Hi Guys,
I've beed lurking for a while and reading this site a lot but never really posted. But I had a problem with my 02 Datoka 4.7 91,000 miles the last few weeks.
1st. I just got back from the Outer Banks, NC and I noticed there was water under my truck down there. I thought it was just water because it rained 1 day. I made sure all the fluids where up and they where before I drove home. But I've been back a week and the radiator was leaking bad. I was looking at it and today I replaced it. The bottom 3 or 4 rows where balloned out like it was way over pressure. Also the top 2 rows are slightly pushing up. This rad is only 2 years old because I rear ended someone and cracket the bottom mounting barcket and it was leaking. The truck never smokes or uses oil or antifreeze. I replaced the themo and gasket and rad cap. The original cap was 21 psi and I replaced with a 20 psi. But most cars are around 15 to 18 psi anyway. There is never any moisture on the dipstick or oil cap fill. Any ideas?? Was it just a cheap rad? I'll post picture of the rad tommorrow.

 

Two years is a short life for a radiator maybe the new cap is defective it happens new doesn’t mean no problems.
Probably a cheap or bad radiator I have seen newly rebuilt ones half plugged up or full of sand yes sand or bronze slag it looked like sand always flush out a radiator before you install it... you may be shocked what flushes out I did one and 12 oz. of sand came out.
NEVER trust any shop to do a good job do it yourself and save an engine.

 

I've been turning wrenches for years. I never seen a radiator do this. The rad was new and not repaired. It's aluminun with plastic tanks on the side. I did put a straight edge on the new rad and used a magic marker to make a line. I'm going to keep an eye on it. I'm also going to get a lower psi cap.

 

All radiators are rebuilt not new unless you buy from the dealership this is a lie from shops they say new but it’s not new it’s a new rebuilt rad you can argue with them till you are blue in the face about what NEW means to them new is new rebuilt.

So you have a rebuilt rad ask the shop you got it from they will try to discourage you and say it’s NEW but it’s NOT.

I hate rebuilt rads they don’t last as long as NEW that is why I only buy rads from the dealership big $$$ but I want reliability not 3 years.

And yes they look like new nice and shiny and new paint but its rebuilt be it local or from China or the Philippines.