TutorN1 Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Was headed for work this morning and the whole top of my radiator just busted all the way across. We've had a cold front come through and it got down to 5-8 degrees last night. I've got a 99 R50 & was wanting to know if this is a common problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverPath Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Like the entire top plastic piece? I've had my inlet neck snap off before but not the entire top plastic piece Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TutorN1 Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 Yeah whole top! I thought it was the neck at first too. Got it back to the house and took a better look. Already have the parts ordered, and should be in after lunch. Was just wanting to know if this a regular problem? Don't want to do it every winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Nope that is not a normal failure that I have heard of. Quite a few people reqularly out there in -10 and 20 degrees don't complain of this. Did you have a proper mix of antifreeze in it? Do remember that the radiator is 14 years old as well... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alkorahil Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Nope that is not a normal failure that I have heard of. Quite a few people reqularly out there in -10 and 20 degrees don't complain of this. Did you have a proper mix of antifreeze in it? Do remember that the radiator is 14 years old as well... B I would wonder about the proper mix as well, and it is an old radiator witha plastic tank so it couldhave failed from age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TutorN1 Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 I can't say if it was or wasn't. I had just bought it about two week ago from a local guy. He's got a shop & does really good work. I talked to him just to get a price. He cut me a brake on it bc I did just buy it. Just going to do it when I get home, as they say "Crap happens" . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TutorN1 Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 I've calmed down a lot from this morning, Been saving for some other mods, & they all went up un steam for the time being. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cvdloc Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 I have seen this issue on an older Cherokee (whole side of it broke different style radiator) but same concept. Went to napa paid $100 for a brand new radiator secret special account and did a road side swap out and was back running 2 hours later! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 I seem to remember pics from a Mr. Jim run of a WD's top tank blown off, but that's the only one that comes to mind. I don't know why Nissan decided that plastic was a good material for a radiator but it seems to hold up for the most part. Maybe yours just had a casting defect, an air bubble in it or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Plastic is the new trend across the board, its cheaper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92Path_68CJ Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Never seen one crack, but I've melted the whole top off mine before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TutorN1 Posted January 8, 2014 Author Share Posted January 8, 2014 Will have to say plastic for a radiator STINKS!! Got it change out and back running now, 2hrs of free labor. The pride of being able to say that I did that... Priceless Thanks for all the info. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TutorN1 Posted January 8, 2014 Author Share Posted January 8, 2014 Ok got a new question to go along with this. Got my radiator finished & now my heat has quit? Have the stuff to change the thermostat already, but how much does this involve? I know it's not on top of the motor, but at the bottom where the hose returns to the radiator. Was wondering about time on it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Make sure you have bled all the air out of the cooling system. But if you have to change the t-stat its not that hard. Takes me about an hour, you gotta let the silicone cure as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TutorN1 Posted January 8, 2014 Author Share Posted January 8, 2014 Bleed the air, how? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TutorN1 Posted January 8, 2014 Author Share Posted January 8, 2014 Also mine is the R50, it has the paper gasket. Or is there somthing I'm missing about using silicone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Most of us put on a thin film of sealant, it can help seal and I think it helps the seal last longer. Bleed the air, how? Go to the Garage section, to the Factory Service Manual thread pinned at the top and downlad your appropriate version. There are drain plugs and an air valve. It is much easier for you to look at the diagrams than explain it. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverton Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 I seem to remember pics from a Mr. Jim run of a WD's top tank blown off, but that's the only one that comes to mind. I don't know why Nissan decided that plastic was a good material for a radiator but it seems to hold up for the most part. Maybe yours just had a casting defect, an air bubble in it or something. You remember correctly on that! I was there. Absolutely crazy, sounded like someone put a round through a .45 and then his rig was up in steam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alkorahil Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 I am not a fan of plastic radiators or plastic anything - like intake manifolds. But as said the plastic radiators seem to last a fairly long time overall and with aluminum being $$ it adds up for the manufacturer. I have never seen a Nissan radiator blow apart at teh top (seen a honda blow a 1 inch square chuck out the top) but have seen the Nissan radiators get a hairline crack at the top, usually at the filler neck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5523Pathfinder Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 (edited) I can tell you Jim's radiator didn't just pop because it was plastic. That cooling system was in very poor shape when I worked on it. I had to flush that system 3 times before it was mostly clean. It had the wrong water/coolant mixture in it for a long time and degraded the entire system. If my crystal ball would get repaired at the shop, I would of probably replaced it back then. That poor truck was treated very poorly before Jim got it back. Anyway, proper maintenance will keep any radiator alive. 50/50 coolant mix is key. The bleeder is on top of the intake, behind the throttle body a few inches. It's a 10mm bolt with a small copper washer under it. With the system filled and engine not running, remove the bolt and washer until you get a solid stream of coolant mix coming out of the hole. Keep adding coolant mix if nothing comes out. In some cases, the hole can get plugged. Use a small screwdriver to clear the hole. Put the bolt back in(with the washer) and tighten down. Start it up, turn the heat on and fan to speed 3, top off the coolant and when you feel good heat from the vents you should be good to go. Oh, hopefully they put a new radiator cap with your new radiator! Please be careful when the system is hot! Edited January 11, 2014 by 5523Pathfinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 Yes you definitely won't have heat if you have air in the system, I just replaced the thermostat on my 94 and at first forgot all about the bleeder bolt, than remembered it and bled the air out, now have heat real good. The plastic radiator reminds me of when I was working on the Infiniti Q45 we used to have, I was working on the knock sensors and was leaning on the top of the radiator and broke the top inlet (outlet?) right off, the replacement radiator I bought was metal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TutorN1 Posted January 11, 2014 Author Share Posted January 11, 2014 Will the Q45 parts enter change with the R50? I would much rather have an all metal radiator. I asked about one at the parts house, but they said there were no others. Not so sure I believe the guy now, bc he gave me a thermostat gasket for the W21. That's why I didn't change the thermostat when I done the rest. I'm finding out that most of the part houses and mechanics don't know as much about the Nissans as the think. There's been a few times now that I don't know what I'm talking about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TutorN1 Posted January 11, 2014 Author Share Posted January 11, 2014 That I've been told that I don't know what I'm talking about Sorry, phone edited it wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 The VG30 in the WDs and the VG33 in the early R50s are quite similar. I don't know for sure that the thermostat housing is the same between them but I'd be surprised if it wasn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TutorN1 Posted January 12, 2014 Author Share Posted January 12, 2014 The gaskets are defiantly different. The one that I have now is for the 87-95 pathfinder, Datsun, & a mercury, go figure? The one on the R50 has only 3 holes evenly spaced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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