

| Subject: | Re: Confessions of a blind mechanic |
| From: | Dan N |
| Date: | Tue, 28 Mar 2023 11:37:25 -0700 |
hi Eric, Have you heard and consider using of Subaru coolant conditioner? On Tue, Mar 28, 2023 at 11:32 AM Eric Caron <ericcaron96@comcast.net> wrote: > Correction, date on radiator is 2020, not 2000. > > > On Mar 28, 2023, at 1:39 PM, Eric Caron <ericcaron96@COMCAST.NET> wrote: > > > > So folks, > > > > Things don’t always go perfectly. > > > > But, so far my most recent mess ups seem to be working out ok. > > > > I was excited to find a South African radiator from 2000. Hoping it is > one of the rare good ones. The unit was triple packed and had the most > desirable radiator name on the outside. > > > > So, I wanted to get everything done so a friend could help me bleed the > system. > > > > Mistakes began to happen. > > > > I put on the hoses in advance and as a expert stopped in I asked him > about the sensor install and he installed it. > > > > I then positioned the radiator with fan shroud in place and got it onto > a wide jack. > > > > I double checked position and location of wires and fan and sensor > plugs. > > > > New bushings on the radiator and time to put into place. > > > > I raised very slowly and kept checking for wires and anything else that > might be caught or out of place. > > > > Slowly, slowly, check, check again. > > > > Then a sound, a sort of metal crick. I looked everywhere for the > source. And then noticed, the temp sensor sticks out of radiator and was > under the metal of the van. > > > > My heart stoped. I lowered the jack a bit and moved the radiator > to clear the sensor. > > > > I felt all around it and all seemed good. > > > > I had thoughts of a destroyed radiator. > > > > What to do? Well keep going. Hope for the best. > > > > Slowly continued and then put in the lower brackets all seemed good. > > > > Attach the two rubber hoses and pipes. I marked the position of each > with tactile markers. > > > > I added coolant back and massaged hoses and then pressurized getting a > gallon in. I opened the radiator bleeder and then put a couple pounds of > pressure in the tank and got more coolant into the system. > > > > But then I noticed coolant at the front. I looked and realized the > lower bracket was pressing against the hose clamp screw. Had this messed > up the hose? Or worse cracked the radiator plastic. > > > > I lowered the bracket and adjusted the clamp to a better position. > > > > Re check. Still a leak. > > > > Then I realized. Maybe the radiator bleeder? > > > > I closed it and put a few pounds in. No leaks. > > > > Later we bled the system and hit a bump when my friend messed with the > bleeder. > > But, system was likely fully pressurized. > > > > No leaks from sensor, no leak from front hoses and connection areas. > > > > So, maybe these blind person errors didn’t do the serious damage I was > afraid of. > > > > But, only time and a fully running system, and a fan turning on and off > will see. > > > > Fingers crossed. > > > > I try so hard to be careful but sometimes bad luck and no vision get me. > > > > But, more often then not, good luck and care get me through. > > > > So, darn it, mistakes happen. > > > > Now to get that new rear bleeder on and see if I’m good to go. > > > > Eric Caron >
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