'91 Civic Si radiator upper tank split

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Paul Banchero

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The upper tank on my '91 Civic Si radiator has a split 1" - 2" long immediately above one of the two brackets that support the air intake horn - the one closest to the battery. (And, no - I haven't leaned on the air horn in the past, though that kind of pressure is what causes the split to widen.)

Realistically, is this repairable by a radiator shop? The tank is made of rather thin metal (brass?; aluminum?). I wonder whether soldering or brazing would work. I suspect that the shop might suggest the replacement of the tank. The alternative is $326 for a new radiator!

I intend to keep the car for some time.

Thanks.
 
Paul said:
The upper tank on my '91 Civic Si radiator has a split 1" - 2" long immediately above one of the two brackets that support the air intake horn - the one closest to the battery. (And, no - I haven't leaned on the air horn in the past, though that kind of pressure is what causes the split to widen.)

Realistically, is this repairable by a radiator shop? The tank is made of rather thin metal (brass?; aluminum?). I wonder whether soldering or brazing would work. I suspect that the shop might suggest the replacement of the tank. The alternative is $326 for a new radiator!

I intend to keep the car for some time.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

There are plenty of after market radiator alternatives far cheaper than $325... Do a Google search and get a new unit.
 
Paul said:
The upper tank on my '91 Civic Si radiator has a split 1" - 2" long immediately above one of the two brackets that support the air intake horn - the one closest to the battery. (And, no - I haven't leaned on the air horn in the past, though that kind of pressure is what causes the split to widen.)

Realistically, is this repairable by a radiator shop? The tank is made of rather thin metal (brass?; aluminum?). I wonder whether soldering or brazing would work. I suspect that the shop might suggest the replacement of the tank. The alternative is $326 for a new radiator!

I intend to keep the car for some time.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

There are plenty of after market radiator alternatives far cheaper than $325... Do a Google search and get a new unit.
 
Is that $326 for just the part or parts and labor? If it's just the part, consider:

1.
An online new OEM radiator purchase from a place like
http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/catdisplay.jsp ? They want around $250 (add another $20 or so for S/H) for a new radiator for one of the 91 Civic SI radiators I looked at. Labor of course will bring this up to a higher cost, unless you are a DIY-er. http://www.hondiscountparts.com/ looks to have even better prices ($117-$158, with free shipping over $50).

2.
A local or online salvage yard? Many yards have online search engines that are very precise. I used www.olstons.com this past year for a new crankshaft pulley. The transaction went really well. The part was just fine.

Seems like there have been a fair number of posts here over the years about failed radiators for early 1990s Hondas. I can add that, while a dealer shop was diagnosing what turned out to be a distributor rotor problem on my 91 Civic LX 4-door sedan, they broke the top of my car's radiator. I didn't get the details. They just explained this to me when I went to get the car, adding that I'd got a free, new radiator out of the deal. (But considering what they charged me for the rotor problem... oh never mind. It was still less than the cost of a new radiator.)
 
Is that $326 for just the part or parts and labor? If it's just the part, consider:

1.
An online new OEM radiator purchase from a place like
http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/catdisplay.jsp ? They want around $250 (add another $20 or so for S/H) for a new radiator for one of the 91 Civic SI radiators I looked at. Labor of course will bring this up to a higher cost, unless you are a DIY-er. http://www.hondiscountparts.com/ looks to have even better prices ($117-$158, with free shipping over $50).

2.
A local or online salvage yard? Many yards have online search engines that are very precise. I used www.olstons.com this past year for a new crankshaft pulley. The transaction went really well. The part was just fine.

Seems like there have been a fair number of posts here over the years about failed radiators for early 1990s Hondas. I can add that, while a dealer shop was diagnosing what turned out to be a distributor rotor problem on my 91 Civic LX 4-door sedan, they broke the top of my car's radiator. I didn't get the details. They just explained this to me when I went to get the car, adding that I'd got a free, new radiator out of the deal. (But considering what they charged me for the rotor problem... oh never mind. It was still less than the cost of a new radiator.)
 
Radiators just ain't built as well as they used to be.

For example, my 1983 Civic FE project had a mere 110K when it suffered a cracked head/bad head gasket probably by a driver who ignored the instrument panel.

The car sat for over ten years before I bought it this summer. After I swapped the engine out I brought the radiator (which looked in good shape) to a radiator repair shop of high repute. After cleaning it out (disassembling the tanks and rodding the core), it proved to be totally porous. So much for modern radiators, even the full metal one(s).

Oh, and if the dealer ship (As Caroline noted), breaks something, you can bet your bippy that they even it out somehow...

JT
 
Radiators just ain't built as well as they used to be.

For example, my 1983 Civic FE project had a mere 110K when it suffered a cracked head/bad head gasket probably by a driver who ignored the instrument panel.

The car sat for over ten years before I bought it this summer. After I swapped the engine out I brought the radiator (which looked in good shape) to a radiator repair shop of high repute. After cleaning it out (disassembling the tanks and rodding the core), it proved to be totally porous. So much for modern radiators, even the full metal one(s).

Oh, and if the dealer ship (As Caroline noted), breaks something, you can bet your bippy that they even it out somehow...

JT
 
There is probably no repair for the tank you have. Something caused it to crack in the first place - probably erosion on the inside.

A good radiator shop can and will replace tanks on many radiators, assuming the core is in good shape. My Volvo had plastic tanks, and my favorite rad shop replaced the cracked top tank with a good metal one and rodded the core for $75, cash and carry. (I did the removal and installation.) A decade later it is still doing a good job.

Mike
 
There is probably no repair for the tank you have. Something caused it to crack in the first place - probably erosion on the inside.

A good radiator shop can and will replace tanks on many radiators, assuming the core is in good shape. My Volvo had plastic tanks, and my favorite rad shop replaced the cracked top tank with a good metal one and rodded the core for $75, cash and carry. (I did the removal and installation.) A decade later it is still doing a good job.

Mike
 
Paul Banchero said:
The upper tank on my '91 Civic Si radiator has a split 1" - 2" long immediately above one of the two brackets that support the air intake horn - the one closest to the battery. (And, no - I haven't leaned on the air horn in the past, though that kind of pressure is what causes the split to widen.) Realistically, is this repairable by a radiator shop? The tank is made of rather thin metal (brass?; aluminum?). I wonder whether soldering or brazing would work. I suspect that the shop might suggest the replacement of the tank. The alternative is $326 for a new radiator! I intend to keep the car for some time.
Thanks.
Click to expand...

I've done 2-3" brazing (on my Civic) using a radiator solder core with great results. I'll bet very few shops are willing to repair it.
 
Paul Banchero said:
The upper tank on my '91 Civic Si radiator has a split 1" - 2" long immediately above one of the two brackets that support the air intake horn - the one closest to the battery. (And, no - I haven't leaned on the air horn in the past, though that kind of pressure is what causes the split to widen.) Realistically, is this repairable by a radiator shop? The tank is made of rather thin metal (brass?; aluminum?). I wonder whether soldering or brazing would work. I suspect that the shop might suggest the replacement of the tank. The alternative is $326 for a new radiator! I intend to keep the car for some time.
Thanks.
Click to expand...

I've done 2-3" brazing (on my Civic) using a radiator solder core with great results. I'll bet very few shops are willing to repair it.
 
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