I asked a mechanic to investigate the overheating problem and he told me that my radiator is worn and needs to be changed. He told me a new Toyota radiator costs $400~$500, a OEM radiator can be a little bit cheaper. I have no idea about the price of radiator. Does anybody knows this? How much does it take to change a radiator (Toyota one or OEM one)? Thanks a lot! My car is 1997 Camry LE.
question on radiator
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Thank Dave. I also check some online store, it costs about $120. Maybe the mechanic want to make money from the labor. I don't know how much is the labor cost of replacing a radiator. But if I buy it online, I have to change it by myself. I don't know how to change it. Any detail instructions?
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1,209 Posts
i also bought a $63 made in taiwan radiator for my 93 4cyl camry from eGay, the seller is from CT. i went to local mechanic 3 years ago and spent $200 for a new made in Thailand radiator that only last 3 years. the aluminum fin was literally falling off upon touch.Check Ebay.Saved me quite a bit on my 2000 Camry radiator. Local popular auto parts store wanted $192 for it; I got it for $63 on Ebay.
Dave
replace the radiator is pretty straight forward, drain coolant from radiator first, two 12mm bolt on top, then remove all electrical wires for fan and sensor, and then upper and lower hose, swap fan shrouds, fill coolant 50/50 mix, and good to go again.
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1,532 Posts
I highly recommend getting an all metal radiator. The plastic & metal ones that Toyota uses probably have their place but the all metal ones just seem stronger. Remember to check with the supplier and make sure that the nipples for the transmission fluid hoses are included (some are part of the radiator and some are screw fittings that need to be added when you mount it).
In the future change out your coolant on schedule with a good grade coolant and your radiator will probably last a long time.
Kep
In the future change out your coolant on schedule with a good grade coolant and your radiator will probably last a long time.
Kep
I've heard from several other owners that the Camry radiator (at least for 1998-2000) had a bad habit of cracking across the top of the radiator, not where the fins are That's exactly where mine cracked... Not sure why it would crack there. I may post a pic of my crack tomorrow.
My gen 3 (1993 2.2 I4) radiator cracked in the same spot. Plastic capped radiators are lame..............but then again, it's not like the metal ones were perfect either. They had radiator shops back in the day before plastic was used too.
I found one of my upper radiator holders had a lot of play in it. It allowed one side of the radiator to move fore and aft about 1/3" or so.........and while it doesn't sound like much, keep in mind that kind of movement for 150k miles will contribute to cracking of the plastic. I used some double sided tape to fill the gap between the bracket and the radiator--no more excessive play.
So anyone who changes their radiator, be sure to inspect how well the new one fits, and ensure there isn't excessive movement.
I found one of my upper radiator holders had a lot of play in it. It allowed one side of the radiator to move fore and aft about 1/3" or so.........and while it doesn't sound like much, keep in mind that kind of movement for 150k miles will contribute to cracking of the plastic. I used some double sided tape to fill the gap between the bracket and the radiator--no more excessive play.
So anyone who changes their radiator, be sure to inspect how well the new one fits, and ensure there isn't excessive movement.
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