Is the plastic inlet on the top of the radiator where the upper radiator hose connects to the radiator replaceable, or do I have to replace the whole radiator? 1995 Subaru Legacy Wagon

The end tanks can be replaced. Go see a radiator specialist.

I've never seen radiators sold in parts, so I will say no unless you can repair it. Mine was leaking at the seal, and just replaced the entire radiator.

They won't/don't sell the parts to the public, well they won't here in New Zealand, you have to be a member of the radiator guys association (or whatever they are).

 

You need to have a special tool to get them apart and back together succesfully really anyway, so leave it to the pro.

Probably cheaper to replace it. I had a copper radiator flushed at a local radiator shop a couple years back. They charged me $120 to flush it and patch a small hole, and it wasn't even in the car! A brand new one was $120 at the parts store!

 

Check out Rockauto.com. They have great deals on stuff like that. You'll have to pay shipping, but it's usually not much.

You may want to try repairing with JB Weld epoxy. Available at most auto parts stores. Just be sure to super clean the area where the leak is. I have had really good luck with that product. Cost is about $5.00

agree, JB weld in combination with a thin steel sleeve, can be used for the inlet necks repair. not sure sleeve it on the inside or outside?.

 

This repair is similar to what us old school legacy turbo guys have done with the brittle like glass coolnt fill tanks, where we threaded metal brass nipples onto the broken necks, and JB welded in place..

Edited January 1, 201016 yr by bheinen74

Tanks are not servicable. JB Welding any part of a radiator to get it off the road would be acceptable. To do it instead of a proper repair or replacement is only asking for problems.

this is not the tank.

"plastic inlet on the top of the radiator where the upper radiator hose connects to the radiator replaceable"

the plastic inlet is not too much to fix.

 

Where the hose connects, is fixable with jb weld and a sleeve.

 

It sounds, like the hose clamp got too much force when tightening, and it cracked it.

 

Would have to see a picture before saying for sure.

radiatorbarn.com has decent new ones, free shipping i think, and lifetime warranty.

Edited January 1, 201016 yr by bheinen74

it would be a good idea to get anew radiator anyway. at 1995, the radiator may be starting to corrode.

 

usually the aftermarket radiators are brass. you should be able to find spares in junkyards all day long

The plastic they make the tanks of is very heat sensitive. Up to a cartain temperature they are fine, just a little hotter and it goes brittle and they crack.

 

Once your car has boiled they are always suspect after that and it pays to have the top tank in particular replaced while they are cleaning the radiator if you have done a head gasket.

 

Here the top tank is about seventy dollars where the whole new radiator is six hundred dollars. Those are Kiwi dollars I'm talking.

this is not the tank.

"plastic inlet on the top of the radiator where the upper radiator hose connects to the radiator replaceable"

the plastic inlet is not too much to fix.

 

Where the hose connects, is fixable with jb weld and a sleeve.

 

It sounds, like the hose clamp got too much force when tightening, and it cracked it.

 

Would have to see a picture before saying for sure. Yet, you are willing to argue it...

radiatorbarn.com has decent new ones, free shipping i think, and lifetime warranty.

 

 

OK, maybe you can tell us all how this is not part of the tank.

 

If the inlet is brittle enough to break than the radiator itself is also getting too brittle.

 

Replace it!

The plastic they make the tanks of is very heat sensitive. Up to a cartain temperature they are fine, just a little hotter and it goes brittle and they crack.

 

Once your car has boiled they are always suspect after that and it pays to have the top tank in particular replaced while they are cleaning the radiator if you have done a head gasket.

 

Here the top tank is about seventy dollars where the whole new radiator is six hundred dollars. Those are Kiwi dollars I'm talking.

 

All the radiator shops in my region will not service a plastic tanked radiator. It would be a lot less expensive for the end-user if they would though.