Dear Tom and Ray:

My husband was checking the anti-freeze in our '87 Cadillac, and he accidentally dropped the test thermometer into the radiator opening. The bulb was floating at the top, but he was having trouble removing it. So, trying to be "helpful," I squeezed the bulb, and the whole thing sank to the bottom of the radiator. I called a radiator shop, and the gentleman told me "nothing could be done -- just forget about it; it won't hurt anything." Did he give me good advice? -- Marybeth

Ray: He's right that there's no imminent danger. It won't lead to a sudden cooling-system failure or cause the velour to fall off the seats. But it is impeding the flow of coolant at least a little bit, and for that reason, it's worth at least trying to get it out of there.

Tom: And I know just the tool you need. Sears hardware department sells a wonderful device that I call The Grabber. I have no idea what they call it, but it's a tool used to grab stuff you can't reach.

Ray: It's basically a spring-loaded claw on the end of a 2- foot flexible cable.

Tom: It's wonderfully useful. I've used it to get stuff out from behind dressers, grab socks that have fallen behind the washing machine, and fish for change in the heating vents.

Ray: He also got in trouble once for using it in a movie theater, but we won't go into that.

Tom: There's a 90 percent chance you can get this with a grabbing tool. You can increase the odds to 98 percent if you drain the radiator first so you can actually see the thing as you work. Removing it would ensure that none of the tiny radiator passages are being blocked by this errant tester. And who knows, you might find the other three testers your husband dropped down there.

Ray: And on the off chance that you just can't get it out, then I would take the radiator guy's advice and forget about it. It'll just make the cooling system a tiny bit less efficient, but he's right that it won't do any damage.

What is the most cost-effective way to buy a car? Tom and Ray hash it all out in their pamphlet "Should I Buy, Lease, or Steal My Next Car?" To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 1997 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

Back to the February 1997 index