plastic radiator crack, Burb

[LVJJJ]

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?

[kevden]

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]

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]

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

[thomasmnile]

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]

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