The age of these rust marks?

[NightFlight]

I need an idea of how long ago rust stains would have formed on a part of my radiator's exterior.

I haven't had one problem with my car's coolant system since I bought it in December 2008.

I'd check the radiator, opening it every few weeks and could see the coolant level was unchanged, one could actually see the water with the coloured coolant well over the inner flanges of the radiator every time.

I checked under the car regularly & no oil or water/coolant marks on the garage floor - ever.

Then a few days ago my son heard a hissing sound from under the bonnet after a short local trip (about 20kms all up).

Steam was venting from the driver's side of the radiator!

I opened the cap under an old doona and the radiator was pretty well empty, no steam pressure left, just a little steam, and otherwise empty.

The radiator needed two 4litre jugs of demineralised water for an emergency refill, so it was pretty well empty.

Incredibly the dashboard engine temp gauge had not risen above the just below half way mark.

OK, I though, a hose has failed or something.

But now water was leaking with the coolant additive (green) on to the lower trays and the garage floor and staining it.

This was the first time I saw these stains on the floor. this is important to date the beginning of this problem.

Tracing the water & coolant additive leak I had another huge shock.

See Image 3: stab marks in the drivers side back of the radiator. (looks like from a Phillips head screwdriver). It's only on the side reachable from the front and unprotected by large hoses.

Image 1 shows the obvious leaks from the back of the radiator immediately after it is filled. Note the water only seems to come from the drivers side cells on the right. Water is beading out at the lower right of the image.

No leaks from the obvious brown smeared stab areas.

Image 2 shows the radiator back when dry. Note the white deposits on the vertical strip drivers side cells. What the heck is that?

Since the radiator has shown no signs of leaking at all until this last week I find all this very perplexing.

The whole engine area was gone over in FOUR different mechanic shops in December, tracing a phantom oil leak & replacing the rack boots. The engine was degreased in mid December.

No one noticed anything wrong with the radiator then.

Is it possible the caustic degreasing agent could have brought on the brown corrosion in the "stabbed" areas of the radiator back that are not leaking. the area that IS leaking has a WHITE residue on it?

I'm trying to get an idea of a rough date for when this may have happened.

Edited January 23, 2010 by NightFlight

[David the Viking]

You may find that the rust colour on the radiator fins is actually where the copper of the fins and core are no long painted. Most new cars now have aluminimum radiator cores instead of copper ones.

[eviltwin]

I had this issue with my AE82 , it had been serviced by the same place for years prior to purchase and the oil filter had been bashed against the radiator upon removal. I have a spare AE92 radiator depending on your location.

Mick

[NightFlight]

You may find that the rust colour on the radiator fins is actually where the copper of the fins and core are no long painted. Most new cars now have aluminimum radiator cores instead of copper ones.

That might explain a lot.

The "rust" is more of an orange colour, not at all brown, and doesn't crumble at all.

[NightFlight]

I had this issue with my AE82 , it had been serviced by the same place for years prior to purchase and the oil filter had been bashed against the radiator upon removal. I have a spare AE92 radiator depending on your location.

Mick

That's some service......... <_<

The oil & oil filter were changed on this car in June along with replacement of the Ignition lead set and Cap and the plugs.

Then the fanbelt (engine - generator) was changed in November.

The electrics began to have an intermittent problem charging the battery after the June service. This was diagnosed by this shop as a slipping fanbelt (engine - generator), hence the November replacement.

Attached is a pic of the engine from oil cap to radiator (belt on left).

I take it the Engine oil filter is under the grey cowling between the engine block and radiator?

I'm wondering at this stage if there was also damage done to the generator leads.

Edited January 24, 2010 by NightFlight

[NightFlight]

I had this issue with my AE82 , it had been serviced by the same place for years prior to purchase and the oil filter had been bashed against the radiator upon removal. I have a spare AE92 radiator depending on your location.

Mick

I'm on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, are you in the Sydney area?

[123R-Prozak]

radiator! get a new one

u can see the water sitting on the bottom tank??

also when you get your new one, run a wire from the radiator core and strap it to your earth, this will get rid of any current going through your cooling system ( discoloured coolant ) rusts faster...

here's a test for you bokes

run your engine.. get a multi meter, and put it to DC volts i believe, red on the positive and 1 in your radiator coolant ( make sure it only dips into the water not the side of the radiator, and tell me if you read any voltage drop.

THEN earth your radiator core to the chassis, and see the voltage drop to basicly nil... tech teacher showed me, told me prevents rust and discolouration of coolant

Edited January 24, 2010 by 123R-Prozak