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    #1

    Exploding radiator, clog?

    Long story semi-short:

    Had a small leak (hairline crack) at the bottom of my radiator. Was very minor, but got sick of refilling every week. I took the cheap option and bought some stop leak stuff from autozone. It was the type with copper pellets that melt and find the leak. Wasn't too sure about this stuff in the first place, but it worked.


    I drove my car from Ohio to South Carolina with no issues at all, no leaks or overheating.

    The next day, i noticed the coolant was almost bone dry, so i topped her off, being sure to bleed the air out. After about a 20 minute drive, the radiator burst, making a crack at the top and you know the rest. Since it was on top, i could drive it home without losing all fluids.

    Since then, i've JB welded the radiator back to good, and it held fine.


    The problem now is; when i went to refill the system and bleed it out, the level of the fluid continues to rise as the motor warms up and runs. never seems to drop. I've given it ample time and have been patient, it just seems like maybe a clogged line is what has caused the pressure, therefore casuing a rupture.

    Mechanics around here said the stop leak stuff may have traveled and hardened in another place, making it's own clog. I cant seem to bleed this system now and i dont want this radiator to bust again, especially i the problem now is in one of my lines.


    Any suggestions? I'm not much for coolant systems


    -- Check out my CB -- My CRV blackhousing thread!!-- My CG coupe--
    Tags: None
    #2
    Why did you use that stuff? You want to see what it does to engine blocks and water pumps?

    Here ya go: Here's my H22 when I got it, guy put that Bars stop leak shit in there. I had tons of fun cleaning it all out before I swapped it in.

    When I was checking stuff and getting my H22 prepped for a new T belt and W pump, I decided to inspect the T stat, and good thing I did...


    ^^t stat housing


    T-stat just CAKED w/ coolant chunks...WTF?!


    ^^^Water pump


    ^^^Water pump housing

    SO, since I found all that shit in there....I knew there was more, so OFF came the head...and looky what I found more of:








    ^^^this shit was so thick that it was PACKED in there, like deep. It wasn't mushy shit either...it was rock hard shit. WTF!!!? this guy must've used 99 cent store stop leak in there, it smelled funny.


    ^^even on the head itself







    So, thats why I'm also doing a headgasket on it too. Because its fucked up, and I don't want my engine overheating. Can you believe this engine supposedly only has 40K miles?! At least it had the balance shaft retainer already on there.

    member's ride thread
    93' EX Coupe H22A w/ P2T4 Sir 5spd 191whp 155 wtq
    99' Lexus LS400 157k VVTi V8 gets up & goes...new DD
    91 Accord SE 176k
    97' Honda Odyssey 199k miles...$485 spare van for my parents

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      #3
      holy. fuck.


      i hope mine doesn't look like that. do you think the 600 mile drive spread it all over? because it was just fine before that...

      supplies and funds were low..had no idea it could cause that much damage..now im pretty afraid.


      -- Check out my CB -- My CRV blackhousing thread!!-- My CG coupe--

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        #4
        this is the stuff:

        STOP LEAK SHIT


        -- Check out my CB -- My CRV blackhousing thread!!-- My CG coupe--

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          #5
          Why don't you just put in a new radiator?

          Oh and yes in less than the first mile of driving it would have spread through the whole system.

          Flush the cooling system out and fit a new radiator, with new coolant.


          Car Safety / General Servicing Checks --------Basic suspension checks

          My 5.7 LS1 Holden Ute

          A "Finished" project car is never finished until its been sold.

          If at first you don't succeed, Try again. Don't give up too easily, persistance pays off in the end.

          Comment

            #6
            with the engine running the coolant will never go back down especially when its heated.
            What makes me laugh about forums, is that no matter how much you try to help someone, they dont take the advice. Go ahead and do it the hard way.

            You got to respect what you drive, and appreciate what you have, making the best of what you got. and if that means putting CAI, HID's, a phat stereo system, and a idiot in the drivers seat...then so be it!

            Retro!

            Hater

            I love nooBs...They make me look good

            Comment

              #7
              Originally posted by accordztech View Post
              with the engine running the coolant will never go back down especially when its heated.
              anytime I've ever flushed the system i run it with the thermostat in hot after bleeding (with the car off) the coolant has bubbled itself down once it heats up and runs through the entire engine and block.



              and i'm afraid to get a new radiator, if that crap is already through my whole cooling system i don't know what i'd want to do, my car was unreliable as-is.


