|
Leaking radiator
Back from a beautiful drive this AM and noticed I have a small radiator leak near the top left. What's the best way to attack this. The bottom is riveted to the sheet aluminum so I would rather not have to pull the radiator.
Bruce |
To fix it right, you'll more than likely need to pull it. Or, you might try some Bars leak for a quick temporary fix.
|
Is the leak at the tank? You might be able to have it soldered in place. Otherwise it will need to be pulled. It's a pain, but take your time. I found it more of a pain to put it back in.
Mikiec |
This may not be generally suggested, but one solution you may wish to consider is the use of a 'cold weld' product. When I purchased my car I discovered a small leak in the lower tank - a slow ooze. Upon removing the paint and putty or caulk (best way to describe it) I discovered a brass patch that had been soldered on, then covered up. Not keen on pulling the radiator I buffed it down to the base material on the tank (brass) with a wire brush on a drill, made sure it was really clean, then used Permatex Cold Weld to build up a good patch. After giving it 24 hours or so to cure, I filled the system with coolant, fired it up and checked for leaks. I've put about 1,000 miles on it since then with no signs of leakage.
|
No, unfortunately it is not on the tank. It is coming out between the fins on the upper left of the radiator about 2 inches from the top. No sign of any damage from rocks, etc on the front. The leak is on the back side towards the engine.
|
Bruce, try AlumaSeal. I used it in my cobra on Jeff's recommendation back in about 2008 and it is still holding today. AlumaSeal/Radiator stop leak ASBP24-12 at AutoZone.com
At O'Reilly's and Autozone. I used 2 tubes about 1 week apart after running motor to normal temp inbetween. AZ Bob |
Alumaseal does work. You could also pinch off that tube.
Mikiec |
Thanks, Bob. I remembered you and Jeff discussing this several weeks ago and I couldn't remember the name of the product. I,will see how this works before investing in a new radiator.
Bruce |
Thirds on the Alumaseal granules, looks like a roll of quarters in its packaging vs the liquid version. While the stuff works great, it is a temporary fix, eventually you will have to deal with it, especially if the leak is due to corrosion.
|
Well, I bought some Alumaseal and added it to the radiator, brought the engine up to temp and lo and behold, no more leak! It's a very small leak as when I checked the fluid level it doesn't look like I lost more than half a cup. We'll see if it lasts awhile.
|
Decades ago, I poured a tube of Alumaseal into the heater hose on my '65 SS Chevelle and that took care of my heater core leak for at least the 5 years I had the car. Yes, the heater worked just fine and I used it a lot back in the Ohio hinterlands. Another benefit of the product is that it is a water pump lubricant and I never had to change my pump on that car and I never had any cooling issues.
|
| All times are GMT -7. The time now is 05:54 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.0
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.6.0
The representations expressed are the representations and opinions of the clubcobra.com forum members and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and viewpoints of the site owners, moderators, Shelby American, any other replica manufacturer, Ford Motor Company. This website has been planned and developed by clubcobra.com and its forum members and should not be construed as being endorsed by Ford Motor Company, or Shelby American or any other manufacturer unless expressly noted by that entity. "Cobra" and the Cobra logo are registered trademarks for Ford Motor Co., Inc. clubcobra.com forum members agree not to post any copyrighted material unless the copyrighted material is owned by you. Although we do not and cannot review the messages posted and are not responsible for the content of any of these messages, we reserve the right to delete any message for any reason whatsoever. You remain solely responsible for the content of your messages, and you agree to indemnify and hold us harmless with respect to any claim based upon transmission of your message(s). Thank you for visiting clubcobra.com. For full policy documentation refer to the following link: