Peter, thanks for the experience's.......

However, I had already preceded with my previous plan. The local firm (Nevada Radiator) roded (their term for cleaning out the aluminum part of the radiator) the radiator and replaced the tank. Bill was as quoted $160 + tax. So far car is doing fine... I keep an eye on everything just because I tend to be watchful (others have called it "anal" but that is another story). As I mentioned in my earlier post the new "tank" had the nipple reinforced with metal, so I am hoping this will last even longer than the 14 years the car got out of the original.

As an aside on the "orange" long-life coolant.... their is currently a class-action suit against the makers of this stuff. I had the "orange" stuff in two new GM cars ('96 Impala SS + '97 GMC Yukon) and both of them chewed through the water pumps and radiators... one in 37,000 miles the other in 65,000. I have had several mechanics tell me to stay away from this stuff, because they think it is the causal ingredient that is playing nasty with the cooling systems! I am not "knowledgeable" by any definition, but I have been burned by something GM is doing to their cars. There is absolutely no reason to blow through a water pump and radiator (had to be replaced) in 37,000 miles!

Steve