radiator replacement - IS200d

[jumbojake]

I've finally found the small leak on my coolant system ... some pink crystals along the top of the seam at one end of the radiator... so now the next job on the list.

Anyone done a radiator change on one of these... is it ok job or a nightmare?

 

[jumbojake]

an update on this... I finally got around to the job today..... proved to be time consuming and fiddly due to rusty bolts and jubilee clips....about 5hours and managed to keep my language family friendly (usually a good sign).

As I thought, the top of the radiator had gone, with pink growth around the crimped seam around the top hose.

After filling it all up again and running it up to temperature, I am worried there is no heat in the lower hose ..... I even took it for a 30min blast down the motorway, with some heavy town driving on the way back .... top hose, is too hot to touch, the bottom hose is lukewarm...  no water leak and the temp gauge is rock steady in the middle as always.... am I being paranoid, or could this be the root of the original problem?

I noticed when it was warming up, the water seems to flow around the top hose and filler hose back to the engine .. so just circulating that top corner of the radiator, which might explain why it failed.

Has anyone else, with a IS220d or IS200d  noticed if the bottom hose ever gets hot?   I'm worried it might be the thermostat, which looks like a horrific job (underneath the EGR).

 

[The-Acre]

Unless you've got a bad airlock I would be pointing the guilty finger at the thermostat.  Does (assuming you can get to it) the thermostat housing get hot?  If it isn't opening correctly then you'll have a pressure build up which will have to release itself somewhere.

[jumbojake]

done some more road tests and I'm now confident, the thermostat is ok ... the temperature regulates perfectly, and water temp is the same as it has always been (dead middle) .... if the thermostat was playing up, it wouldn't regulate so well .. and show higher temperatures.

all back together, job done ... just a bit pricey for the genuine parts.