Paint in my radiator ?!

[Blanca BusaLess]

While changing over to non-glycol coolant for Blanca I noticed something.
Paint in the coolant ?
Yes black paint.
Through further investigation I found it came off upper radiator intake.

At the factory the radiator must get sprayed by a mechanical system that rotates around them or vice versa.
This paint got into and was applied somewhat to the inside of the intake tube.
After only 4500 miles the paint on inside of intake was blistering , peeling and coming off and flowing thru my system.
You can see from pics how much it was.

Does it or did it make a diff ?
Most likely physically not that I know of.
Mentally yes I cant believe it was in there and how much actually got applied to inside of upper intake tube on radiator.


Middle pic is of it before I cleaned the paint off.
It went almost a fingers length up in there but was soft enough to where with my nail it came right out.
Bottom pic is of paint that came out on first drain.
Big piece is about size of a quarter.

For those with minds like mine..sorry..better run..its in there...!

 

[Blake051300]

Early Gen1's had a black painted radiator and then they stopped that around 01-02 (I think) and left the natural aluminum finish. Looks like that was a good idea.

 

[Blake051300]

why they did it again in Gen 2, who knows.

 

[Blanca BusaLess]

inside of rad is clean and clear, not painted.
It is only this neck that got 'oversprayed' on the inside a bit.





As I am typing this my mind is telling me I did not look at lower intake as I only removed hose from water pump on that side...?

 

[Blake051300]

I understand that you said it was only painted on the outside and some over spray got inside the neck. Just commenting on the fact that they were once painted, then it was stopped and obviously they started again. Guess you know what you need to clean now. That sucks.

 

[Blanca BusaLess]

Just flushed it like 4 times and put in hi-dollar hollar coolant !
Now I'm thinking about the lower intake.....AAAAArrrrgh !

 

[djsin]

mine is all aluminum

 

[BIG GUY]

I have an '06 and it is left in it's natural aluminum finish. May not have the paint like yours, but it reminds me to look for anything that might be in my coolant when I go to do the dual fan mod.

 

[flynlow]

I understand your concern. Chips are big enough to reek havoc on the ports. Not needed in the FL heat! Maybe call Zuk and see what they have to say.

 

[Blanca BusaLess]

It dont bother me as I flushed it four times before I added the non glycol stuff.
What does bother me is the thought of the lower intake looking like the one in pics above and that paint coming off in my new pretty pink coolant !

I dont think it will make a diff performance wise or driveabilty wise if a few pieces like you see are flowing around in there. I may be wrong ?

 

[chrisjp]

i would say ...anything that gums up the works...not good

 

[flynlow]

Could always drain the system into a clean container and reuse after cleaning up the paint. It's a PITA, but I would. JMO though.

 

[FanaticalKilla]

Do you guys honestly think a small little bit of paint chips is going to wreck anything in a cooling system?

 

[Blanca BusaLess]

Physically no
Mentally yes !!!!!!!!

 

[2hip]

Saiid, work must be really slow now You might also want to go to the doctor and have some medications ordered for the compulsive-obsessive disorder you are suffering from... I am the same way with the bike...It has to be perfect. We are very much like women and their infant children...2hip

 

[Blanca BusaLess]

Saiids not here....
he checked himself in to the hospital to keep from tearing Blanca apart....

Get me outta herrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrE !

 

[skydivr]

I didn't take that hose off, but I didn't see any contaminants in my flush(es)....

 

[ajblbv]

I heard that paint off the lower radiator housing could lead to a mirky dark pink coolant issue....

 

[Blanca BusaLess]

my ballz itch

 

[Blazing-Saddle]

.....I dont think it will make a diff performance wise or driveabilty wise if a few pieces like you see are flowing around in there. I may be wrong ?

Yes, it could make a difference; I had the same problem on a 1990 ZX-10 and the problem came when it clogged the tiny hole in the thermostat bypass and caused the system to overheat. I do not know if the Suzuki has the same bypass (It allows the hot water a place to flow to heat up the thermostat and open it up) but I would check.