ozzy 79

Hello again,

A few things re my post below... I live in Australia, and you can't just "buy a new one" here - the Z's aren't big enough market for anyone to manufacture/import them. I did buy a radiator from Radiator Barn in Florida, but it never showed. $160 US down the drain.

A re-core was going to cost me about $300 US... so I opted for the wrecker at $75 US.

A further test drive.... and yes, the radiator is overheating, it wasn't just a sensor issue. I removed the aftermarket thermostat, and put it in a pot with the old nissan thermostat, and poured boiling water over them. The new one opened, the nissan one remained shut.

So, the thermostat, though not having the little hole for the sensor, is operating.

How can I gauge whether the radiator is clogged?

Also - when I swapped the radiator, I presumed most of the water had come out the bottom hose... but when I re-filled it, it only took about 5-6 Litres of water... I read its meant to be 10L... is that an issue?

Can a faulty radiator cap be the cause of the problems, or missing overflow cap?

Cheers

DoTheDrew888

First, to check if your radiator is clogged, just disconnect both hoses from the engine and run a garden hose to it. If you run water through the top of the radiator and it doesnt come out the bottom then you have a problem.

Also, im sure you guys have Camaros down there dont you? You could just swap in a radiator from a Camaro. You will probably have to drill holes to mount it correctly but its pretty simple.

Bleach

Have someone you can trust, in the USA, order the radiator for you and then ship it directly to you. Although that will still cost a lot.

Drill a small hole in the flat part of the thermostat. About 3-4mm diameter.
Also, you can put the thermostat cover back on with no thermostat in place. This will constantly flow water through. That should keep your temperature very low.... unless your radiator is just not cooling the water very well. That test should tell you if the radiator is bad.

Remove the radiator, put some Radiator flush in there and fill half full of water. Find a creative way to cap off both the water outlets. Turn the radiator upside down and wait for the water to run through it. Turn over again and repeat for 30 minutes. Then dump it out and run water into the top and let it run out the bottom spout. That's the best at-home flush you can do.