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help! -radiator drain plug REMOVAL
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chrissy s
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Sep 23, 2012, 2:06 PM
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help! -radiator drain plug REMOVAL
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I have a 95 chrysler concorde with a 3.3 engine. The radiator drain plug is leaking like a sive! I need to remove and replace it but I cannot get it out!!! Anyone who knows how to do this, PLEASE HELP!!
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Hammer Time
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Sep 23, 2012, 6:04 PM
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Re: help! -radiator drain plug REMOVAL
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I'm afraid you are probably looking at a new radiator there. The radiator itself is likely damaged. The plugs aren't sold separately that I'm aware of anyway. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Tom Greenleaf
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Sep 23, 2012, 11:45 PM
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Re: help! -radiator drain plug REMOVAL
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Was on watch for this. Could be a hassle if just the drain plug itself as it may not be identical now if ever radiator ever replaced to what it was new? If, if, if it's one of these type that loosen, flop and do not come completely out like this.......... That you would have to squeeze the barbs in and go match it up. Hard to just look this up but a line of assorted rather cheapo junk IMO for stuff like this is sold under the name "HELP" parts about always in a card pack in the 'assorted crap' isle of some auto parts places. Scary that a stupid plug can blow your engine if ignored but it can. Don't allow it to run or drive it if it DOES take a whole radiator to solve it. IT MUST SEAL UP PROPERLY and who knows if radiator tank is the problem or this type plug? This type doesn't fall out on its own. If you find one triple check it for sealing and recheck the thing until proven OK as there's too much at risk, T
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chrissy s
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Sep 24, 2012, 7:54 AM
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Re: help! -radiator drain plug REMOVAL
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This is the part I need. Its at napa with my name on it. I can get it to unscrew and pull out to drain, but it will not come out completely. The car has 220,000 miles on it. Can I let it drain and dry, then seal plug from outside with an epoxy? Instead of replaceing it?
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Hammer Time
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Sep 24, 2012, 8:02 AM
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Re: help! -radiator drain plug REMOVAL
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No, you can not. Sealer does not work on a plastic radiator that has coolant under pressure. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Tom Greenleaf
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Sep 24, 2012, 10:04 AM
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Re: help! -radiator drain plug REMOVAL
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No as HT said. You need it at least out somehow to know if radiator could even except a new one or if that's the whole problem. This car is grounded (don't drive it) until this is settled, T
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chrissy s
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Sep 24, 2012, 11:13 AM
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Re: help! -radiator drain plug REMOVAL
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how do you tell if my car can take a new radiator? sorry, i'm a very amatuer mechanic, LOL! not sure what you mean.
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Tom Greenleaf
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Sep 24, 2012, 12:36 PM
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Re: help! -radiator drain plug REMOVAL
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It can take a new radiator, common and listed to be universal for automatics or standards, Now look at an OE drain plug I found if OE. That was listed on one of those "Help" cards I mentioned. If you want to see if that sucker is the problem itself take it out! By the looks of that one you unscrew to drain but doesn't fall out. To remove my guess is pull on it an turn the other way. Then you could know if it's messed up or the radiator. If you don't think you can tell the difference you are over your head. Whole plug may be reverse threaded. I plain can't be certain. If those take more than a good grip by hand it probably was overtightened at some point or stuck and forced too hard? If this is too hard for you just send this out. YOUR ENGINE IS AT RISK OVER PHARTING AROUND WITH THIS!
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Hammer Time
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Sep 24, 2012, 12:39 PM
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I really think you're just spinning your wheels here. The petcock is not leaking because the petcock itself is damaged. The damage is likely to the housing that accepts it. It's probably cracked. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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nickwarner
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Sep 24, 2012, 6:50 PM
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With HT here plastic petcock mates to a plastic tank. Probably OE radiator so with age and mileage the new one solves this issue and stops future ones. As Tom said your engine is at risk if this is leaking hard and shouldn't be driven. If you've been dumping straight water in if for now to get by stop and drain that out. Even if you aren't in an area of the country at risk to freeze soon you aren't properly lubricating the bearing of the water pump with straight water and it will likely fail soon. Epoxy, stop leak in a can, pepper and such aren't going to do anything but leak anyway and cause more expensive issues. If it was in my bay or owned by me I'd swing in the new radiator and fresh load of 50/50 coolant.
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Tom Greenleaf
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Sep 25, 2012, 12:27 AM
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Re: help! -radiator drain plug REMOVAL
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Whole radiator isn't that expensive for this car - new 50/50 antifreeze a must as Nick said, any hoses needed would be a good thing for the car if worth keeping at all. Even if this was just the plug it was never mentioned or overlooked by me as to why it just decided to leak there now? T
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