My radiator leaks, but only, as far as I can tell, after I run the car and it cools down a little. Had to add coolant and even tried the stop leak stuff, which worked for about a week or two. No loose hoses or fittings that I can see. Just drips from the bottom tray it sits in. It is an after market someone else put in about 10 years ago.
Should I just bite the bullet and get one of them DeWitt aluminum jobs that I heard about here on the forums? I understand that they cool better too.
It's getting to be a real pain, garage floors a mess and I don't want to out somewhere and have the temp gauge shoot way up.
Thanks,
Jeff
Jeffm2007-07-30 03:03:44

At least one other possibility exists.  Have you checked the weep hole on the bottom of the water pump?  I didn't notice mine till it shelled 15 miles from nowhere.  With an inspection mirror, you can look at the bottom of the water pump and find a small hole.  See if it is wet or shows signs of previously being wet (goo stuck to and around it). 

Most likely if it dripped from the water pump, it would land on the crossmember and run to the back, dripping between the wheels, not from the nose area where the radiator would tend to drip from the support.

It could also be the radiator.  If you don't know how long it has been in the car or how it was taken care of, there could be a leak where the tanks are soldered onto the main body of the rad or from the cooling lines themselves.

I changed over to a four core rad (not aluminum) due to leaking/heating issues.  After having it vatted, rodded and cored, it still leaked so I bit the bullet and shelled out for the four core.  I have had no other problems with heating since.

If you do change out the rad, I would strongly suggest changing out the hoses.  Make sure the bottom hose has a spring in it or you could have heat issues due to a collapsing bottom hose. 

Good Luck!

The leak almost has to be the radiator if it wet in the bottom tray.  Direct replacement radiators are iexpensive, and last for 10 or 20 years.  If you have any overheating conserns, the best solution is a Griffin two core.  They are not cheap, but they sure do the job.

We can help you with any of the choices at Corvette Specialties - 763-784-8577