Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Coolant System ( New Radiator? )

Took the Mystique in to have the 0P420 code looked into.

Also having them flush out the radiator because I think there are parts of the four water pumps they installed this year - lodged inside it. (It's a long story)

The car runs hot when sitting for any longer then 20 seconds.

Anyway the service advisor told me that this may be caused by the fins in the radiator melting together and not allowing the coolant to cool properly. This can happen when the car overheats.

I would like to know if this is true... I have never heard of anything like this before.
A new radiator can cost $500.00 - he says.

Eurythmian

never heard of that either, and shouldn't your engine need replacing if it got that hot, long enough to melt the radiator. (don't take it to dealer, unless your under warranty).

Due to the 0P420 code... I think the cats are dying and need replaced.
It's still coved by the 80,000 mile warranty - so this is why it's at the dealership.

If they tell me I need a new radiator, believe me... they wont be doing the work. I will take it some place else and will have them diagnose my temp problem.

FORD put a new water pump on back in Feb (02/11/02). I paid something close to $400.00 to have it fixed.
That lasted until 09/20/2002. I had to pay $418.44 to have the water pump and coolant replaced again because I had put more miles on it then the parts are covered for.

This water pump lasted until 10/02/02.
Service Performed: Coolant leaking at water pump area again. Replaced water pump and coolant.
Cost: N/C

This water pump lasted until 10/28/02
Service Performed: Coolant pouring out at water pump area again. Replaced water pump and coolant for the fourth time this year.
Service Department classified this problem as faulty mechanic installation. Water pumps had not been installed correctly.
Checked Drive Belt and found cracks. Replaced Drive Belt.
Cost: $92.43


Needless to say, I really don't have a whole lot of faith in them... but since they are not charging me to look at it this time to see if they screwed up and left chuncks of the old pumps in the radiator... I have nothing to loose.

Four water pumps with in a year... can anyone top that?

Eurythmian

Has anyone ever heard of a radiator melting when the water pump blows apart?

I doubt I have this problem...
I have looked at the radiator...
Other then a few bugs stuck in it, it looks normal.

Just curious - what would a water pump run me?
They tell me (FORD) that it is about $500.00 to have a new one put in.
Gotta be cheeper someplace else...

I'm hoping when they flush it out, they find parts of the old pumps in there and my temp problem is solved.

Comments anyone?

Eurythmian

If it got hot enough to melt I think you fell into a volcano. I've seen the expansion tanks crack and warp and the seals pop, but never melt. Most expansion tanks on radiators are plastic. Most good replacement radiators are all metal - usually copper. I've paid upwards of 200 bucks for do it myself copper ones. Contour installation is a mother bear because it is so close to the engine. Fans need to come off from below along with transmission cooler (for ATX) lines and coolant hoses. Bought complete pumps for about 50 bucks - included back section and bypass hoses.
My pump went into a thousand pieces years ago - never had an overheating problem after flushing out the pieces with a garden hose before closing everthing up.

It's not possible to melt the radiator, maybe the plastic tanks. But they should be designed to take plenty of heat befor they melt. Tell that service guy to shove that BS up his ass. Doesn't aluminum melt at like 2000 degrees F? Well whatever the guy is BSing you.

I think I'd ask this question of your dealership BS specialist. If the coolant got hot enough to melt the radiator, why aren't the radiator hoses melted? Internal engine parts made of aluminum are not melted?

Politely let him know you are not buying this.

It is entirely possible that a good portion of the radiator is clogged, but melted? No way!

I replaced a VW New Beetle waterpump that had the typical failed plastic impeller (dang German cars, hehe), and it got so hot that it melted the thermostat/water outlet housing, which was plastic too. It was melted pretty bad, to the point where it wouldn't seal anymore, and looked all deformed. That's why I think ALL cars should come from the factory with overheat engine shutdowns built into the computer circuitry. Then the motor would shut down automatically, at a marginal overheat temperature, rather than the driver realizing what is happening at the engine meltdown temperature. A device like that would save many people a LOT of money. And it could save manufacturers a lot on warranty repairs too, that are caused by overheat problems (on cars owned by people who don't ever watch their gauges).
Anyways, that VW New Beetle I fixed, wound up surviving after putting the new water outlet w/ waterpump, but I think that overheat it had, may have taken some life out of the motor for sure.

a overheating detecting/shutdown device would be good, until it failed. (maybe have a few and on different circuits). ..... .... ... dealer is taking you for a ride and they obviously think you know nothing about cars and they obviously don't know much either. a water pump is less than $80. installation could not cost $400+. (i hope a dealer wouldn't need 5 hours just to install a water pump, which i heard is easier to install on a duratec than a zetec.) stop going to the dealer is my advice. find a reputable mechanic, and go in acting/talking like you know about cars, and about what you need.

I have located a good mechanic ( not a dealership ) through a freind.

I plan to start taking the car there after the dealer fixes what they screwed up.

If I continue to have coolant problems after FORD flushes out the radiator, I'm off to the new mechanic to tell him my problems.

I will find out tomorrow what FORD thinks the problem is.
I plan to ask plenty of these questions as well as tell him what I've learned from this site.

As he was telling me about the melted radiator fins... I thought this guy was full of sh*t. I mean, I'm not a mechanic... but come on - melting a radiator? I wanted to laugh?

He also brought up trading the car in on something more reliable... I thought, what a Mazda? HA!!!

Eurythmian