ATTENTION ( WORDS TO THE WISE ) Radiator issue

[scouttster]

My radiator started leaking a couple days ago on a radiator I purchased last year. My first thought was Chinese crap radiator.. But, after careful inspection I found the leak and it turned out that the fan shroud was snug up against the radiator - TO SNUG.. The vibration of movements caused the shroud to rub two small holes in two of the passes. I was able to repair them both using ALUMIWELD. I highly recommend this product. In any event, I am writing this post to suggest that ( if your up to it ) you take a peek and make sure that your shroud is not SNUG up against the radiator. To fix this, I just pulled the shroud out a bit and inserted a small rubber block.

[ARCHINSTL]

VERY interesting product - Thanks!
Not expensive, either.
Web site - worth reading all of it: http://www.alumiweld.com/
Tom M.

[Petros]

This is an important point. I have noticed this clearance issue on many tercels, if I take the radiator out I usually bend the fan mount to give it more clearance. It also makes it easier to remove and replace the radiator since the fan shroud lip hangs over the lower header tank, often trapping it. with more clearance it makes R and R of the radiator much easier too, as well as lower risk of this kind of chaffing damage.

If the front of the car was ever damaged, even in a very minor collision, the risk of this kind of problem is greatly increased. I have seen the fan shroud rubbed shinny spots on a number of radiator tubs, it was just a matter of time to develop a leak like you did. I always bend the fan mounts to prevent contact between the front of the radiator and the fan shroud every time I have to remove a radiator.