Agree with most of the mechs here, 20y/o radiator is a given, you don't want to do the head work and trust a blocked/inefficient radiator to protect it.

I don't think I'd do overheating/headwork to one of these without replacing the radiator (at leask my own car anyway.)

For the head and compression test, though rare, I've done compression tests on engines that had blown head gaskets and the compression was fine, never could find the gasket from the test. Sometimes you find it on a pressure test of the cooling system, sometimes in oil analysis, sometimes you just never find it till you pull a head, they can be that innocuous (but most are obvious on CT.)

Anyway, sounds like the guy isn't really trying to rip you and he probably didn't search all day for the most economical radiator (remember, his time costs, whether he's in front of the computer or wrenching a car) and a Behr is going to cost ~$300-400 so $500 odd $'s for the rad and R&R isn't a bad price. My suggestion is to do that kind of work yourself (easy and saves $$$'S!)

BTW, Shark, I have a Snap-On short 10mm wrench that is small and thin enough to get to the fan bolts easily, takes me about 10mins to get a fan off a 617, check your Snap-On guy and see if this is still an item (have had this wrench for 22 years), THEN walk to a car and try it BEFORE you buy it (they don't like that, but will let you do it to sell a wrench - or 20!)

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1984 300D Turbo - 4-speed manual conversion, mid-level resto

1985 300SD Auto - Runner.


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"If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there". Lewis Carrol