Stuff in the radiator

[tuforteee]

SUp zilvians, i just bought a 240 and i noticed theres some "gunk" around the radiator cap and inside where the cap is. The coolant looks ok, just some "sparkles" in it which seem to also be in the "gunk". The car drives fine and doesnt overheat, although on the way back it did go above the normal level when i pulled up to a toll booth (and prior to that i was going about 85, 3200rpms for a while, but it wasn't hot or anything). I was just wondering if this is some sort of "headgasket repair" crap or what? I researched it a bit and there was some mention of the incorrect antifreeze being used and it reacts with something and turns to sludge... Should i be worried?
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c276/dzerek/gunk/gunk2_zpsbe6bcac3.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c276/dzerek/gunk/gunk3_zps00794ec8.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c276/dzerek/gunk/gunk4_zpsec0471b5.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c276/dzerek/gunk/gunk5_zps6759ba4e.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c276/dzerek/gunk/gunk6_zpsf67b9841.jpg

[Bambi]

Do a proper coolant flush, clean everything up, and see if the problem continues.

[godsmack]

Looks like a radiator repair with stuff along the lines of barrs leak. It doesn't look like barrs leak but a non aluminized kind of sealant.

[Miguelone]

Flush dat shit, maaybe have another rad on hand just in case it decides to leak again.

[racepar1]

The radiator seems to be leaking. The previous owner was too cheap to fix it so he put stop leak in. That's what you're seeing. Replace the radiator, cap, and thermostat and flush the system out. With the thermostat removed you can just run a garden hose to there and flush out the block.

[hOngsterr]

when flushing radiators at a shop they tend to clog the heater core lol

[fliprayzin240sx]

Id be more worried about that shit clogging up other stuff than plugging a radiator leak.

[chetos13]

Hard water deposits

[tuforteee]

lots of speculation, anybody know for a fact what this stuff is? a coolant flush is a must, i think thats how i will proceed, hopefully it doesnt cause any problems

[godsmack]

It is definetely a sealant. Might be stop leak. Never saw that stuff. But do like he said and flush everything and change the parts out.

[ese 14]

looks like the previous owner was trying making weed brownies in it

[didderson]

Could be really old coolant, could be stop leak.
Either way, looks like the tank and radiator core are separating.

[s14kkouki]

Looks like that car went to Mexico and came back. I wonder what is in your fuel tank lol.

[tuforteee]

Ok, so i just flushed the system following the FSM procedure and now it's overheating lol... Before I flushed it I realized the radiator cap was leaking (Could hear it hiss after i warmed it up and turned off the engine). I bent the tabs on the cap and it got a little better, but I can still hear a small leak. Here's whats happening after i got home:
- The overflow tank was passed MAX level
- After I let it cool for a few minutes, the upper radiator hose was squashed.

My next move is to get a new radiator cap. The thing is though the guy i bought the car from had a different rad cap in the pictures he took when selling the car. So i'm thinking maybe i should first try to cut a piece of rubber to make an extra gasket and see if that works? What are the chances of it getting sucked into my radiator? Any input, as always, is greatly appreciated!

[Rich260z]

Dude a higher pressure radiator cap is like $20. And honestly a cheap ass ebay brand radiator is like $100-120.

[tuforteee]

Ok, what i'm inferring from your response is that i should just buy a new radiator and radiator cap. While it's not a lot of $$ i would rather figure out what the problem is instead of throwing parts at it and hope it works. Obviously the make shift gasket would be a temporary solution to see if this is in fact whats causing the car to overheat. I was hoping someone familiar with the s14 cooling system would chime in and confirm my train of thought on this. Is it the leaky radiator cap that could cause this problem?

[Rich260z]

Well since there is stop leak or some shit in your radiator, there is a leak somewhere. 99% of the time its the radiator. You already did a flush, so you tell us. Did you see any leaks from the radiator?

If you didn't and you still boiled your coolant over then you could have several problems. Water pump, gasket failure around the water necks, head gasket....

A leaky radiator cap would not cause the overflow tank to fill up, to much pressure in your system from the coolant boiling would.

Have you checked your oil for coolant? does the car seem low on power? does the exhaust smell funny or have a certain hue?

[ixfxi]

Ok, what i'm inferring from your response is that i should just buy a new radiator and radiator cap. While it's not a lot of $$ i would rather figure out what the problem is instead of throwing parts at it and hope it works. Obviously the make shift gasket would be a temporary solution to see if this is in fact whats causing the car to overheat. I was hoping someone familiar with the s14 cooling system would chime in and confirm my train of thought on this. Is it the leaky radiator cap that could cause this problem?

