winterset Posted December 5, 2014 Report Share Posted December 5, 2014 For the last year, i have been driving again, and using my caddy. I have been addressing some age (for the car) related repairs. Over the summer, i replaced the surge tank with an oem tank. Been smelling that sweet smell since, and i thought it was spillover, and i have been adding a little coolant every once in a while. Well today i confirmed that my 19 year old radiator has finally sprung a small leak. I will do the repair myself, but need recommendations on what brand and what the price should be. I know lots of deals for auto parts can be found around the holidays. I recall from my college days that the aftermarket brand for cooling systems is modine. I will go OEM or whoever manufactures OEM for this. It looks like the passenger side tank cracked at the top hose bend. Please let me know the type i should get as well. I recall there are double core or double duty radiators. I am willing to spend a little more for one of those too. - of course all within reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterset Posted December 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2014 Best i can find is acdelco for $171.74 with free shipping on Amazon. I see a brand tyc all over the place. I just dont want to pay for a acdelco to find out it's made by tyc or something. Just like timkin makes delco hubs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted December 6, 2014 Report Share Posted December 6, 2014 The tank can be replaced - call a local radiator repair shop - they can replace the tank for about $90 if you bring them the radiator. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adallak Posted December 6, 2014 Report Share Posted December 6, 2014 As KHE said, both inlet and outlet side tanks can be replaced. The tanks are plastic and come with the gaskets. You can do that job yourself, if you are handy. I have done that repair on both my Cadillacs. Taking the radiator out and putting it back was more time consuming than the repair itself. You can see the crack in the upper part of the side tank particularly when engine is hot (it opens up). It is usually the inlet tank. Here is an inlet tank for your car ( I assume your upper radiator hose is on the passenger side): http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,carcode,1025334,parttype,1000231 The saddest thing in life is wasted talent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted December 6, 2014 Report Share Posted December 6, 2014 my radiator puked on my 01 eldo last saturday, no small leak either. In the usual place, inlet tank on passenger side. I called about getting it repaired and was told they cannot repair it. I priced radiator at around 140.00. I have had good luck with spectra premium. I have had good luck with tyc but have not tried radiators GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barczy01 Posted December 6, 2014 Report Share Posted December 6, 2014 http://www.ebay.com/itm/RADIATOR-FOR-CADILLAC-FITS-EL-DORADO-DEVILLE-SEVILLE-ALLANTE-4-6-/251565228988?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Year%3A1997%7CMake%3ACadillac%7CModel%3ADeVille&hash=item3a9274c3bc&vxp=mtr I have purchased many of these radiators with no issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted December 6, 2014 Report Share Posted December 6, 2014 If you wind up replacing the tank yourself, find a way to pressurize the radiator and spray the tank interface area with soap water to make sure it does not leak. If it does, you will need to tighten the crimp in the area that leaks. You do NOT want to go through the trouble of R&Ring the radiator only to have a leak. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterset Posted December 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2014 Thank you all for all the options. This will add to the wealth of info on the forum. I decided since i am doing the job myself, and the radiator os 18 years old, it is best to replace the entire part. The acdelco side tank was $45, and would be a good option for a newer radiator. Aftermarket would probably have worked for $77 but i went for the acdelco. Hopefully the quality is as good as the original. I will get it next week or so. And i plan on tripple checking the transmission clip when i install it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adallak Posted December 7, 2014 Report Share Posted December 7, 2014 Make sure you replace o-rings for oil line fittings on the side tanks. The old ones are dry and will not work. The saddest thing in life is wasted talent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterset Posted December 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 my acdelco radiator came today from amazon. Packaged poorly it was twisted, the neck was chipped, and the tank had a hairline stress crack. My deville will be held up for repairs for a while. Good thing i have christmas shopping to do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted December 11, 2014 Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 That is why I stopped ordering radiators. I only buy them locally. I have had it happen one too many times and have have had to wait for a second or third one. I found one for 105. Likely not a delco. Last delco one I bought was 194.00 GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted December 18, 2014 Report Share Posted December 18, 2014 I changed my radiator yesterday and it went well. Hardest part is changing the front lower motor mount. mine was toast, and it is easiest to be done when the radiator is out,. I will post a pic of the inlet side tank. It is obviously swollen and has several cracks. Good as new now. 3 weeks without my DD made me want to pull my hair out GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterset Posted December 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2014 I finally installed my GM radiator today, and all went well. I would suggest if you have an older N* to do a visual check on the health of your radiator. Seems the plastic tanks are the weakest links, BUT to check its health, inspect the vertical plastic reinforcements that run side to side along the plastic tanks. if it has a separation in it, then your radiator is compromised. The good news is that it's easy to check, and nothing needs to be removed., and all you will need is a flashlight. My passenger side tank had cracks on several reinforcement lines. And toward the top, one of the reinforcements had a very wide separation that caused a crack into the tank itself. And that little 1/4" bolt that holds the a/c line to the radiator is a real pain! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted December 27, 2014 Report Share Posted December 27, 2014 All good advice. The inlet tank is the one that takes the most abuse. The bolt holding the A/C line to the radiator tank was the most difficult part of the radiator R&R when I replaced the inlet tank on the '96 Seville I used to have. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted December 27, 2014 Report Share Posted December 27, 2014 I agree. That bolt was a nightmare on my 97 Seville, I ended up leaving it out. It holds the condensor line to the radiator. I didnt have a way to evacuate and recharge the system so I had to leave it in the car. On my eldo I just did I evacuated the system and removed the unit as a whole. Cake on the table. bolt is easy to access. The inlet tank is what failed on my eldo and my Seville. GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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