              -- Check out my CB -- My CRV blackhousing thread!!-- My CG coupe--

              Comment

                #8
                but giving you the benefit of the doubt, i admit when i'm ill-knowledged on things, and i'm not a smarty on the coolant system


                -- Check out my CB -- My CRV blackhousing thread!!-- My CG coupe--

                Comment

                  #9
                  yea in my experience I never noticed that. Usually when I bleed (and thats IF i bleed) I bleed through the radiator till it starts to flow up, then close the cap. After I open the bleeder valve to let anything else out.

                  Also if you get a new radiator at autozone you have warrenty against things like this. If it blows then you got warrenty. I took my radiator back after having wood fly through it. They took it back lol. Its weird how their warrenty is, but I had no complaints.
                  What makes me laugh about forums, is that no matter how much you try to help someone, they dont take the advice. Go ahead and do it the hard way.

                  You got to respect what you drive, and appreciate what you have, making the best of what you got. and if that means putting CAI, HID's, a phat stereo system, and a idiot in the drivers seat...then so be it!

                  Retro!

                  Hater

                  I love nooBs...They make me look good

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Get a new radiator and themostat.when you take the old thermo out hit the block with a hose to clean it out.Install the new thermostat and radiator.Put maybe 1/3 of the coolant in the radiator and the rest water. drive around for a bit so it can circulate and the drain it.refill with the rest of the coolant.Make sure you use DISTILLED WATER ONLY or else your radiator will encounter all types of problems when it gets old.Tap water has sediment and minerals that provoke rusting.I used that bars leak crap and it worked but when i did change the rad the 2 day old coolant was gray and full of those metal flakes and i had to flush the hell out of the engine.

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Originally posted by accordztech View Post
                      yea in my experience I never noticed that. Usually when I bleed (and thats IF i bleed) I bleed through the radiator till it starts to flow up, then close the cap. After I open the bleeder valve to let anything else out.

                      Also if you get a new radiator at autozone you have warrenty against things like this. If it blows then you got warrenty. I took my radiator back after having wood fly through it. They took it back lol. Its weird how their warrenty is, but I had no complaints.
                      yeah any warrantied item from autozone has always been good for me, even the re-manufactured axles had no problems. I'll definitely look into this, i just have absolutely no funds right now.. truly my fault here, but this stuff happens at the worst times...


                      Originally posted by ferenza View Post
                      I used that bars leak crap and it worked but when i did change the rad the 2 day old coolant was gray and full of those metal flakes and i had to flush the hell out of the engine.
                      Yup, when i pour in any fluids at all that milkly swirl comes from the bottom of the radiator..i'm gonna let my car sit, dont want it running through any more of it..maybe get a mountain bike to get to work. lmao you gotta do what you gotta do.



                      But thanks for all the advice so far guys..it helps to still have the option of asking the cb community


                      -- Check out my CB -- My CRV blackhousing thread!!-- My CG coupe--

                      Comment

                        #12
                        small update, got my new radiator and t-stat from autozone, i'm gonna tackle this tomorrow.

                        i plan on..

                        drain, then fill and drain again to get extra out, then put the new thermostat in after rinsing the crap out, put all the new stuff in..

                        do the said process above about getting the rest drained out^^

                        any other suggestions or tips before i embark?


                        -- Check out my CB -- My CRV blackhousing thread!!-- My CG coupe--

                        Comment

                          #13
                          Take your thermostat out, and the coolant bolt in the back of the block, then run your garden hose through the top radiator hose to flush everything out.

                          Also remove the heater hoses and run the hose through them too.


                          Car Safety / General Servicing Checks --------Basic suspension checks

                          My 5.7 LS1 Holden Ute

                          A "Finished" project car is never finished until its been sold.

                          If at first you don't succeed, Try again. Don't give up too easily, persistance pays off in the end.

                          Comment

                            #14
                            Originally posted by evil_demon_01 View Post
                            Take your thermostat out, and the coolant bolt in the back of the block, then run your garden hose through the top radiator hose to flush everything out.

                            Also remove the heater hoses and run the hose through them too.
                            do you have a source picture/diagram of that rear coolant bolt so I can see its location? Thanks

                            Comment

                              #15
                              might be the same?

                              H22A Vigor
                              SR20 Accord

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