cooling system/ radiator help!!

[dirtylarry]

hello everyone!! i hope you are doing well, well i have an issue that has been recuring for the last 3 years and now i am at my wits end and am trying to find a final solution or get rid of the car (which i do not want to do)ok so please bear with me while i try to explain

i own a 97 Q45 with 160,000 miles on it now i am real anal about the upkeep of it ( maintance and apperance wise) So 3 years ago the factory radiator decided to crap out on me so i figured that it was due because of the age of the car and charged to to normal wear and tear, so i took it so a shop in the atlanta area that i found out about through this forum (i wont name names) and they replaced it for me, so then about 11 months after that, that radiator crapped out on me so im like WTF?? so i took it back to the same shop and they replaced it free of charge so while it was there i asked them to check the whole cooling system to see if they can find out why the radiators are going out, they said they did, and said everything else was working fine and they even double checked and said they had no idea why it failed so fast, so i left it at that, so that leads to now, this past weekend was very nice in atlanta so i decided to pull my Q out and take a ride to a friends place who lives on the other side of town( about 30 miles)and this was the first time i have driven the car in about 3 months ( the car is not my daily driver) and once i got to his house i smelled burning coolant and saw little smoke, so now im pissed i pop the hood and i see coolant on the top of the radiator and the place it was coming from was the little hose on the top of the radiator that leads to the coolant resevoir so i let the car cool down and i checked the radiator and it was still full but i did notice that the resevoir coolant level did go down a little so after a few hours i drove the car back home it did not overheat but some more coolant leaked out of the same hose, so after this long explaination i was wondering do any of you on here have and suggestion as to why i am having these problems with the cooling system and i will not be driving the car again until i get it looked at because i dont want to blow another radiator and do u have any suggestions to a good shop in the Atl that i can take it to or should i take it the the stealership, i really want to get this solved once and for all, so thanks in advance to any help , and i apoligize for being longwinded to explain

[maxnix]

Presume you used an OEM or simlilar quality radiator?

My tech left the overflow hose off after he flushed my coolant. Alittle bit of a mess, but some distilled water and all is well.

As far as I can tell, you only had one failure. The T-3 Shop where Byron works might be best suited for you.

[Raxephon]

Radiator cap?Coolant System pressure test results?

[dirtylarry]

is CSF brand radiator, and i was told they performed the neccesary test, cap and pressure etc and said all was well but wherever i take it to im gonna request everything involed gets tested just looking for some suggestions as why this problem is reccuring

[Jesda]

Does this CSF have metal end tanks?

[dirtylarry]

Does this CSF have metal end tanks?

i presume u are talking about the top and bottom of the radiator? if so the answer is no it does not

[Infinitiguy19]

Why not take it to T-3 in Atlanta, Georgia?

Or at least read the LC part of the FSM: http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Q4...c.pdf

Then while your at it read the rest of the FSM: http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Q45/1999_Q45/1999_Q45/

[renegade141]

...i smelled burning coolant and saw little smoke, so now im pissed i pop the hood and i see coolant on the top of the radiator and the place it was coming from was the little hose on the top of the radiator that leads to the coolant resevoir ...

so i let the car cool down and i checked the radiator and it was still full but i did notice that the resevoir coolant level did go down a little so after a few hours i drove the car back home it did not overheat but some more coolant leaked out of the same hose,

so after this long explaination i was wondering do any of you on here have and suggestion as to why i am having these problems with the cooling system and i will not be driving the car again until i get it looked at because i dont want to blow another radiator and do u have any suggestions to a good shop in the Atl that i can take it to or should i take it the the stealership, i really want to get this solved once and for all, so thanks in advance to any help , and i apoligize for being longwinded to explain

From you description, it sounds like you already found the problem. It is common for that hose to leak because it will stretch and not fit properly anymore. The last time you replaced the rad, more than likely they didn't replace the hose that goes to the overfill tank.

If i was repairing your car, i'd let it heat up, build pressure, and take a look where it is dripping from, to confirm the problem. If it is the hose, then repair it, and do a pressure test on the rad, and cap to show you it holds.

I don't live in atlanta, so i can't recommend a shop for you. Take it back to the shop that did the rad. see if the'll show you what the're going to do.

[dirtylarry]

^^^^^ yes u are right that hose did not get replaced i had thought about that too im gonna order a new hose this week replace that and get the system checked out again.......hopefully thats what it is

[dirtylarry]

and i didnt wanna bash anyone but the shop i took it to in the begining was T-3 in atlanta they were nice guys and very profesional so i have nothing against them i will take it back to them and have them run another test after i replace that hose

[dirtylarry]

Why not take it to T-3 in Atlanta, Georgia?

Or at least read the LC part of the FSM: http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Q4...c.pdf

Then while your at it read the rest of the FSM: http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Q45/1999_Q45/1999_Q45/

good stuff paul wall, thx

[NightRiderQ45]

and i didnt wanna bash anyone but the shop i took it to in the begining was T-3 in atlanta they were nice guys and very profesional so i have nothing against them i will take it back to them and have them run another test after i replace that hose

T-3 huh...I figured you were speaking about them. I saw your car on the fresh alloy site. Do you still have the rims on your car? Last time I saw it, you put a hid kit in your fogs. I'm from AL so Atl is only 45mins from my home town. I'm looking to land a engineering job there (Atl) in the next couple of months.