1994 LS400: leaking coolant!!
07-10-19, 03:35 PM
#2
Looks like you need a new radiator, I would recommend getting new radiator hoses- upper and lower and new thermostat if it hasn't been replaced in last 100K miles as well as new radiator cap.
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OMAHA (07-10-19)
07-10-19, 06:47 PM
#3
Pole Position
Thread Starter
I got a new radiator cap a couple years ago.... and a new thermostat about 80,000 miles ago...lol..... New hoses? I hope that is the problem.... it doesn't leak coolant tho, not that i can see any leaking on the ground
07-12-19, 11:37 AM
#4
Pole Position
First thing is to find where all that stuff is coming from. I'd clean up that mess then pressure test it and look for the leak that caused it.
07-12-19, 02:50 PM
#5
Radiator failure at that seam where the metal crimps around the plastic tank on top is a common failure mode on many radiators. I bet if you clean all the dried-coolant residue off there (I'd just hose it off), let it dry, and then pressurize it (either with a pressure tester, or by running the engine), you'll find a leaking seam. No repair feasible - the radiator needs replacement at that point.
Regarding the leak vs. no-leak, I'm inferring that there is obviously coolant leaking from the radiator, but it is not reaching the ground, or maybe even going past the radiator.
And another thing, Omaha, how often do you pop the hood on that thing?
That's more crystal than I saw in a whole season of Breaking Bad. I bet it has been drying and collecting for a while.
Regarding the leak vs. no-leak, I'm inferring that there is obviously coolant leaking from the radiator, but it is not reaching the ground, or maybe even going past the radiator.
And another thing, Omaha, how often do you pop the hood on that thing?
That's more crystal than I saw in a whole season of Breaking Bad. I bet it has been drying and collecting for a while.
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OMAHA (07-12-19)
07-12-19, 05:11 PM
#6
Pole Position
Thread Starter
Update
My mechanic looked at it and he did say that I do need a radiator replacement eventually.... thanks for all the replies! Now I need to find me a good radiator here in the next month or so....lol
07-12-19, 07:20 PM
#8
Pole Position
Thread Starter
07-12-19, 09:14 PM
#9
Racer
07-13-19, 10:43 AM
#10
When I replaced the radiator in my '91, I bought a Denso from RockAuto.com. It arrived quickly, cheap, but was damaged - the rectangle had changed shape to a parallelogram. I wonder if someone else had bought it and tried to make it fit before returning it. So I returned it. Very inconvenient (I foolishly did not inspect the new part carefully until I had the old one out), but OK. If it had not been damaged, I expect I would have been happy with it.
After a year or so of riding with my temporary plastic welding + epoxy fix, I bought a Spectra Premium, again from RockAuto.com. No problems with that one.
From my notes, part numbers, all these for my '91, not sure about other years:
upper radiator hose: 16571-50021
lower radiator hose: 16572-50020
Spectra Premium CU1304 Radiator. Despite the CU in the part number, it was Aluminum. Perfect fit at all interfaces.
Denso Radiator 221-3122.
After a year or so of riding with my temporary plastic welding + epoxy fix, I bought a Spectra Premium, again from RockAuto.com. No problems with that one.
From my notes, part numbers, all these for my '91, not sure about other years:
upper radiator hose: 16571-50021
lower radiator hose: 16572-50020
Spectra Premium CU1304 Radiator. Despite the CU in the part number, it was Aluminum. Perfect fit at all interfaces.
Denso Radiator 221-3122.
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OMAHA (07-17-19)
10-16-19, 04:32 PM
#11
Pole Position
Thread Starter
hose
When I replaced the radiator in my '91, I bought a Denso from RockAuto.com. It arrived quickly, cheap, but was damaged - the rectangle had changed shape to a parallelogram. I wonder if someone else had bought it and tried to make it fit before returning it. So I returned it. Very inconvenient (I foolishly did not inspect the new part carefully until I had the old one out), but OK. If it had not been damaged, I expect I would have been happy with it.
After a year or so of riding with my temporary plastic welding + epoxy fix, I bought a Spectra Premium, again from RockAuto.com. No problems with that one.
