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Radiator failure in 19 Redeye

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#1
Wondering if others have seen this issue, 2019 REWB around 21k miles. Daily driver for the wife, she called saying temperature had gone up and coolant was leaking. Luckily only 15 mins from the house so I went and trailered it home. Was hoping it was something simple like a hose, poured some water in to look for the leak and saw it leaking out quickly about 1/2 way up on the radiator on the passenger side. Could see some swelling and it was obvious where the breach was. Nearby dealer had one in stock, so was able to pick it up and did the swap myself in about 3 hours - 45 mins of it looking for my short 10mm socket. Yes, probably could have warrantied it, but with other work done on it, didn't want it to sit at the dealer for a week while we went back and forth. After I pulled the old one out, could see the swelling even better - first picture. I cut open the plastic there to see mode of failure - looks like a manufacturing defect. Second picture, seems the channels with the red marks are pinched on the ends, while the others seem more rounded. Wondering if the pinched ends caused excess fluid velocity and eventually caused the plastic to bulge and break the seal. O-ring seal looks slightly rolled on the surface. Note the blue indicates my damage from a screwdriver prying open the plastic section I cut out.

At the time of failure, nothing really being done other than highway driving. Car does have plenty of runs racing, but not within the past 3 weeks or so. Never have had any issue with loss of fluid.

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fumanchu182

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#2
The amount of pressure in the system isn't enough to bulge the metal if everything is free flowing, maybe there is an obstruction? Cut it open and see if anything is blocking the channels.
 


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#3
Did your wife say how hot it got???

Did it just barely overheat, or did it go crazy high?

By appearances, it looks like it got really hot and took that stupid plastic piece out when it did...
 


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#4
Wondering if others have seen this issue, 2019 REWB around 21k miles. Daily driver for the wife, she called saying temperature had gone up and coolant was leaking. Luckily only 15 mins from the house so I went and trailered it home. Was hoping it was something simple like a hose, poured some water in to look for the leak and saw it leaking out quickly about 1/2 way up on the radiator on the passenger side. Could see some swelling and it was obvious where the breach was. Nearby dealer had one in stock, so was able to pick it up and did the swap myself in about 3 hours - 45 mins of it looking for my short 10mm socket. Yes, probably could have warrantied it, but with other work done on it, didn't want it to sit at the dealer for a week while we went back and forth. After I pulled the old one out, could see the swelling even better - first picture. I cut open the plastic there to see mode of failure - looks like a manufacturing defect. Second picture, seems the channels with the red marks are pinched on the ends, while the others seem more rounded. Wondering if the pinched ends caused excess fluid velocity and eventually caused the plastic to bulge and break the seal. O-ring seal looks slightly rolled on the surface. Note the blue indicates my damage from a screwdriver prying open the plastic section I cut out.

At the time of failure, nothing really being done other than highway driving. Car does have plenty of runs racing, but not within the past 3 weeks or so. Never have had any issue with loss of fluid.

View attachment 48943 View attachment 48945
Sorry to hear this happen, Probably should of let the dealer pay for it, but I'm like you, I would rather do it myself than to wait on them & worry about it being dinged up or some kid test driving it & running the shit out of it.

How much was the new radiator & coolant ?
 


OP
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Thread Starter #5
Did your wife say how hot it got???

Did it just barely overheat, or did it go crazy high?

By appearances, it looks like it got really hot and took that stupid plastic piece out when it did...
Luckily it seemed pretty instantaneous and she shut it off right away. Was just below the 235 mark.
 


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Sorry to hear this happen, Probably should of let the dealer pay for it, but I'm like you, I would rather do it myself than to wait on them & worry about it being dinged up or some kid test driving it & running the shit out of it.

How much was the new radiator & coolant ?
Radiator was ~$325 with tax, coolant ~$60. Also changed it out to a 180 deg thermostat while I had it cracked open - something was already planning on doing.
 


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#7
Radiator was ~$325 with tax, coolant ~$60. Also changed it out to a 180 deg thermostat while I had it cracked open - something was already planning on doing.
If you don't have a tune for the 180 you may get a CEL. Just warning you in case it happens and you make think something is wrong with the new radiator
My Hellcat didn't like the 180 so I had to take it back out
 


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If you don't have a tune for the 180 you may get a CEL. Just warning you in case it happens and you make think something is wrong with the new radiator
My Hellcat didn't like the 180 so I had to take it back out
Thanks - yeah I was prepared for it to flag something. Good so far.
 


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#9
Radiator was ~$325 with tax, coolant ~$60. Also changed it out to a 180 deg thermostat while I had it cracked open - something was already planning on doing.
So not too bad, I thought the radiator would be more expensive, good to know.

I never had a issue with the 180* t stat on stock tune.
 


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#10
So not too bad, I thought the radiator would be more expensive, good to know.

I never had a issue with the 180* t stat on stock tune.
You are in a warmer climate. Up here where it can be pretty cool in the am and hot in the day. Then it is likely to be more of an issue.
I installed a 190 in mine and it is all good.
 


