Installed a Valeo radiator, quality seems fine. and a new belt. Car is running fine. I over filled the radiator a little and it has forced about 5 OZ of radiator fluid. which I expected. Put a Beer bottle ( a shinerbock bottle, not a German beer bottle hope this is OK)) in the engine compartment to collect the fluid to make sure the engine is not blown. If it is the engine should push out a lot of fluid. So far I have only the amount I expected from normal expansion.
Below is a picture of the top of the old radiator. It the engnine side right next to the hose neck.

Dave

That is a very odd place for a crack.
How many miles are on the car?
Looks like it may have been seeping for some time....

I hope you used Xerex G-05 coolant or MB's brand, they're the only way to go from what I've read.
-Joe

Dave,

what was the outcome with the belt? Stay with Gates or switch to Conti?
Fit any different??? :confused:

The radiator is original to my knowledge and by it look 150,000mi. Not a lot of records on this car. I'm going to replace the Gates belt with a Conti tomorrow. Talked to an Import parts supplier that says the Gates have a different angle to the belt than the Conti so I will try that one. I seem to see pressure on the inner tip of the "teeth" of the Gates belt. The Pully should have some normal squeeze to the belt but there is more on the 2 day old belt then on the other 5 month old belts, So I'll install a Conti belt. May also get a new pulley

Radiator was clean prior to the split. Used to clean the engine on a regular basis when it was home. The white stain is the antifreeze residue. Its all over the engine compartment. When the alternator belt/waterpump belt broke I'm sure that the water boiled in the block/head area causing a build up of pressure which caused the radiator to crack, At least this is my story and I'm sticking with it :D . Thinking of this I think I'll get a new raditor cap also. It should have released the pressure. Or the radiator cracked and the water boiled out and caused the belt to break, ------Nope, don't buy this story


I went with Mercedes antifreeze, always do.

Dave

My Gates belt isn't wearing that well, I plan on getting an OE latter this year.

Thats about where my radiator started to weep. Mine was also leaking around the crimped joint.

My Toyota's radiator cracked along the entire back side; it made one heck of a mess.

Well she is going back to college. She's actually going to Austin first to see some freinds who go to UT. My son is riding with her to see the same group of friends. He will then ride to College Station, and then fly back to Dallas on Sunday. so if anything happens at least he will be with her.
This week we replaced the following;
Radiator/ Mercedes antifreeze
Alernator/waterpump belt with a Contitech
Alternator, Oreill's stripped the nut so they gave us a new one
Power steering low pressure hose, leaking
Had the car aligned
Balanced all 4 tires
Check all fluids

So the car should be fine for her trip.

Dave

PS this was her cars vacation to the beach 3 weekends ago. Too cold for it to go swimming. Galveston beach.