You are the worst type of customer professionals have to deal with. See my answer below...


The radiator seems to be leaking. The previous owner was too cheap to fix it so he put stop leak in. That's what you're seeing. Replace the radiator, cap, and thermostat and flush the system out. With the thermostat removed you can just run a garden hose to there and flush out the block.

Here you have a master technician who works on cars daily as a profession, tell you that your current setup is garbage and you're still in doubt or denial over what a proper fix is. My advice would be to hire a professional, because working on cars is clearly not for you.

With that said, I'm sure your entire car will have plenty that could and should be fixed. Only a tool would resort to using stop-leak type fixes, so if that was the previous owner then there are probably a lot of other patch-fixes that were done.


Dude a higher pressure radiator cap is like $20. And honestly a cheap ass ebay brand radiator is like $100-120.

Since when does a high pressure radiator (CAP) fix anything? If you are reaching higher pressures beyond the capability of the OE cap, a higher pressure cap will only increase the chances of a hose bursting or other part of the coolant system to fail. I would only recommend using a higher pressure cap if the entire cooling system (and car) are in good working order.

For some reason I've got a hunch that this car is going to need its head serviced

[tuforteee]

You are the worst type of customer professionals have to deal with. See my answer below...
Here you have a master technician who works on cars daily as a profession, tell you that your current setup is garbage and you're still in doubt or denial over what a proper fix is. My advice would be to hire a professional, because working on cars is clearly not for you.

I'm sure the master tech who works on cars daily as a profession can 100% accurately diagnose an issue from a few shit-quality pictures and a short description... Not that i'm not valuing his input, thats why i came here, to get help... He said the radiator appears to be leaking... I believe the green stuff you see on the radiator came from the cap spraying coolant, because it was mostly all around the filler neck of the radiator... Im not in denial, but i certainly have some doubt that my entire cooling system needs replacing... If a new radiator cap doesnt fix my issue, then obviously i will go back and look at other suggestions...

With that said, I'm sure your entire car will have plenty that could and should be fixed. Only a tool would resort to using stop-leak type fixes, so if that was the previous owner then there are probably a lot of other patch-fixes that were done.

It so happens this car appears to be really well taken care of, except for the overheating issue... 99k miles on it, the water pump has been recently replaced, engine sounds healthy, idles at 750rpms...

For some reason I've got a hunch that this car is going to need its head serviced
Thank you for your very valuable input

[dionysus]

dab that shit

[tuforteee]

Well since there is stop leak or some shit in your radiator, there is a leak somewhere. 99% of the time its the radiator. You already did a flush, so you tell us. Did you see any leaks from the radiator?
I'm pretty sure i did not see any leaks coming from from the radiator, but it was getting dark by the time i finished, so i will check carefully tomorrow.

If you didn't and you still boiled your coolant over then you could have several problems. Water pump, gasket failure around the water necks, head gasket.... A leaky radiator cap would not cause the overflow tank to fill up, to much pressure in your system from the coolant boiling would.
I read up on what the signs of a leaky rad cap are and it actually said contrary to your statement...

Have you checked your oil for coolant? does the car seem low on power? does the exhaust smell funny or have a certain hue?
No coolant in oil or vice versa, engine sound healthy, no hue in exhaust, the engine bay kinda smells like coolant/fish? hah

[ixfxi]

I'm sure the master tech who works on cars daily as a profession can 100% accurately diagnose an issue from a few shit-quality pictures and a short description... Not that i'm not valuing his input, thats why i came here, to get help... He said the radiator appears to be leaking... I believe the green stuff you see on the radiator came from the cap spraying coolant, because it was mostly all around the filler neck of the radiator... Im not in denial, but i certainly have some doubt that my entire cooling system needs replacing... If a new radiator cap doesnt fix my issue, then obviously i will go back and look at other suggestions...

you ARE in denial. that radiator is trash. there are certain tell-tale symptoms of when a radiator is going bad. you can attempt to have it boiled out but from the looks of it, its time to go. your being cheap attempting to hold onto a plastic radiator that isnt worth a damn. clearly, you dont have a good understanding as to how vital changing these components are - and how detrimental it can be when it fails.

you need to understand the cooling system as a whole. the coolant must be clean, the internals of the cooling system must be clean. all of that shit must be serviced. if you've got a gunked up system, its time to be serviced - or shall i say PAST DUE. and this is evident from your pictures.


