Radiator Repair ? Worth it ?

[simonbuk]

After getting my new engine running it's now having a little cry and leaking coolant from the top of the radiator somewhere. Top left as you look at it.

Not sure how old the radiator is but I've owned the car 10 years but it still looks in reasonably good condition (visually).

Does anybody have any experience/advice with repairing radiators ? Even with a repair might it just start somewhere else due to age ? Worth a DIY attempt with JB Radweld ?

Thought they were 200 quid but now seems to be 300 quid

[Tuga2112]

you said it.. 300 quid

jb weld.. 10-15 maybe ?

certainly worth a punt. bring it up to temp and let the fans cycle. i wouldnt be surprised if it olds.. it may end up becoming one of those "temporary" fixes that stays for.. 10+ years.

years ago i replaced mine, initially got one from someplace along the iron curtain (latvia? poland? i cant remmeber) for 60 odd quid and it had the right core dimentions but the spigots were "add on" and as a result when you added them on. it became too tall to fit (something that these days i would attempt fixing with aliminum brazing, but back then i was not bold enough)
it was returned... i got the money back... and 2 months later arrived at my doorstep again... the company refused to clear it from customs upon return.. returning it back to me...

i then opened the wallet and i got one from that "coolex" company after the usual googling about and what i received had spigots at the top that did not align with the car (2mm off). despite the backwards and forwards they refused to pay for return postage and were adamant the issue was my car... so i filed the holes in chassis to allow for the 2mm offset and installed it... and since then. i have been warning everyone about it. because i was (and stil am) extremely unhappy with the service i received for what was more than 200 quid of my money.

[dapinky]

If you have the original radiator, then it will have plastic end tanks crimped onto a standard core - they do not last forever, and are not easy to repair if the seam has split (or the core has corroded).

On my first Elan, I took the radiator to a repair place and they made up some sheet metal end tanks and brazed it all together for a reasonably priced fix - but that was 20 years ago!

By now, most original cores are past their best, so a new unit would be my recommendation - but if the cost is higher than you want to pay, then trying an alternative fix is probably worth a go,

[simonbuk]

It is actually a later full ally rad , so am a bit surprised really ( and irked!!).

[Steve A]

There's nothing quite like that "have I fixed it' only to find you haven't, and then having to take it all apart again
If it's started to leak, then there's a good chance it will again, it could be that the manufacturing process is at fault.
So I would say no.

[RonR]

My Coolex Ally radiator had a leaky vent bolt, IIRC it had a nylon washer which had split. Replaced it with a copper washer and all was good again.
It's top left, under the LH Headlight pod. The other possibility is a loose or leaky top radiator hose.
If the leak's a bit further down the Ally rads have a drain plug on that side, difficult to find behind the 'Y' support.