Finally got my truck to the shop to check out electrical gremlins & they were so backed up they couldn't take a look at.

I did manage to get my oil changed (I know I could have done it, but for $30 I didn't have to get filthy) & all I can say is WOW. Even after driving 20 miles or so to get to the shop, the oil was as thick as cold syrup and black as coal.

Meanwhile, I asked the mechanic if he's seen many Ranger radiators leak then seal themselves. The guy said he's owned 2 Rangers & BOTH of them had radiator leaks & that after he (a Ford technician) replaced them 2 times each, he gave up & poured in a bottle of radiator stop leak & conditioner.

He said he sees a lot of these plastic radiators leak when the temps get below 20*. I've had my Ranger since about 98 and it's been through winters a lot colder than we had this year & yet this is the first time mine leaked. Guess I've been lucky all these years.

He said the $3 bottle of stop leak stopped the leaks in both of his trucks.

Going to grab an extra bottle of stop leak to put in my tool box with the gallon of antifreeze.

-Mods, feel free to move this post if it would be appropriate under another section-

 

I heard that conditioner screws up the heater core. I havent seen mine leak and I bought the truck new. Also living in the northeast we get cold weather where I live.

 

min dose not leak and it was driveing in -56 celceus not sure what that is in amercan temp

 

^Pretty sure it's freakin cold!

 

yeah instand frost bite. lol my whole crew was with me in edmonton the nissan did not start the toyota did not start the chev did not start mine it started every time but im sure it didnt like it.

i also just looked it up
-58.4° Celsius =-73.12° Fahrenheit
damn cold soem times i get down on my ranger because it dosent have a v8 or gets bad milage for a 6cyl and only seat 2 but it has never let me down when i needed it

http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/edmo.../12141366.html
here is a link read about the canadian winter makes me wish i lived in cali

 

Simple: plastic and aluminum expand and contract at different rates, and wear out at different rates. They're also cheap, I paid $100 over the counter for my last one and it was 15 min to change out (good piece of mind). These new rads aren't designed to last like the old copper ones, they're designed to break down and be replaced.

You can also pull your rad out and gently squeeze the tabs tight again, the locking ones that hold the plastic tank to the core. Its a simple rubber gasket in there so assuming that there's no debris in there is should seal back up. I also wouldn't recommend stop-leak in you engine either, yes it will seal up leaks but it can't distinguish between a pinhole leak and a small orifice in your heater core or waterpump. Conditioner probably isn't a bad idea, but regular flushes should take care of that anyways. LR

 

Yeah, but you crazy bastages still play golf in that temp, I've seen them do it on the course out by Nisku by Hwy 2 LR