Garry 1 Posted February 27, 2010 In a bit of a dilema! I am supposed to be doing a Trackday at Rockingham on Saturday. I had noticed a small coolant leak last year, so over the past few weekends I have been changing over the coolant pipes to silicon ones. Tonight I filled the system and found my leak is actually from the radiator itself. I had tested the rad by filling it with water, but I only did it (stupidly) from one end. It is very small, regular droplets every second or so. If I use radweld to fix the leak are there any consequences to the health of the engine? The head was recently rebuilt and I don't want to mess it up for the sake of one trackday. Help! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
James_R 3 Posted February 27, 2010 For the 30 to buy a new rad? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Daviewonder 533 3 Cars Posted February 27, 2010 K-seal is better Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
welshpug 1,737 Posted February 27, 2010 I wouldn't use anything like that in my engine if I wanted it to last, I'd go with Sean's suggestion. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Garry 1 Posted February 27, 2010 Do you mean James Welshpug? No can do, I use a Radtec shortened Rad, £300 jobbie, due to the supercharger boost pipes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
welshpug 1,737 Posted February 27, 2010 hmm, yes I do, and DOH on the rad! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GLPoomobile 958 Posted February 28, 2010 If there's an easy way of pumping water through the rad in isolation, then you could do that instead. Once it's had a good flow of Radweld filled water pumped through it for a bit and the leak has sealed, flush the rad out and reconnect it. Just a thought. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Henry Yorke 270 3 Cars Posted February 28, 2010 I think radweld relies on heat to actually weld. Is it worth putting a lower pressure headertank cap or lower temp thermostat to reduce the pressure & temp in the cooling system? It will leak more when under pressure Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jackherer 543 Posted February 28, 2010 Use araldite on the outside of the rad rather than one of the chemicals that go all through the cooling system. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DamirGTI 367 Posted February 28, 2010 Did the same with some epoxy metal when i had holed rad once it stood up nicely without any issues at all ... i even sold the rad (well , not quite sold , i give it .. for a beer !) afterwards to an lady which had a breakdown on her 205 diesel near my house and she still uses this car with my "bodged" rad .. Damir Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Garry 1 Posted February 28, 2010 Thanks for your responses. I have decided to abandon the idea of taking the 205 and send the Rad back to Radtec for repairing. So now I have the choice of selling my place, taking my Leon or borrowing an MX5. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pablo 0 Posted February 28, 2010 glob of araldite over the leak mate, held up great when I holed mine taking the gearbox out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
welshpug 1,737 Posted February 28, 2010 I think Borrowing an MX5 has got to be done Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lagonda 42 Posted February 28, 2010 Used Radweld or some similar jollop to seal a corroded core plug on my old Lancia Y10...the water was pouring out almost as fast as I poured in, but amazingly the Radweld did it's job despite that. So dead chuffed as was in France & all serious tools back in UK. That said...the car ran noticeably hotter afterwards, so clearly it tends to block passageways, such as those in the radiator. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