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#11
You are in a warmer climate. Up here where it can be pretty cool in the am and hot in the day. Then it is likely to be more of an issue.
I installed a 190 in mine and it is all good.
Everything is different way up there. :LOL:
Did you have issue with 180 ?
OP is here in TX. tho.
 


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Everything is different way up there. :LOL:
Did you have issue with 180 ?
OP is here in TX. tho.
I realized he is out your way.
I didn't even bother with the 180.
People that have warmer weather than here had issues in the cold. Something about taking to long to warm up.
I just wanted to cool it down at the end of a run. Now it is at 201F max going through the traps.
Yesterday it was 57F in the morning and 82F in the afternoon. In the fall it can be below freezing when I leave and in the 50's in the afternoon. I didn't need to test out the 180 to likely have an issue. 😉
 


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#13
I realized he is out your way.
I didn't even bother with the 180.
People that have warmer weather than here had issues in the cold. Something about taking to long to warm up.
I just wanted to cool it down at the end of a run. Now it is at 201F max going through the traps.
Yesterday it was 57F in the morning and 82F in the afternoon. In the fall it can be below freezing when I leave and in the 50's in the afternoon. I didn't need to test out the 180 to likely have an issue. 😉
Yeah, if others in your similar weather have had issues, no need to try & prove them wrong.
Except for winter time, I would rather have your weather than this hot humid soup.
 


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#14
If you don't have a tune for the 180 you may get a CEL. Just warning you in case it happens and you make think something is wrong with the new radiator
My Hellcat didn't like the 180 so I had to take it back out
It takes to 2 short trips to fault, and 3 good trips to reset itself. It only runs the diagnostic once per trip I believe. As long as you get the operating temperature up to 180 quickly (at least for 5.7 and 6.1 experience, not sure if the test has changed or become more precise for the 6.2, 6.4), you should be good. What is guaranteed to set it for example, is getting immediately on the highway from a cold engine, and in cooler weather, then it takes too long too warm up to what the PCM thinks it should be.

I've had a 180 in a 5.7 for > 10 years year-round, plus the fans set to come up a few degrees sooner than stock (at idle/low speed) and I only ever threw the CEL (P0128) twice all that time, both times when going straight on the highway too many times in a row.

I drive it in manual shift to hold the engine revs up a bit longer from cold until it's up to at least 180. Works for me up here in Canada.
(my 6.4 still has the stock thermostat however, I rarely see it getting above 185-194 so I didn't bother switching it out).
 


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#15
that stupid plastic piece ...
I continue to boggle at plastic radiators years after they were introduced. I know all the pros; I'm just a metal kind of man.
 


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I am actually surprised (pleasantly so) that this doesn't happen more often with the plastic end caps. You say you didn't want to go to dealer because of "other work done on it". You have overdrive lower? Not that that would have done it, others have been running with no problem. Years ago @Speedy had problems with a lower radiator hose collapsing because pulley speed was so fast it was causing collapsing and cavitation in the system. With the newness and low miles on your car, weak radiator hoses shouldn't be a problem, but check them anyway. Maybe lower is collapsing/squeezing at speed causing flow restriction and temp spikes? Check thermo too. Maybe it's just a 'one of those things' manufacturing defect for that radiator and you got 'the one in a million'. Good pics and forensic investigation!
 


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#17
It takes to 2 short trips to fault, and 3 good trips to reset itself. It only runs the diagnostic once per trip I believe. As long as you get the operating temperature up to 180 quickly (at least for 5.7 and 6.1 experience, not sure if the test has changed or become more precise for the 6.2, 6.4), you should be good. What is guaranteed to set it for example, is getting immediately on the highway from a cold engine, and in cooler weather, then it takes too long too warm up to what the PCM thinks it should be.

I've had a 180 in a 5.7 for > 10 years year-round, plus the fans set to come up a few degrees sooner than stock (at idle/low speed) and I only ever threw the CEL (P0128) twice all that time, both times when going straight on the highway too many times in a row.

I drive it in manual shift to hold the engine revs up a bit longer from cold until it's up to at least 180. Works for me up here in Canada.
(my 6.4 still has the stock thermostat however, I rarely see it getting above 185-194 so I didn't bother switching it out).
This is how I have always understood the tstat error codes, and the 6.2 for me has behaved like my older 6.1 and 6.4 engines.

On your 6.4 with the stock t-stat, doesn't it need to at least hit 203 and stay there? How could it be below 203?(other than when it's warming up?)
 


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#18
This is how I have always understood the tstat error codes, and the 6.2 for me has behaved like my older 6.1 and 6.4 engines.

On your 6.4 with the stock t-stat, doesn't it need to at least hit 203 and stay there? How could it be below 203?(other than when it's warming up?)
You're right, I was thinking it was F when my display is in C. It really is showing about 94C or so not 194F; 94C is about 201F so that's matches up closer. although I need to watch it again but I think it does drop into the 80's C (185-190F) while driving after that.
 




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