Well i found the source of my coolant leak (big crack)

[LordWayback]

Exactly. I replaced mine at 150k and 19 years of service just as maintenance. I went with a new OEM. I dissected the old one just to see what the oil and trans fluid coolers inside of it looked like. Everything looked new inside, the core looked great too. Pretty impressive imo. I have done a few preventive maintenance items on my truck that have impressed me. The rear wheel bearings looked new at 160k for instance. I try to go with OEM parts for the most part as far as maintenance goes.

I just picked up a 100w plumber grade soldering gun from harbor freight for $30 I’ll update maybe tomorrow when I get to attempt to mend the crack and try to install a idler arm and bracket (steering issues getting worse) I’m feeling optimistic

 

[Rocket Man]

I just picked up a 100w plumber grade soldering gun from harbor freight for $30 I’ll update maybe tomorrow when I get to attempt to mend the crack and try to install a idler arm and bracket (steering issues getting worse) I’m feeling optimistic

Wishing you luck. Weathers been so sh*tty here I haven’t done anything to my trucks. I spent my life making a living outside so now that I’m retired I find anything to do inside- f working in the cold anymore. Plus I’m old as hell.

 

[LordWayback]

It’s cold in California terms it hits 20* when I wake up for work

 

[Fless]

So cold the mirror shakes.

 

[LordWayback]

Wishing you luck. Weathers been so sh*tty here I haven’t done anything to my trucks. I spent my life making a living outside so now that I’m retired I find anything to do inside- f working in the cold anymore. Plus I’m old as hell.

Looks like a solid plastic weld to me

 

[LordWayback]

Stacked dimes

 

[Rocket Man]

View attachment 388250
Looks like a solid plastic weld to me

I guess you’ll see if it holds pressure huh? Fingers crossed.

 

[LordWayback]

I guess you’ll see if it holds pressure huh? Fingers crossed.

I missed a spot my leaking is exponentially better so I’m gonna attack the spot I missed another day, for now it’s a drip and not a leak it’s holding almost full pressure just a small pinhole where I didn’t touch the gun.

 

[tom3]

That would scare me to death. Reheated plastic and thin spots. Maybe JB weld with a back up metal patch would work for me on that. But most radiator shops can replace the plastic tank for reasonable money, and the aluminum cores seem to hold up real well with good coolant maintenance.

 

[iLikeEggs]

Welcome to the woprld of plastic tanks and aluminum cores. Its true, they suck.

I had close to 200k on mine before it started leaking.so I can't complain, and this was after 119k miles of police duty.
I replaced it with a Cold Case aluminum. Smooth, direct fit. Only problem was that the renewed pressure from the new radiator brought out leaks from the overflow tank and a heater hose. Now the cooling system is all tight again and functioning nicely. So if you replace the radiator and have a good amount of mileage, expect to replace a few more things. It's just normal wear and tear.

 

[LordWayback]

That would scare me to death. Reheated plastic and thin spots. Maybe JB weld with a back up metal patch would work for me on that. But most radiator shops can replace the plastic tank for reasonable money, and the aluminum cores seem to hold up real well with good coolant maintenance.

1. California so any labor to remove and repair is far more expensive than just replacing.
I don’t do any long distance trips and I have unlimited distance AAA also if I don’t overfill the tank it doesn’t leak. however I still need to fix the pinhole just for piece of mind and I’m gonna add more filler plastic this is just to fill a time gap between a full cooling system minus water pump. also my fan clutch nut is frozen I have one that runs off the serpentine belt which needs to be taken off by a skilled mechanic I tried to replace the radiator in the first place but the thing stopping it from coming out is stuck because I don’t have a air hammer. NO MORE LOW COOLANT LIGHT/OVERHEATING FOR NOW

 

[LordWayback]

I guess you’ll see if it holds pressure huh? Fingers crossed.

I figured out that it only doesn’t hold pressure when I overfill it either that or my message center display burned out

 

[ivin74]

I haven’t used coolant in this truck since I last saw Nicole in like june when my heater hose was still leaking it’s what caused it to crack, i was running a leaking heater hose for about a week while waiting for a new one and i overheated once really badly No head gasket blown just a cracked radiator tank

Be ready to cough up some big bucks, running just water in the radiator Is going to corrode the internal transmission cooler and get coolant in the transmission.

Some of theses suvs have two internal coolers. One for the transmission and one for the motor oil.

