Only took 2 turns of the key to start right up after a month or so. I know I should start it up every once but the Radator has about a 5 inch crack in it which is obiviously not keeping pressure nor coolant. Is it okay to run for a little bit with raidator cracked like that? Actually I was thinking about driving it about 60 miles today since the Bimmer is getting a new A/C blower.

How bad is the leak with a 5" crack? Seems like it would be gushing as soon as the engine were up to temp?
Im not sure I would chance a 60 miles trip (oneway?) in the desert.
Bring lots of water and be careful if its the only way to get there

Right it does, pretty much, gush out.

30 miles each way.

I was driving it with the crack before I realized it and it kept right around 200 most of the time. But that could be somewhat a false reading if coolant isnt hitting the thermastat correct?

Don't drive that car more than a mile like that. You're right about the coolant, but with regards to the ECT sensors, not the stat.

It'* just a bad idea. A new radiator on-line is about $100. You might even be able to JB Weld the one you have if you can get the break cleaned out well enough. But driving with a known, bad coolant leak is asking for trouble. Overheating causes significant, expensive damage.

If you still decide to try this, and you run it out of water, wait at least an hour with the hood up for the engine to cool before you try to refill the radiator. If water hits a hot cylinder casting, you may very well crack it.

The radiator will be a bit more than that. It'* a 3-core rad. Engine oil cooler goes through it also (L67).

Not to give you any crazy ideas, but if the leak is in one of the cores (things w/the fins), I have pinched the bad section off with pliers/needle noses, just to get home. It will still leak, especially on higher pressure systems, but would be more manageable. This is only an emergency type fix. Of course, if it is the tank, that'* another story. Good thing to remember if you spring a leak in the Baja 1000. :P