# MADs: Who wants to replace my radiator? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 23, 2003, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-who-wants-to-replace-my-radiator/197095 "2003-08-23T04:04:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-who-wants-to-replace-my-radiator/197095/1 "2003-08-23T04:04:34Z")
While driving back from the in-laws’ tonight, my radiator decided to send out plumes of smoke. This is distressing to me. Normally, my husband **Weirddave** would replace said radiator. However, this is the weekend he’s in Florida taking our dog to live at doggie Utopia, otherwise known as the bio-mom-in-law’s house. It’s a 1987 Volkswagen Cabriolet. Dave says it’s something so easy that even I can do it, but I’m not gonna. Anyone want to come help? I’ll give you beer and maybe even food. Please. I’m stranded in Dundalk. This is not a happy thing. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-who-wants-to-replace-my-radiator/197095/2 "2003-08-23T12:24:44Z")
Jeez, I thought that I’d at _least_ get some sympathy! ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-who-wants-to-replace-my-radiator/197095/3 "2003-08-23T13:06:49Z")
In the middle of the night? I wish I could, Ginger. But I know little about engines. Dave may think it’s simple but we’re all not up to his manly example. There must be someone out there who knows cars, right? ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-who-wants-to-replace-my-radiator/197095/4 "2003-08-23T13:31:20Z")
I can’t even spell raidator. Maybe Edward the Head knows. He has a motorcycle; maybe that makes him mechanically inclined! ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-who-wants-to-replace-my-radiator/197095/5 "2003-08-23T13:41:54Z")
It’s three screws and two hoses. I had it backwards. I’m stuck at home. All I wanted to do was go to Ikea and get some bookcases to surprise Dave for when he gets home. Dammit. Now I’m stuck with 9 boxes of books that have no home, taking up floorspace in my dining room. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-who-wants-to-replace-my-radiator/197095/6 "2003-08-23T13:56:46Z")
☹ That’s a shame. Sounds like it would have been a cool surprise, too. I wouldn’t mind driving up to help you out - take you to IKEA? - but I’m having a lot of difficulty getting around right now. (I have a cane, and I keep looking for whippersnappers to smack with it.) ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-who-wants-to-replace-my-radiator/197095/7 "2003-08-23T13:58:17Z")
Cane? Why? Did some woman kick you down? ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-who-wants-to-replace-my-radiator/197095/8 "2003-08-23T14:00:31Z")
No. When they do, it’s verbally, anyway. No, I did something to my neck and back. A shame, too, because it’s a beautiful day here. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-who-wants-to-replace-my-radiator/197095/9 "2003-08-23T14:02:42Z")
See? You could be spending that day on the patio in the company of a lovely redhead, and instead you choose to be enfeebled. Fine, then. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-who-wants-to-replace-my-radiator/197095/10 "2003-08-23T14:06:52Z")
You’re just trying to guilt me into it. 🙂 Besides, I’m not sure your bookcase(s) would fit in my car. I have a small car, and I’m not afraid to admit it. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-who-wants-to-replace-my-radiator/197095/11 "2003-08-23T14:09:33Z")
No guilt here, I’m not your mother. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-who-wants-to-replace-my-radiator/197095/12 "2003-08-23T14:13:22Z")
No, but guilt is the last defense of the desperate … ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-who-wants-to-replace-my-radiator/197095/13 "2003-08-23T14:14:16Z")
A defence is for repelling. I want to bring someone here to help! ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-who-wants-to-replace-my-radiator/197095/14 "2003-08-23T15:06:57Z")
Okay. Dave says don’t send out smoke, they send out steam. The first question: Do you have a new radiator? If not, refer to the second question. The second question: Since, at this point, you don’t have a radiator, do you have the appropriate radiator hoses? The third question: Did you put water and/or coolant into the radiator as a stopgap until Dave gets back? If it is, in fact, the radiator, you can run that thing with a leak indefinitely as long as you don’t let it run out of water. Wait until the car is cold, push down and twist off the pressure cap, and fill that bad boy up with water and coolant in a fifty/fifty mixture (in metric, it’s fifty/fifty). Give that a shot and let us know how it works. And I’m still eyeballing the ketchup chips. Robin ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-who-wants-to-replace-my-radiator/197095/15 "2003-08-23T15:10:37Z")
" my radiator decided to send out plumes of smoke." They don’t smoke, they have water in them. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-who-wants-to-replace-my-radiator/197095/16 "2003-08-23T15:29:16Z")
I know it’s not smoke. Thank you for your wisdom. I have put the 50/50 into the reservoir - even I know to do that much. But, it drips, drips, drips. I do not have a new radiator at this time. I think the hoses are fine, and even if they’re not, they can be picked up when I get the radiator. Is Dave offering to replace it? (Yuengling is in the fridge already, and pizza could be forthcoming). ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-who-wants-to-replace-my-radiator/197095/17 "2003-08-23T15:42:50Z")
Well, I’ll tell you what. We’ll come down this afternoon and I’ll take a look at it. All we need is your new address and phone number. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-who-wants-to-replace-my-radiator/197095/18 "2003-08-23T15:48:34Z")
Try running this ad: Lovely redhead gets overheated. Needs good hosing and at least three screws. 😃 So, How far is where you are from East Texas? Sounds like far ☹ If your radiator is just slowly leaking coolant. Take a can of pepper, yeah the kind you put in a shaker, pour a small can of pepper (supposedly red works better than black, I used both but can’t tell the difference) anyway, pour the pepper into your radiator and let it idle awhile. The pepper will fill the hole/crack and swell up, thus stopping the leak. It works pretty good and unless there’s some real damage that needs doing will last a long time. of course any parts house should have several products made just for this. good luck BTW is your invitation for drinks **AND** “all you can eat”. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-who-wants-to-replace-my-radiator/197095/19 "2003-08-23T15:51:01Z")
You Doorses are the cat’s meow. Now I gotta see if I can find a rad. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-who-wants-to-replace-my-radiator/197095/20 "2003-08-23T17:56:49Z")
SO, I made it to the parts place and back with relatively little hassle, and I now have a new radiator and hoses for Mr. Doors to install. Whee! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-who-wants-to-replace-my-radiator/197095.md?page=2)