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94 - slow radiator leak, cause for concern?

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Old 09-19-2011, 11:57 PM
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Default 94 - slow radiator leak, cause for concern?

In the process of trying to get my coming system air tight, I discovered a very slow leak at the top of my radiator near the UR Hose as shown here:


https://drivehq.com/folder/p8942603.aspx

It'* very slow it seems. Only found it because it made some fizzing sounds. Any need to worry?
Old 09-20-2011, 03:51 AM
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Get it fixed, it wont heal up and will probably get worse.

Roger.
Old 09-20-2011, 06:33 AM
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try some plastic epoxy or jb weld
Old 09-20-2011, 12:53 PM
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I'll look onto those. I don't want to have to replace it

Also I just replaced the UR hose and clamp and it looks like some coolant is all escaping on the radiator side. Any suggestions? Clamp is nice and tight
Old 09-20-2011, 12:53 PM
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Sorry for the typos .. Android auto correction
Old 09-20-2011, 01:44 PM
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clean and reseat, make sure clamp isnt past the lip on the rad. and you have enough hose on the rad
Old 09-20-2011, 03:42 PM
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The hose in question can be seen in the picture. Nearly as far on as it will go. I did clean the connection point on the radiator prior to putting the new hose on. I'll verify the clamp isn't too close to the edge, but I'm fairly certain I checked that a few times as well.
Old 09-22-2011, 10:54 AM
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Originally Posted by kparrent
In the process of trying to get my coming system air tight, I discovered a very slow leak at the top of my radiator near the UR Hose as shown here:
It'* very slow it seems. Only found it because it made some fizzing sounds. Any need to worry?
The coolant is NOT spraying on top of the radiator end tank from the leaking around the upper radiator clamp? Is that correct?

If it'* leaking on top, that'* not a slow leak. It'* a pressure related leak. When the cooling system gets warmed up and starts to build up pressure, the tank is being expanded by the pressure and that leak opens and the pressure is squirting the water out. It will speed up the longer it goes as the tank cracks open more.

When the pressure is reduced or gone, there'* not much leaking.

The problem is that you hear the sputtering. The means there'* air being left in the radiator and coolant is not being sucked back from the reservoir tank properly. Otherwise the sound would have been just the coolant oozing or the sound of the squirt through the crack.

Replace radiator. It'* a few bolts and hoses and the metal lines for the transmission cooler, and it lifts right out of the sponge rubber holder on the bottoms. You can see the sponge rubber holder in your picture on the top.
Old 09-22-2011, 11:50 AM
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The coolant is coming out of the joint between the plastic piece along the side of the radiator and the radiator itself. The minor hose leak is separate.

The pressure test was done on a cool engine. Coolant did slowly "bubbled" through the joint pictured when pressure was hit. So the sound was coolant coming out of the radiator through the crack.
Old 09-22-2011, 02:05 PM
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Is the plastic epoxy/JB Weld a reliable repair for such a small leak or is it just putting off the inevitable of replacing it? I know the repair itself is no big deal, but I'd prefer the $5 epoxy over the $100-$200 radiator!


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