You can have a small leak for a long time and not really notice it, A good sign to a coolant leak is if you smell maple syrup, but that is only if the coolant drips on something hot. Your radiator can fail at any time since it holds pressure, most of the time the hoses goes bad at the connection first. Its always a good idea to do a monthly inspection of your hoses belts and fluids, and never trust a shop to check them for you.

 

I have coolant all over my radiator and leaking onto the ground and the bottom of the engine compartment of course. I just bought a new radiator already without checking the hoses. The Temp gauge was fine when I drove it, only drove the car once since I bought it. The radiator cap had crystallized goo around the top much like an old bottle of any condiment in the refrigerator dont know if that means anything.I'm assuming it was the radiator and not just a hose. Bought a new thermostat as well.

 

Did you replace the radiator and the thermostat and did that fix the problem? Right now, I am in the same situation.

 

I am overnighting parts from Japan will find out soon and post my results

 

Always replace radiator cap when changing your radiator especially if it overheated.

 

So my car overheated on way home from work, steam and coolant everywhere. I couldnt tell where it was coming from because all hoses look okay. I took out my radiator inspected it and didn't see any cracks.

I reassembled, refilled with new fluid and drove it. It drove fine for awhile, idled at middle normal temp. drove up the street a little more and the temp gauge went up almost to max within a minute. I shut it down and popped the hood. Once again fluid was spilling everywhere and this time I found the leak on VIDEO! It must be the top of the radiator passenger side. (I guess?)

So should I replace radiator and thermostat and hope that will fix it? I dont have time to mess with it any more and want to take it to a local shop, any idea on what I should pay? I think $500 cash for new radiator and I already have new nissan thermostat and gasket so maybe $150 for labor just for thermostat? Does that sound about right?

http://vid1182.photobucket.com/albums/x452/Bizorecordz/RADIATOR%20LEAK_zps7qkqfr9e.mp4

 

you can get a radiator for 60 bucks on ebay that matches stock. I got one for 160 because im in canada,its the labour that's going to be costly. but if you willing to spend around 600 you might be able to get it done in a shop for that much

 

Back to provide update and closure to this thread:

So I ordered a new $88 radiator and cap from rockauto but then I realized it would not be here until Tuesday or Thursday so I would have had to wait for it before I could replace it.

I called the shop up the street and they told me $675 parts and labor out the door. I told them I had my own nissan thermostat and gasket but would use a radiator they provided and I would pay cash. We went back and forth eventually down to $575 to $525. I told them I would pay no more than $500 Cash out the door because weighing pros and cons it was worth about $500 to me and they came in at $495.

If I waited for radiator I would have needed to rent a car at for the week and wait for the radiator, then find time to do the labor (again I'm in real estate so even a day of downtime could lose a potential deal for me.)

(Sunk Costs: Nissan Thermostat and Gasket $36 Total)

Doing work myself:
Radiator and Cap $88
Coolant $50
Rental Car $225 + TAX
My personal Time and Labor + ~$363 TOTAL

Shop Charges: (I dont have invoice in front of me but I think this is what it was)
Radiator and Cap $180
Radiator Labor $130
Thermostat Labor $165
Misc. Shop Charges/TAX ~$20
Includes 3year/36K mile warranty on parts and labor $495 TOTAL

SO For a difference of $132 overall and a warranty on parts and labor, also getting my car back within 7 Hours...I'd say it was a pretty fair deal overall. Anyone have thoughts on this??

 

I think you u took the best course of action that your situation required and got a very fair price for the work!
I just finished removing my old radiator... I've only driven the car twice and have another vehicle so thankfully time is not a factor for doing work on my car. I thought it was a just going to be a clamp and I bought a radiator for nothing but after examing the old one it was toast. It was extremely dirty and had a pile of debris 2 inches high accumulating from the bottom blocking air flow. so far I've invested 180$ cdn for a thermostat and radiator so about 140 american funds. It has been a very cost effective endeavour and I plan on doing all the Infiniti maintenance myself now before I put the new rad back in as there is more access to everything right now.
here is a pic of the old rad beside the new one. no wonder it was overflowing.

 

Thanks man. Yeah that old radiator looks rough! Your car will thank you for that one! I had leaves and pine needles clogged up on the inbetween the AC core and the radiator, im sure it was choking on all that junk caught inbetween. No wonder it failed with summer temps nearing 100+ degrees