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Questions We Hear a Lot
Straight answers to what people ask at the counter — about overheating, pricing, recores, and what to do when the gauge climbs.
Can I drive it to you if it’s overheating?
If the gauge is pegged or you see steam, don’t — shut it off and get it towed. A few miles driven hot can cook a head gasket and turn a $300 job into a $3,000 one. If it only creeps up in stop-and-go traffic and is fine on the highway, you can usually make it to us carefully. When in doubt, call (513) 752-4190 and we’ll tell you which situation you’re in.
Do you still re-core radiators?
Yes — it’s one of the things we’re known for. Re-coring copper-brass radiators is a trade most shops dropped years ago. For classics, farm equipment and older trucks it’s often cheaper than a new unit, and for a lot of that iron there simply is no new unit to buy.
How long will my radiator job take?
Many replacements and water-pump jobs are same-day when we have the part on the shelf. Recores and dash-out heater cores usually run a day or two. Heavy-duty and industrial units depend on the core — we’ll give you a realistic turnaround when we quote, not a hopeful one.
Do you charge for the diagnosis?
Our cooling-system pressure test and overheating diagnosis is $45, and it rolls straight into the repair if you have us do the work. We’d rather spend the time being sure than sell you a shiny new radiator that doesn’t fix the real problem.
My car has no heat in winter — is that you?
Usually, yes. No heat, a foggy windshield or a sweet smell inside almost always points to the heater core or the cooling system feeding it. That’s squarely our work. Some heater cores are a quick swap; others mean pulling the dash, which we’ll quote honestly before we start.
Will you replace a part that doesn’t need it?
No. We make our living on labor, not on talking you into parts. More than once we’ve had someone come in sure they needed a water pump and sent them home with a $10 clamp fixed. If a repair isn’t worth doing, we’ll tell you that too.
Do you handle trucks, tractors and equipment?
We do. Vans, box trucks, tractors, skid steers, gensets and compressors are all regular work here, and we stock common fleet cores so you’re not waiting on a supplier. See the fleet & heavy-duty page or email fleet@eastgateradiators.com.
What’s your warranty?
Every repair that leaves here carries a 12-month workmanship warranty on our labor, on top of whatever the parts carry. If something we did isn’t holding, bring it back — no song and dance.
Do I need an appointment?
For a diagnosis you can usually just bring it by during shop hours — Monday–Friday 8:00 to 5:30, Saturday 8:00 to noon. For bigger jobs, a quick call ahead lets us have your parts ready so the car isn’t sitting.
Didn’t see your question? Call the shop at (513) 752-4190 or send it to us here.