2012 Yukon xl 4x4 eating antifreeze?

[West 1]

I had an Escalade doing this. Leak was found to be in the rear, passenger side where the heater hoses connect tot he rear AC and Heat.
With your miles I would have the radiator tested for Hydro carbons, you can also buy a kit at any local parts store to do this. If the kit finds hydrocarbons in your radiator the head gaskets are leaking, if not they are good. Quick and pretty cheap test to rule it out. I lean towards this since your idle is fluctuating, the engine is compensating for something.

 

[lifeisamystery]

Yeah, we happened to see my radiator do it on a fluke while we were re-doing the front end. It didn't seep for very long, a few seconds at most and then it stopped. Looks like a hairline crack in the plastic end cap on the driver's side. Seriously debating on taking the $300 hit to replace it with an all metal one. Are the new "OEM" plastic ones just as crappy?

 

[West 1]

If it went 250,000 miles I would rate it as really good not crappy.

 

[Doubeleive]

Yeah, we happened to see my radiator do it on a fluke while we were re-doing the front end. It didn't seep for very long, a few seconds at most and then it stopped. Looks like a hairline crack in the plastic end cap on the driver's side. Seriously debating on taking the $300 hit to replace it with an all metal one. Are the new "OEM" plastic ones just as crappy?

oem is your best option.
coolant only goes 2 places
it either leaks out, or leaks in
sounds like you got lucky and found where it is leaking out

 

[the blur]

This forum is funny. The GM plastic radiator goes for 10 years, and the forum calls it junk, get metal.
The hydraulic motor mounts go for 80,000 miles, and the forum calls it junk, go for solid mounts.
OK, let's defeat 10 zillion dollars of GM engineering.

 

[Fless]

This forum is funny. The GM plastic radiator goes for 10 years, and the forum calls it junk, get metal.
The hydraulic motor mounts go for 80,000 miles, and the forum calls it junk, go for solid mounts.
OK, let's defeat 10 zillion dollars of GM engineering.

I have to say that I have seen more comments saying to get OEM than recommending the all-aluminum radiators that tend to leak. Maybe you're not seeing the same posts.

 

[j91z28d1]

This forum is funny. The GM plastic radiator goes for 10 years, and the forum calls it junk, get metal.
The hydraulic motor mounts go for 80,000 miles, and the forum calls it junk, go for solid mounts.
OK, let's defeat 10 zillion dollars of GM engineering.

literally no one recommends aluminum radiators here. there's a DENSO everyone runs.

a motor mount that only lasts 80k miles is junk. they should last the life of the car.

 

[lifeisamystery]

literally no one recommends aluminum radiators here. there's a DENSO everyone runs.

a motor mount that only lasts 80k miles is junk. they should last the life of the car.

The only reason I even asked about the all aluminum radiators because I've literally never had to replace one before and the very last time I ever even heard of anyone replacing one was back when they were all metal LOL

 

[j91z28d1]

The only reason I even asked about the all aluminum radiators because I've literally never had to replace one before and the very last time I ever even heard of anyone replacing one was back when they were all metal LOL

yeah, not you, the other guy that seems to be misunderstanding. what's commonly recommended here.


in general I've always had good luck with replacing stock plastic radiators with aftermarket aluminum ones in performance cars that need extra cooling, but it seems the ones for these trucks aren't very good and crack over time. the pic I saw the weld quality didn't look great. so for the price and guys towing way over the ratings seem to cool fine with the cheaper DENSO. so it's the standard recommendation around here.

 

[Grady_Wilson]

My Yukon was losing radiator fluid over time and it did not appear to be leaking anywhere at all.
When I replaced the Ts on the firewall, it was clear that one had a slight leak that never made it to the garage or driveway floor.
When working on everything I did notice a very slight corrosion on one of the mounting bolts for the rear coil pack directly under the Ts.
There was never any evidence of leakage, anywhere, but it was losing fluid over time.
Now that the Ts have been replaced along with a bunch of hoses, there is zero fluid loss.