new radiator

the old radiator. a piece of shit.

The Celica's slowly coming together. Granted, it's not in bad shape (just wear-and-tear issues to deal with), and it's nowhere near as bad as my Prizm had been. I can't imagine leaking gas right now, not with these astronomical prices (today I saw gas for an amazing $3.85 and filled up immediately). First I had to replace the alternator, and that was a nightmare. Then came the brakes, and I went ahead and installed new rotors and pads, the whole deal. Within the last few months, the radiator's been leaking, due to (a) a rusted cap-fit so that the pressure wasn't air-tight, and (b) multiple holes along the actual radiator. The problem escalated in the last week or so, with the car steaming every time I parked (coolant leaking and steaming against the hot engine); and then the car itself started overheating as the radiator lost its ability to function. Most estimates put the repair at around $400-500, but I bought a new radiator (only $150) and replaced it myself (a one-hour ordeal that became a three-hour ordeal as I kept running into problems; and not once but twice I screwed up and had coolant spraying all over the garage). Nevertheless, after much sweating and cursing, I finally got the radiator in and hooked up, filled her up with some top-notch coolant, and now the Celica's running without any hitches. It's crazy that I can actually feel a difference when I drive: the engine runs smoother and quieter, and high rpm's don't make the car shake, and I don't have the constant fear of the engine overheating. There's still some work to be done--a new upper radiator hose, which cost me only $13, and a new thermostat, which will be $20-30, both of which will be easy to replace--but the car's in much better shape, and I can breathe easier. Just in time, too: I've got a wedding in Indianapolis next weekend, and without this overhaul, my car would've died halfway there, and it'd been the second wedding I've missed in the last year.