2004 350Z Automatic: I paid a shop to replace my valve cover gaskets. The first day I got it back the top of the radiator tore open with a loud pop. Paid same shop to replace the radiator and cap. Picked it up again and the same day the cooling system exploded again with no overheating. I have not noticed any significant steam/water coming for the tail pipe

What can be happening and is is something that could be caused by the valve cover gasket repair job?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Jim B.

 

take it to dealership and have fun

or

change radiator

change thermostat ?

 

when you say "Cooling system exploded again" what exactly happened?

Coolant coming out of overflow tank?

I would take it back to the shop and let them fix whatever they F'ed up.

 

and I can't imagine the valve covers effecting the cooling system in normal conditions.

They F'ed something up during valve cover install.......but I would think maybe only radiator cap......doubt they messed with radiator at all.

 

The first time the entire plastic top of radiator split open. I could tell where the system failed the second time other than all the coolant definitely drained. Both times were within 2 hours of picking the vehicle up.

Could they have reconnected something incorrectly during the reassembly of the parts after valve covers replacements causing combustion fumes to enter the cooling system? Seems that it definitely has to be related to what they did during valve cover job.

Thanks.

 

I've done the valve covers myself........nothing to do with coolant system.

 

A blocked coolant inlet hole on the thermostat...?

 

I believe there is a coolant connection to the throttle body (To prevent ice build up in colder temps I think), which would need to be disconnected in order to remove the valve covers for the seal replacement. This is the only area I can think of that they touched related to the coolant system during the gasket/seal job. The inlet/outlet hoses are fairly small diameter. I find it hard to imagine blocking on of these would cause the radiator to crack/split. The Motordyne ISO Thermal Spacer kit includes a valve that connects in-line with one of these hoses.

Something else is going on. It could just be pure coincidence that your rad failed after the valve cover seal replacement. But it's also very odd that the new rad failed as well. Best to have a knowledgeable shop take a look at the cooling system as a whole (water pump, rad, thermostat, etc).
-Icer