Anyone changed a radiator?

Ask and you shall receive :slight_smile:

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Thanks Robin for the pictures. So the PS or the AT fluid flows in the smaller white tube and the engine coolant goes around it? Then the bottom and the top of the white tube should be sealed. Is it?

How much fluid should I expect to drain when I undo those fittings?

The first picture shows the tube in its’ unmolested state. So the complete surface area is cooling the ATF.
As far as how much fluid, just have a drip tray under the car :slight_smile:

I went underneath my car today and it looks like the plastic part of the radiator is leaking on the right side.

Well I was planning that of course, but going to put the same quantity back into the tranny. I assume there’s about 1/2 litre or so in the rad tube and obviously some will drain from the opened up pipes.
Was just wondering if I need to temporarily seal off the pipes to prevent fluid continuing to drain from the lower open end.

I’m guessing the leak is at the joint to the aluminum fins?

It looks like the edge of the plastic curved end of the radiator has a crack. I couldn’t really see it but it looked wet.

So what’s the plan? Take it off and try and seal it up or do it on the car?

Larry, I can’t get to it so I have to remove it and dry it completely then roughen up the surface before sealing it.

That’s what I figured Joe. Can’t see doing an effective repair in place on the car …as long as you can see the damaged area and clean it up you can try a few things to seal it I guess - I’d do a test with the baking soda superglue on another part of the plastic to see how it sticks - and if it sticks, I’d use that stuff to patch it.
I guess it’s all about getting something to stick to the plastic?

I ordered a new top and bottom hose from RockAuto, theoretically arriving Thursday - so I’m going to do my job on Friday.

I hope everything’s gonna go smooth for you. I have 303 aerospace protectant and I’d treat those hoses if I were you. I did it in my car.
I had Q bond super glue that comes with black powder for reinforcement. I’ll order a new one since the old one dried out completely.

Ok Joe I’ll pick up some protectant, and thanks for good wishes - On the topic of superglues, any thin superglue will work.
I’m a fan of good old dollar store stuff and if you’re going the powder route (baking soda is best) any fine grained porous powder will do - the superglue needs to be the really thin kind, not the gel as it has to saturate the powder. I do restoration work and use it all the time in lots of situations - no question it would fill a hole but the real test is whether it will stick to the material that the end tanks are made of.

Check out some youtube vids using it!

Larry, I had good results with Qbond and still has some black powder left. It is a think kind of glue.

I’ll check it out Joe thanks

Lets hope those end tanks aren’t polyurethane! I’m guessing polycarbonate so any superglue/powder should work, dollar store + baking soda or Qbond which I think must be the same stuff - Cyanoacrylate.

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Hi abercanadian, the end tanks are made from fiberglass reinforced nylon and I don’t think any epoxy’s stick to it. My radiator had a crack almost all the way around the upper inlet port with a 10mm diameter piece broken out and missing. The previous owner had tried all different epoxy’s in his attempts to repair it. He solved his problem by giving me the car for free.
I welded the crack using zip ties (tie straps) as welding rods and a low wattage pointed tip soldering iron to melt the tie strap into the puddle and smooth it over. It took some practice but I got it right even building around the edges of, and closing up the missing section.
Pinholes were a problem and I pulled the radiator three times to re-do holes I missed. Even then there were small holes that would leak under pressure which I treated with a stop leak. The radiator doesn’t leak at all now.
Removing the transmission and power steering pipes results in a small leakage of fluid but nothing serious.
Hope this helps.

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Hey thanks for the tips, Bob, good to know an alternate fix is possible - these rads are expensive to replace so as time goes on, fixing has to be a priority!

The cyanoacrylate “superglues” aren’t epoxies, so may work ok - I’ll do a small test for adhesion on the outer edge of the tanks to see now well (and if) it adheres to the material.

Yeh shame I have one sitting outside thats in good condition. Shame its 1000’s of Klms away :slight_smile:

Actually, it is not an alternate fix, it is the only permanent fix possible. I use Q bond and bicarb for many other repairs I do but it is too hard for a nylon radiator tank which has to withstand constant flexing from heat and pressure every time you operate your car. It may work for a while but it will fail.

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Fair enough Bob, obviously you’ve been there and done that so you know the score.
Joe is going to do a repair - I’m lucky that I have a spare so in my case I’ll just be doing a swap.

Thanks again

Larry