Radiator Exploded....
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Santa Clarita, CA
1987 E300 TD
Radiator Exploded....
I was driving through Lancaster, CA when the car started to run pretty hot....around 90C. I turn the car off in a shady area to find out there is a hole blown straight through the radiator from the steam. Any idea what might have caused this? I did a coolant flush about 5k miles ago and seemed to run perfectly. I'm going to replace that radiator with a BEAR brand one.
MBWorld Fanatic!
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300E a couple 1994 w124wagon E320 Wagon/,1971MGB Track/Rally, MG Midget Autocross ,2000 E320 wagon.
Wow
Either it was hotter then 90c or your gauge is way off.90c is only about 194f,and that is not all that hot.Could something have punched through the radiator?Find the cause,puncture,water pump,or maybe the clue lies in the flush job.Did you bleed the system to make sure there was no air left in the radiator?You may have had a pocket of air that cavitated and caused a pressure blow out.Front of radiator or back?
ohlord
ohlord
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Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Albuquerque
'10 CL550, '12 GL550
It's not real important, but you confuse cause and effect.
It's highly unlikely pressure caused the defect. Rather some other kind of damage or corrosion caused a weakness and the pressure found it.
Your new radiator sounds like it will be a Behr.
Use MB antifreeze or Zerex G05.
It's highly unlikely pressure caused the defect. Rather some other kind of damage or corrosion caused a weakness and the pressure found it.
Your new radiator sounds like it will be a Behr.
Use MB antifreeze or Zerex G05.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 6,171
Likes: 16
300E a couple 1994 w124wagon E320 Wagon/,1971MGB Track/Rally, MG Midget Autocross ,2000 E320 wagon.
Find the cause
You are right,Just was making sure he finds out if it was just a failure of the radiator or did something cause the failure.Would not want it to take out a brand new one.
Are you getting the new radiator from radiator.com have had gotten many from them and the odd thing is they ship from local warehouses yet don't charge sales tax.At least that was the last time I ordered one for our 7 series BMW.
ohlord
Are you getting the new radiator from radiator.com have had gotten many from them and the odd thing is they ship from local warehouses yet don't charge sales tax.At least that was the last time I ordered one for our 7 series BMW.
ohlord
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,493
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From: Santa Clarita, CA
1987 E300 TD
I'll take a look at it tomorrow, and snag some pictures if i can.
I'm getting the radiator from a good friend of mine that owns his own body & transmission shop for dirt cheap. (New) Hopefully I will be able to go out to the valley and get the car going again, its stuck gathering dust and being exposed to sand storms!!!!!!
When it gets home its getting a triple wash, first to clean (carefully), second w/claying, third as a safety....then wax
I'm getting the radiator from a good friend of mine that owns his own body & transmission shop for dirt cheap. (New) Hopefully I will be able to go out to the valley and get the car going again, its stuck gathering dust and being exposed to sand storms!!!!!!
When it gets home its getting a triple wash, first to clean (carefully), second w/claying, third as a safety....then wax
Last edited by lxl_Jeffro_lxl; Jun 28, 2007 at 06:31 AM.
