So, I've been chasing a small coolant leak that gets annoying when the "low Coolant" warning comes up, but no luck finding/seeing the problem. I can see a drip from the DS lower corner of the Tray below the radiator, and I can peer down the front of the radiator to see dampness in that same tray. At 120K miles, no PO information, I figure "what the hell, throw a new radiator in it". The Rock Auto site lists the radiator coming with AC evaporator, so I take it the AC system must be broken into to do this swap..right? I guess I might as well do water pump and thermostat housing w/ new stat.

Since I can't get to this for a week or two, I thought I'd ask for recommendations from others who have done cooling system repairs.

Is there a sticky on the subject of antifreeze, bleeding, etc. Many questions, grasshopper, even more seekers.

 

I stand corrected, the radiator includes transmission cooler, not A/C condenser, as I mis-stated above. Disregard A/C inquiry, all else remains.

 

Hoses would be on my list if your doing all this, as well as the serpentine belt. Yank the alternator, and go through it. Brushes, with new bearings, usually is all you need to rebuild most that i've ran into. A lot less cash than a new replacement, even if the alternator itself, is taken to a good shop to have it went through, to put right.

 

I just had the radiator and cooling fan done (I needed the cooling fan done as it was really tired and car was overheating at idle on hot days). Ended up doing the radiator as well since it was such a hassle getting to the fan on the XJR. Ended up being a pricey repair due to the OEM parts cost (fan assembly itself was around $600, don't recall on the radiator but it was high too). Had it done at my indy mechanic and they went way over the hours estimate to do it all.

 

Always takes me longer than the allowed time, but i want it done to suite me, and nobody else.

 

I got the thermostat & housing replaced, as well as the water pump, radiator hoses, and expansion tank, so now it's off to the body shop to have the bumper cover and lower area with fog lights all removed so the radiator shop can dig in and get the bent radiator, A/C and power steering cooler parts replaced. Hope to find out what the mystery leakage sound was.