Lexus ES radiator lost coolant

Joined
Sep 20, 2003
Messages
1,708
Location
Austin, TX
Last night my wife went over a low water crossing at night in a hurry and heard a dang in the bottom of the front end (ES is very low riding sedan).

In a few miles the radiator was shot and she stopped and got it towed home. This morning opened up the radiator housing and couldn't see anything resulting in a loss. The tap was intact - infact there is no way the radiator could have experienced a fail from the front end hitting the bottom.

Ordered a new one from RockAuto - shall look further but thought its best to get the forums inputs into this mystery.
 
Anyway to know if the fan was running at the time?

Don't know about electric fans, but on older cars with mechanical metal fans, I've heard that the fan blades can be 'pushed/pulled' into the radiator when crossing deep enough water...cutting nice holes into the core.

Don't know if the plastic blades of an electric fan could do the same???
 
Consider rudimentary diagnostic methods like pouring some water into the system to see where it comes out.
Definitely, I haven't gotten it out as the new one is on order. The suspense is intense to unravel the source of the leak.
 
When a system leaks, it is best to try to locate the leak without taking any of the possibly involved parts apart. And before ordering any parts for that matter.
 
With new coolants it is wise to NEVER introduce any water that is not de-ionized into the system. And it is not even a good idea to introduce de-ionized water into the system, because while that would not introduce ions into the system, it would make it hard to get the concentration back to 50/50 if you were filling it with pre-mixed 50/50.

And definitely NEVER flush it with any acid, as they are loaded with ions.

Modern antifreeze last a very long time, but that is only accomplished by keeping ions out of the system. Once they are introduced, they are a bear to try to get them all out.
 
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