 

[Fless]

To be clear, the nut on the fan clutch is right-hand thread. There are air chisel marks on mine where some uneducated person tried to remove it in the wrong direction.

 

[LordWayback]

To be clear, the nut on the fan clutch is right-hand thread. There are air chisel marks on mine where some uneducated person tried to remove it in the wrong direction.

Yep righty loosey mines just frozen on

 

[LordWayback]

Be ready to cough up some big bucks, running just water in the radiator Is going to corrode the internal transmission cooler and get coolant in the transmission.

Some of theses suvs have two internal coolers. One for the transmission and one for the motor oil.

Oh I know only one I’m not able to change myself is the trans cooler if I have one

 

[Rocket Man]

1. California so any labor to remove and repair is far more expensive than just replacing.
I don’t do any long distance trips and I have unlimited distance AAA also if I don’t overfill the tank it doesn’t leak. however I still need to fix the pinhole just for piece of mind and I’m gonna add more filler plastic this is just to fill a time gap between a full cooling system minus water pump. also my fan clutch nut is frozen I have one that runs off the serpentine belt which needs to be taken off by a skilled mechanic I tried to replace the radiator in the first place but the thing stopping it from coming out is stuck because I don’t have a air hammer. NO MORE LOW COOLANT LIGHT/OVERHEATING FOR NOWView attachment 388342

For the fan nut, put a large c clamp or c clamp vise grips on the pulley, clamping it to the engine. There’s one spot where you can do that. Then use a big breaker bar or breaker bar with a pipe over the end. That nut will come off as long as you turn in clockwise, reverse threads. Or an air hammer is $20 at Harbor Freight, just need a compressor or friend with one. Don’t let that stop you from replacing the radiator. Like was mentioned, if the internal trans cooler starts leaking, the fluids will mix and your trans will be destroyed almost immediately. There’s a few pics of using the clamp in this thread I linked.

How to install E-Fans

Step 1 - Pop hood Step 2 - Remove intake tube (This is only IF you want extra space...I didnt pull mine this time but you might want to) Step 3 - Remove two top bolts and pull coolant line clip out of shroud Step 4 - The Fan Shroud is two pieces. A top and a bottom. They are connected...

www.tahoeyukonforum.com

 

[LordWayback]

For the fan nut, put a large c clamp or c clamp vise grips on the pulley, clamping it to the engine. There’s one spot where you can do that. Then use a big breaker bar or breaker bar with a pipe over the end. That nut will come off as long as you turn in clockwise, reverse threads. Or an air hammer is $20 at Harbor Freight, just need a compressor or friend with one. Don’t let that stop you from replacing the radiator. Like was mentioned, if the internal trans cooler starts leaking, the fluids will mix and your trans will be destroyed almost immediately. There’s a few pics of using the clamp in this thread I linked.

How to install E-Fans

Step 1 - Pop hood Step 2 - Remove intake tube (This is only IF you want extra space...I didnt pull mine this time but you might want to) Step 3 - Remove two top bolts and pull coolant line clip out of shroud Step 4 - The Fan Shroud is two pieces. A top and a bottom. They are connected...

www.tahoeyukonforum.com

I don’t know what radiator to get I don’t want a Chinese pile of junk one but i don’t wanna swap in a used one I finally budgeted out the money for a new radiator just need to find which one to get Any idea which one to get?

 

[LordWayback]

I can spend like 300 bucks and worst case scenario credit card at the only mechanic I trust to touch my precious

 

[Fless]

For the fan nut, put a large c clamp or c clamp vise grips on the pulley, clamping it to the engine. There’s one spot where you can do that. Then use a big breaker bar or breaker bar with a pipe over the end. That nut will come off as long as you turn in clockwise, reverse threads. Or an air hammer is $20 at Harbor Freight, just need a compressor or friend with one. Don’t let that stop you from replacing the radiator. Like was mentioned, if the internal trans cooler starts leaking, the fluids will mix and your trans will be destroyed almost immediately. There’s a few pics of using the clamp in this thread I linked.

How to install E-Fans

Step 1 - Pop hood Step 2 - Remove intake tube (This is only IF you want extra space...I didnt pull mine this time but you might want to) Step 3 - Remove two top bolts and pull coolant line clip out of shroud Step 4 - The Fan Shroud is two pieces. A top and a bottom. They are connected...

www.tahoeyukonforum.com

Hmmm. Pretty sure my AC Delco water pump had right-hand threads for the fan clutch. Right-tighty, lefty-loosey. Or am I wrong?