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Radiator hole - quick fix/advice?
Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 4:10 pm
by Fearhoza
Last night i noticed that there was a nicely sized puddle of coolant under my feroza... Then started noticing the drips that were coming rather fast
Got under there today and its actually not a hose split, or join leak.. but the bash plate just under the ratiator has actually worn into the bottom of the tank, causing the speedy dripping.
Now for two questions.
1 - If i got the radiator out, flipped it upside down and was faced with the hole, can it just be welded?
2 - If i cant get that done for a little while, is there some sort of quick fix to patch up a hole, just temporarily? Covering it with something, or putting something between the bash plate and the hole... etc
Advice appreciated
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 4:37 pm
by ausoops
knead-it works for a temp fix
Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 4:42 pm
by jeep97tj
U could get some one to plate it, but steel putty would fix it good.
Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 5:04 pm
by N*A*M
we soldered one up and it seems to hold pretty well. you have to find all the holes with water, then drain it all. melt the solder onto the iron pen and quickly dab it at the hole. it should seal up small holes nicely.
Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 5:46 pm
by DanielS
...quick fix, I hear you say... try pepper..
But just as a quick-tempory fix though...
Daniels
Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:13 pm
by matthewK
for cracks like i had on my GQ i used a old radiator vegie thing came in a smal canister years ago, old boy had 1 laying around one of the best things i used , can try pepper but i would let it go
take it in and get it brazed and cleaned up couldnt be anymore then 50 bucks,
in the end i ended up buying a whole new 3 core:)
i'll take my other one in to work one of these days and braze it or oxy weld it one of the 2
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:13 pm
by midnight
It was on mythbusters once. They deliberately put a hole in the radiator and then got it hot, and cracked an egg into the filler hole. And it sealed as well.......
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:20 pm
by toaddog
Was driving back from lockhart river once and the engine mounts let go and the fan with thru the top of the radiator. It only split the top of one of the rods but we tried egg and pepper and filled the esky with water from a creek and kept on stopping and topping up. ended up peeing into the rad to get to archer river and then fixed the hole with some epoxy putty
That held for the next 4 yrs till i sold the car.
Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 9:37 am
by Camshaft1
Tip a couple of containers of chem. i. weld in there mate. My old patrol had chemiweld practically holding the aluminium head together! Also have a big Combine harvester which has chemiweld put in her to block a hole in the radiator and she is still goin strong even though she works hard all day and all night in the middle of summer.
Re: Radiator hole - quick fix/advice?
Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 9:44 am
by bogged
depending how old the radiator is, take to radiator place, and have it inspected, then while its out, have it flushed and repaired.
its something you dont wanna scrimp on.. what if it died out in the bush again?
Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 12:59 pm
by V6XtraHilux
pepper is the go for a temp fix, but how temporary do u want it???
mate of mine had a crack radiator from a tree branch, we used the pepper and he drove it back 40kms in 35deg heat up and down low range hills in the Duea Nat park, then drove it home to Sydney and didnt leak once.
Egg works too.
my 2 cents worth as well
K
Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 12:14 am
by pongo
Chemiweld blocks the radiaotr up too much, Go to supercheap and there is a bottle called 'Metal tech? " . It has copper shavings init. Works awesome. Repaired a blown head gasket permanantly in the 4runner, and fixed a corroded housing in the oldmans rodeo. His leak was that bad it was Puching a nice spray out, 30 seconds later it was all good.
Also repaired a leaking watter pump in a TATA . It was fine for a year or so in a lawnmowing contractors ute.
I definatly carry on in the glovebox.
Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 8:14 am
by Fearhoza
Well, went to natrad yesterday, said that if i get the radiator out and bring it to them, will cost $44 to flip her over and bronze the leak. It's not that much when you think about it. Probably alot safer than pepper or egg. He quoted $110 before i asked "what if i bring it in?"
![Twisted Evil :twisted:](./images/smilies/icon_twisted.gif)
Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 10:10 pm
by Madmac
midnight wrote:It was on mythbusters once. They deliberately put a hole in the radiator and then got it hot, and cracked an egg into the filler hole. And it sealed as well.......
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
yep this method works well as a temporary (emergency) fix, i had a HQ holden years ago that leaked, i used to just feed it a couple of eggs every 3-4 weeks, id imagine that they would clog the syatem though
Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 10:12 pm
by bj42turbo
ausoops wrote:knead-it works for a temp fix
Yeah I used this stuff to temp fix a hole in my radiator top
7 years ago
BJ
Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 10:25 pm
by Shadow
yep can be soldered (silver solder) not very hard to do
just use lots of flux (acid stuff)
a plate of copper or brass over the hole if its a big hole.
Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:32 pm
by 4x4Monkey
go to the servoand grab a tube of metal puddy
u unwrap it and mash the two compounds together to get a even mix then bog up the hole
and it will last along time but its not a predictable fix
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 9:54 am
by Deleted User
I had a hole in the radiator once while hunting in the Victorian High Country in winter. It wouldnt hold water at all, and one of the boys suggested pepper or an egg. I used pepper and it worked a treat.
If you use an egg, just use the White of the egg - dont use the yolk.
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 6:24 pm
by rOd
TheGatta wrote:I had a hole in the radiator once while hunting in the Victorian High Country in winter. It wouldnt hold water at all, and one of the boys suggested pepper or an egg. I used pepper and it worked a treat.
If you use an egg, just use the White of the egg - dont use the yolk.
Why not season the egg with pepper then poach it in the radiator.
But seriously, if you want it fixed properly, get the leaks soldered.
Dont forget when your radiator reaches its operating temperature, it has a fair amount of pressure build up.