at aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 10/10/2002 6:28:20 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
> teacher525 at juno.com writes:
>
> > Most likely the cause is the radiator. Has anyone had luck with a
> >  radiator shop flushing the radiator to clean it out? I was advised a good
> >  radiator shop can do a better job than the do it yourself flushing
> >  chemicals.
>
>   That's because they pull the ends and rod them out, unless it's really
> minor.  I had mine "tanked" since it was still working fine and I was
> just going through the system.  It has a few deposits.  It started to leak
> after a couple months.  Whether it was just the tanking or if it was a
> combination of that and the 5 year coolant I'm not sure.  Replacing the
> coolant with regular green stuff solved most of the new leaks.  The
> radiator quit leaking after a couple months.  A new radiator is in the
> $100 to $150 range most likely, unless you want to go all brass.
>      Loren
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