It so happens this car appears to be really well taken care of, except for the overheating issue... 99k miles on it, the water pump has been recently replaced, engine sounds healthy, idles at 750rpms.

yeah well........... EXCEPT for that over-heating issue.
thats like saying, yeah my girl is great... except she's a psycho.

You need to realize that the stock gauge on the 240 is a dummy gauge - its either cold, normal, or overheat. It does not move precisely like an aftermarket gauge will.

[vehicle336]

I just bought a new radiator because the old one sprung a leak. A really nice Koyo will set you back $290, a slightly less expensive but not as nice Mishimoto will run $225-250. Both are aluminum and both are worth every penny. Even if there's not a leak, it's still worth the upgrade for the peace of mind that even on a 100-degree day and after a 30 minute track session you still won't boil it.

Stop being a bitch about it and treat your car like it's worth it. Buy a new fucking radiator.

[Piggy]

Having skipped all the way to here without reading a thing; Can anyone else tell exactly who got their tax returns and what they bought?

[Got Insulin?]

Did you just say that a KOYO is less nice than a Mishimoto?

I give up.

[Piggy]

Did you just say that a KOYO is less nice than a Mishimoto?

I give up.

"a slightly less expensive but not as nice Mishimoto"

I give up too.

[mantas]

I bought an oem s14 brand new radiator off ebay for $50 shipped for my datsun 620 with a ka24de swap.

I dont know wtf is so hard to understand? Your radiator is shit and soon you will have a shit engine because you were too cheap to change a $50 part.

And please flush that system again before you put the new radiator in, dont do it while the block is warm if you plan on running cold water through there.

[tuforteee]

I give up too.

He clearly ran out of insulin :wiggle:

Anyway, today i stopped by my local dealership and picked up an OEM radiator cap ($27 ouch). Installed it and bled the system, car drove ok for 5 minutes but then the temp went up. Re-bled it and after 15 minutes of spirited driving (up to 4.5k rpms) the gauge stayed dead in the center. Thanks everyone for giving me valuable input, looks like the psycho gf is here to stay.

[mantas]

In the middle is fine. Im waiting for the headgasket blown thread.

[Miguelone]

Yup and when the headgasket does go you'll need to have the head surfaced if it's still useable, new gasket, labour if you're not confident to do all this work yourself, coolant AGAIN, oil, etc. Will cost you a lot more there than what you would be spending on the piece of mind of a new radiator now.

[vehicle336]

Did you just say that a KOYO is less nice than a Mishimoto?

I give up.

So much fail. No I didn't, go back and re-read it. I ended up with a Koyo because it had a dual-pass set up, which made more sense to me


Yup and when the headgasket does go you'll need to have the head surfaced if it's still useable, new gasket, labour if you're not confident to do all this work yourself, coolant AGAIN, oil, etc. Will cost you a lot more there than what you would be spending on the piece of mind of a new radiator now.


Ding ding ding.

[mantas]

How much do you want for your blown ka?

[ixfxi]

Anyway, today i stopped by my local dealership and picked up an OEM radiator cap ($27 ouch). Installed it and bled the system, car drove ok for 5 minutes but then the temp went up. Re-bled it and after 15 minutes of spirited driving (up to 4.5k rpms) the gauge stayed dead in the center. Thanks everyone for giving me valuable input, looks like the psycho gf is here to stay.

the gauge stays dead in the center, thats what it does from what... 140F-220F?

27 for a fucking radiator cap

if you're going to be a cheapass, bare minimum: buy yourself a real water temp gauge


How much do you want for your blown ka?

27 bucks? :-P

[Frank_Jaeger]

If I had a cooling system that looked like that, I would get a new radiator, cap, thermostat, all new hoses everywhere, and flush the heater core and block for days. Then I would flush with distilled water and fill up with equal parts distilled water and straight antifreeze.

That's your cooling system we're talking about.

[SnakeKack]

Nobody knows what preventative maintenance is anymore. If the shit looks like that outside and inside you need to start replacing shit like the radiator and thermostat. If a new cap and a flush fixes it right now it won't be long until it happens again. And if it were up to me any used car I buy I replace ALL the fluids and coolant hoses and heater hoses. Small cheap things like that can cause a lot of damage if you don't stay on top of it and they fail on you. Just piece it all together and do it all at once, your engine will love you afterwards.

[Drift_FX]

sell your car, buy a bicycle... cooling issue solved...

[KiLLeR2001]

Ok, what i'm inferring from your response is that i should just buy a new radiator and radiator cap. While it's not a lot of $$ i would rather figure out what the problem is instead of throwing parts at it and hope it works.


Anyway, today i stopped by my local dealership and picked up an OEM radiator cap ($27 ouch).

