Got a 94 K-1500 Suburban, only 144,000 miles but has developed an antifreeze leak via a 3" crack in the driver's side plastic rad side tank right around where the upper oil cooler line screws in. I can get a new rad for $185 from NAPA here in town, but have heard about plastic tank repair kits. Those things work and hold up? Is probably better to replace the radiator realizing that a failed patch wouldn't be good towing in the desert. Any thoughts, experiences with the patch kits?

It cracked cause it wore out replace it with a new/rebuilt one and you get a warranty we have a couple of 90s era chevys and if we get a 150-180 k on a radiator were happy. There's not much to them

Not a Suburban, but the OEM radiator in the wife's 2000 Camry sprung a leak in the top tank 3 years ago. My replacement options were a new radiator for $500 from Toyota, or $110 from the local NAPA store. Opted for the NAPA replacement, installed it myself and it has been fine since. Never considered attempting a repair, though NAPA had a repair kit. The counter guy persuaded me that replacement was a better plan.

Twenty-four year old radiator wouldn’t have other weak spots? Replace!

Time for a new one. Modine makes probably 90% of all automotive radiators now and all are plastic tanked and all die after a while. New only.

I would replace it with an all aluminum one. Why rely on plastic end tanks with gaskets when you can have a welded one piece design for around the same price? Check if you have oil and/or transmission cooler lines going through the radiator before you order one.

plastic radiator crack, Burb | Good Sam Community

19 Replies

jfkmk
Explorer
Feb 17, 2018
The repair kits are best suited for people making a quick repair just to sell it. They usually don't last long.
garyemunson
Explorer II
Feb 17, 2018
If you have a "Summit Racing" store near you, I've found them to be the best place to get radiators.
ktmrfs
Explorer II
Feb 17, 2018
seems almost all the radiators built in the last 30 years have gone to plastic caps. And seems like no matter who the mfg is, the life is somewhere around 100K miles or 10 years.

you've been lucky.

Fixes are a short term band aid. solution is a new radiator.

That's been my experience and virtually all my neighbors who keep vehicles very long.
Ron3rd
Explorer III
Feb 17, 2018
Those patch/repair kits always seem to let you down at the wrong time.

Like the others said, fix it right.
kevden
Explorer
Feb 17, 2018
I would replace it with an all aluminum one. Why rely on plastic end tanks with gaskets when you can have a welded one piece design for around the same price? Check if you have oil and/or transmission cooler lines going through the radiator before you order one.
SidecarFlip
Explorer III
Feb 17, 2018
Time for a new one. Modine makes probably 90% of all automotive radiators now and all are plastic tanked and all die after a while. New only.
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Feb 17, 2018
Twenty-four year old radiator wouldn’t have other weak spots? Replace!
thomasmnile
Explorer
Feb 17, 2018
Not a Suburban, but the OEM radiator in the wife's 2000 Camry sprung a leak in the top tank 3 years ago. My replacement options were a new radiator for $500 from Toyota, or $110 from the local NAPA store. Opted for the NAPA replacement, installed it myself and it has been fine since. Never considered attempting a repair, though NAPA had a repair kit. The counter guy persuaded me that replacement was a better plan.
okoboji_fan
Explorer
Feb 17, 2018
It cracked cause it wore out replace it with a new/rebuilt one and you get a warranty we have a couple of 90s era chevys and if we get a 150-180 k on a radiator were happy. There's not much to them

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plastic radiator crack, Burb

19 Replies

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