From my notes, part numbers, all these for my '91, not sure about other years:
upper radiator hose: 16571-50021
lower radiator hose: 16572-50020
Spectra Premium CU1304 Radiator. Despite the CU in the part number, it was Aluminum. Perfect fit at all interfaces.
Denso Radiator 221-3122.
After a year or so of riding with my temporary plastic welding + epoxy fix, I bought a Spectra Premium, again from RockAuto.com. No problems with that one.
From my notes, part numbers, all these for my '91, not sure about other years:
upper radiator hose: 16571-50021
lower radiator hose: 16572-50020
Spectra Premium CU1304 Radiator. Despite the CU in the part number, it was Aluminum. Perfect fit at all interfaces.
Denso Radiator 221-3122.
10-17-19, 09:44 AM
#12
I'd say yes. Make sure it's a good aftermarket brand (e.g., Gates), and make sure the fit is perfect.
Regarding fit, I once had a hose replacement (different car) that was very slightly off (like off by 1/2" in where the hose lined up with the radiator). Easy to put it in, clamp it down, convince myself it's good enough. But it wasn't.
I think that once the cooling system is under pressure, that 1/2" displacement is not such a trivial thing. A year or two later, the old radiator developed some cracks and needed to be replaced. I assume that failure was due to mostly age and mileage, but that the extra stress from a slight misfit pushed it over the edge. Just something to consider. Nothing saying a cheaper aftermarket part won't fit perfectly though. Maybe the solution would be to buy a Gates at a local PepBoys so you can see if it fits, and easily return or exchange it if it does not.
Regarding fit, I once had a hose replacement (different car) that was very slightly off (like off by 1/2" in where the hose lined up with the radiator). Easy to put it in, clamp it down, convince myself it's good enough. But it wasn't.
I think that once the cooling system is under pressure, that 1/2" displacement is not such a trivial thing. A year or two later, the old radiator developed some cracks and needed to be replaced. I assume that failure was due to mostly age and mileage, but that the extra stress from a slight misfit pushed it over the edge. Just something to consider. Nothing saying a cheaper aftermarket part won't fit perfectly though. Maybe the solution would be to buy a Gates at a local PepBoys so you can see if it fits, and easily return or exchange it if it does not.
10-18-19, 08:46 AM
#13
I'd say yes. Make sure it's a good aftermarket brand (e.g., Gates), and make sure the fit is perfect.
Regarding fit, I once had a hose replacement (different car) that was very slightly off (like off by 1/2" in where the hose lined up with the radiator). Easy to put it in, clamp it down, convince myself it's good enough. But it wasn't.
I think that once the cooling system is under pressure, that 1/2" displacement is not such a trivial thing. A year or two later, the old radiator developed some cracks and needed to be replaced. I assume that failure was due to mostly age and mileage, but that the extra stress from a slight misfit pushed it over the edge. Just something to consider. Nothing saying a cheaper aftermarket part won't fit perfectly though. Maybe the solution would be to buy a Gates at a local PepBoys so you can see if it fits, and easily return or exchange it if it does not.
Regarding fit, I once had a hose replacement (different car) that was very slightly off (like off by 1/2" in where the hose lined up with the radiator). Easy to put it in, clamp it down, convince myself it's good enough. But it wasn't.
I think that once the cooling system is under pressure, that 1/2" displacement is not such a trivial thing. A year or two later, the old radiator developed some cracks and needed to be replaced. I assume that failure was due to mostly age and mileage, but that the extra stress from a slight misfit pushed it over the edge. Just something to consider. Nothing saying a cheaper aftermarket part won't fit perfectly though. Maybe the solution would be to buy a Gates at a local PepBoys so you can see if it fits, and easily return or exchange it if it does not.
10-18-19, 09:13 AM
#14
Cutting inches off the end for aftermarket hoses is expected. The issue I mentioned was that the opening was offset laterally from where it should be (i.e., not fixable by any cutting). Good idea to not run with something fitting badly. But separate from the fit, I'd have high confidence in a gates hose.
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