The radiator seems to be leaking. The previous owner was too cheap to fix it so he put stop leak in. That's what you're seeing. Replace the radiator, cap, and thermostat and flush the system out. With the thermostat removed you can just run a garden hose to there and flush out the block.

Well he has done 2 of the 4 things racepar1 told him to do in his initial post. Lets see if he's smart enough to do the other 2 before its too late.

[tuforteee]

Seems like radiator hoses were recently replaced (some still have stickers on them that are not dried up/grimy etc), water pump was replaced (it looks new), so i would imagine the thermostat was replaced at the same time.

I'm assuming the shit-quality generic radiator cap failed and instead of figuring out the issue, previous owner took the easy way out and added some stop leak and put the car up for sale. The stop leak did stop the leaking radiator cap (after spraying out some antifreeze all over the top of the radiator). The radiator is in good condition, but seems like most of you look at the pictures and don't read what i say. IT WAS THE CAP SPRAYING THE ANTIFREEZE/STOPLEAK MIXTURE ALL OVER THE TOP OF THE RADIATOR. I would think flushing the system until water was coming out and replacing the cap would be sufficient in this situation?

[mantas]

Someone post a facepalm pic for me....

[Drift_FX]

Seems like radiator hoses were recently replaced (some still have stickers on them that are not dried up/grimy etc), water pump was replaced (it looks new), so i would imagine the thermostat was replaced at the same time.

I'm assuming the shit-quality generic radiator cap failed and instead of figuring out the issue, previous owner took the easy way out and added some stop leak and put the car up for sale. The stop leak did stop the leaking radiator cap (after spraying out some antifreeze all over the top of the radiator). The radiator is in good condition, but seems like most of you look at the pictures and don't read what i say. IT WAS THE CAP SPRAYING THE ANTIFREEZE/STOPLEAK MIXTURE ALL OVER THE TOP OF THE RADIATOR. I would think flushing the system until water was coming out and replacing the cap would be sufficient in this situation?

this would be a sufficient solution if that was your only problem.... but you said your car was overheating afterwards which indicates a different kind of problem..... as stated many time before....

[yoozef]

Overheating can fuck up your engine really fast, its better to be safe than sorry... If you don't know what you're doing, bring it to someone who does

[tuforteee]

The temp was going up because of air in the cooling system. KA24DEs are a bitch to get the air out completely and to be honest I wasn't sure if I was doing it correctly. I searched how to do it properly and the procedures varied from thread to thread. After I re-bled it again, everything appears to be working properly. The car is still unregistered so I don't want to drive it around, but I think it should be fine after a 15 minute spirited drive without overheating at all? Not sure what's up with all the people telling me my radiator is garbage despite the fact that I said numerous times it appears to be in good working order and the problem was the radiator cap. If I had any reasons to believe that the radiator is on it's way out, I would change it. Its like everyone on zilvia owns a racecar and if you don't follow the crowd, you're automatically in the wrong.

[ixfxi]

its not about owning a racecar. straight up, most of the people that own cars here own clunkers...

the point we're trying to make is, you cant just run water through a radiator and "its all good." You either need to have it boiled out and/or pressure tested, or replaced. This is even more important being that you had some type of stop-leak shit ran through your system.

You're chosing to be cheap about it. Its like when you service a car, you change certain things. You service the cooling system, you change coolant, water pump, thermostat, possibly radiator. in this case, your radiator is stock... doesnt mean that a modified unit will fix your problems, but its a good start at having a healthy setup... one less thing to worry about. Why? Because you didnt pay to boil & pressure test your current radiator.

27 for a cap could have gone towards a radiator that comes with a cap... but thats water under the bridge. Time will tell how things work out for you. Good luck tho.

BTW, this should have been posted in TEKK

[Chuki_KA24e]

He clearly ran out of insulin :wiggle:

Anyway, today i stopped by my local dealership and picked up an OEM radiator cap ($27 ouch). Installed it and bled the system, car drove ok for 5 minutes but then the temp went up. Re-bled it and after 15 minutes of spirited driving (up to 4.5k rpms) the gauge stayed dead in the center. Thanks everyone for giving me valuable input, looks like the psycho gf is here to stay.

That was silly. Could have bought a generic one(its a freaking rad cap) at any number of auto parts stores for half the price and put the other half of that cash towards a new rad...

[mantas]

The radiator is probably clogged up but still flows enough to not bring those temps to the max point and when it clogs ill buy that blown ka because i could use some spare parts for my datsun lol.

[blueshark123]

I can sell u a used radiator for 25 im in nj also