Cracked Radiator On 98 Camry

[jsomethingk]

I have a '98 Camry with 113,000 miles, and it's been drinking coolant like crazy for the past week. Today, I was told that it has a crack in the radiator and the radiator needs to be replaced. A new, all-metal radiator with a lifetime warranty will cost $425, with labor, to install. My current radiator, I was told, has a plastic top and the crack has been expanding in the plastic part.

Is it possible to repair a cracked radiator? And is there an advantage to having plastic over metal? And does $425 sound reasonable for this work?

Thanks!

~JK

[Boro Sera]

Any repair to a crack in plastic won't be as strong as a new piece (not like welding metal, where the weld is usually the strongest part.)

Aftermarket parts are usually v.good quality. (especially if they carry a lifetime warranty.) I couldn't put a price on supply and fit, but $425 doesn't sound bad to me.

Plastic deforms over time anyway. Go for the metal option.

Rich

[jsomethingk]

Thanks for the reply!

~Jenn

[danzigdan]

Plastic deforms over time anyway. Go for the metal option. :

Not necessarily. I put an all-alluminum aftermarket radiator in my 97 Camry and it failed after about 2.5 years. The shop I took it to told me it was a cheap piece of crap and asked where I got it from. The guy said SOME of the imported all alluminum radiators are made of more than one piece and that the seams begin to split (that's where mine started to leak). I was told that 2.5 years is more than my moneys worth out of the radiator I had.

Anyway, an aluminum radiator with plastic tanks isn't a bad way to go. Mine cost me $260 including tax and labor. The lifetime warranty sounds tempting (I'm sure you'll need to service the radiator at reasonable intervals though and have proof because if you abuse it they won't honor the warranty---I'll guarantee that!)

I think you need to ask yourself with 113K how much longer you are going to keep the car. If you are going to be in it for awhile it might be worth it to pay the $425, but again be careful about the terms of the warranty.

[bronzemaxell]

Is it possible to repair a cracked radiator?  And is there an advantage to having plastic over metal?  And does $425 sound reasonable for this work?

Thanks!

~JK

i replaced my radiator 6 months ago because it had a little leak on the top of the radiator, and the mechanic replaced with new radiator only, and refilled the coolant, cost me $200 for part and labor.

take in consideration of the heat from coolant, i was told welding on my aluminum radiator crack or leak will not last long.