DPJ

My wife's 2004 RX330 has a pin hole radiator (top right) leak. My Toyota dealers first offer was $990 for a Lexus radiator or $950 for an aftermarket replacement radiator. It has 101000 miles. Any suggestions? Thanks!

fastnoypi

are you mechanically savvy? You can get an aftermarket radiator from ebay or amazon vendors for less than 200.
Or you can search locally for radiator repair shop that can braze the puncture.

LazarusLng

I was quoted 500 from an independent mechanic. I purchased a radiator from rock auto for just over $200, and am going to do the install myself.

mylexbaby

Two tips about DIY. One is to check where your RX was made. There can be a difference in radiators between Japan origin and Canada origin cars. So be careful with aftermarket radiators. You might need to give your VIN number to check.

Second is you should be comfortable with mechanical things when they go a bit wrong. For example, there are 4 screws that hold the A/C condenser coils to the front of the radiator. The screws can be rusted/frozen and the bottom ones are hard to access (some guides say remove the front bumper but that is not absolutely necessary).

It is a do-able DIY, and I don't know about repairing a pin hole in an aluminum radiator.

You will also need Toyota long life coolant and to consider draining and replacing what you have in there now when the radiator is out.

DPJ

Thanks to all so far. My car is from Japan. the radiator is aluminium and plastic. I am mechanically inclined and have all the tools. I was a bit scared off by the 5 hr service time the dealer quoted and a poster here that ordered two wrong radiators.

ESRXGUY

I just had this service done last week on my 2004 RX 330 Canadian build under warranty days before it was going to expire.

Price on the receipt with coolant, radiator and labor was $599
For those who care the part number for my radiator (Canada Build Car) is 16041-0A412 ($384.87)

While it was there I said might as well throw in a thermostat. parts and labor $123.56
The thermostat is 90916-A3003 ($22.02) and gasket is 16325-62010 ($12.12)

fastnoypi

repair shops have been doing it for years with aluminum brazing rods. Lots of examples of what they do can be found on youtube.

The OP can attempt to do it himself with a can of propane or map gas and alumiweld/durafix rods that can be found cheap at harbor freight or ebay. Or depending how big the pinhole JB Weld would work.

If the problem was with one of the end tanks, I would just get a replacement radiator.

mylexbaby

The time estimate might be "book" that includes front bumper removal. It is possible to reach everything without removal but a couple of things will be at an angle.

Consider a new radiator cap if it is still the original one.

sgmstr

I got mine done for about $600 with OEM lexus parts a few years ago. It wasn't a dealer but a guy who works on lexus only and worked as lexus matertech for several years before that.

I would find someone that knows lexus and only works on lexus.

nick49

My first post here, howdy all!

Wife's '06 400h leaking red fluid on the garage floor pretty badly and wanted to find what it was and a fix. Yup it's coolant. I did a bunch of plastic removal to get a better look. I could see a whitish trail running down the right side of the tank. I didn't want to deal with replacement right now I've got too much other stuff going on.

I had a similar issue on my Porsche Turbo with both R&L rads seeping and consulted a senior tech friend at the dealer. He looked around, then whispered "Alumiseal". $5.99 and it worked perfectly. No more drips and hot burned coolant smell.

I removed the upper hose from the Lexus and poured in the sealer. Buttoned up the car enough to drive it for 20 minutes. Checked underneath and ton the garage floor, it's dry. Worked for now. $5.99 fix. If it leaks down the road a new rad $89.99 + ship 10.99, 12.99 coolant, an hour or 2 for the job and all is permanently fixed for a few years.

Too bad radiators in our technologically advanced world are expendable items.

LazarusLng

Don't use anything but coolant that you buy from your Lexus or Toyota dealer. Certain coolants have chemicals that will eat the silicone gaskets that are part of your cooling system.

fastnoypi

No doubt that you can't go wrong with OEM toyota red or pink coolants from you dealer.
Zerex Asian formula is an acceptable safe alternative to Toyota Pink. I know a few long time Toyota techs that use it at their work when shipments are late and use it with their side work. It is compatible with Toyota pink and red for topping off and can be ordered/picked up at any NAPA.

Other notable HOAT coolants that meet the protection levels of Toyota red/pink
Pentofrost A1 and A4
Beck/Arnley Red concentrate or Pink pre-mix
Recochem's "OEM Premium" Red concentrate or Pink pre-mix
Aisin Pink (50/50 pre-mix)

nick49

Thanks for your concern on the coolant type, I researched this relentlessly years ago when wanting to add coolant to our Porsche Boxster, avoiding the dealer that sells it by the liter. A lot of new type coolants are lifetime and are devoid of certain chemicals. Important to add compatible types.

Porsche coolant is pink as well and made by Pentosin.

LazarusLng

Thanks for the list of compatible coolants.

fastnoypi

No problem, most of the list are compiled from posts off the Toyota Nation forum that i individually researched to confirm. I found the Zerex Asian formula the easiest to get through my local NAPA.