Help with radiator please...

[Glyph]

For the life of me I'll never understand why manafacturers use plastic instead of metal on radiators. Tonight I all of a sudden noticed my car was steaming like a tea pot and the temp was maxed out. Upon inspection I noticed a 3" crack in the plastic on the left side right under the hose. Tomorrow, I'll try a temp fix just to get it home (it's about 20 minutes away) then I'm going to have to replace it asap. So I guess my questions are two fold.

1) What might you all suggest for a temporary fix to get me home? JB Weld? Is there a product specifically made to temp mend plastic, or even better yet plastic radiators specifically? and...

2) I'll probably try to find a replacement at a salvage yard where I know they go for about $50. Could anyone tell me which rad.'s are compatible with my s13? Are s14's? Both coupes and hatches?

Anything else you'd like to add? As usual, thanks in advance for all your help. -Glyph

[94_240sx]

Yeah, just use JB Weld or some sillicone stuff. You only need to drive 20min, so I wouldn't worry too much. Carry water just in case. Don't know about the radiator, but if you haven't replaced water pump and thermostat for a long time, this might be a good time to do it. Hoses and clamps too if they are in bad shape.

[DeXteR]

jb weld will do the trick. i can't think of anything better to use. just make sure you give it sufficient cure time, and try to keep the temps down so you don't blow it out (more heat = more pressure).

as far as the radiators go i think the s13 radiators are universal between s13's. you can also use an s14 radiator with minimal modification. i just helped my friend put one in his s13 hatch. we had to fabricate (read: beat with a hammer) the upper mounting brackets and cut and drill the rear mounts to make it fit. the s14 radiators are aluminum (at least the ones i've seen) cores with, of course, plastic ends. it's an easy, cheap upgrade though.

[Hijacker]

S14 rads are slightly thicker than S13s, and given that they're newer you may not run into the problem you had with your end tank. Last year, my upper hose neck broke off my radiator, and I put an S14 rad in. You'll have to fab up some new brackets, so get the power drill and hole saw ready to cut some angle iron. If you've never fabbed up brackets, you'll enjoy beating the crap out of metal in a vice.

[94_240sx]

If you don't want any headache, just get radiator from S13 auto trans. You still have auto transmission. Right? If you get one from manual transmission, you have to get separate trans oil cooler...etc. If you look at bottom of the radiator(engine side), you will see 2 nipples coming out and hoses from transmission connected to them. Rad from manual trans doesn't have those IIRC.

If my radiator goes out, I'm getting KOYO for sure.

[Glyph]

Thanks for all the replies. It seems that the crack in the rad wasn't the problem, only a symptom. It looks like I'm having circulation probs so at this point I'm assuming thermostat or water pump. I'll start with thermo since that's only $13 and hope for the best. If that doesn't work I'm sure I'll be back for more ideas. Thanks again. -Glyph

[DeXteR]

if you're going to crack it open, you might as well do it all. the water pumps aren't hard to install and if i recall, they're not that expensive either. you'll kick yourself if you have to do the job twice because it's your water pump and not your thermostat. just do them both at once.