our radiator seems to be leaking.should we have it replaced or is there a way to stop the leak without a costly replacement?thank you for your help!
Depends on where the leak is coming from.
If its coming from a crack in the plastic parts, then it might not be possible to fix.
If it is coming from the metal fins, then a radiator sealer can be used in an emergency.
The longevity of your engine might be compromised if this stuff plugs up your cylinder head gasket, causing your car to over heat, however.
Some people say that you can put egg whites into a radiator to also temporarily plug up a radiator leak. I’ve never done this, but it can’t be any worse than the stop leak stuff.
BC.
Before you do anything, be sure it’s the radiator itself that’s leaking and not a loose hose clamp. Last autumn, I thought the radiator in my 1982 Ford was leaking. It turned out to be a faulty radiator cap. As the coolant expanded with temperature, it leaked out of the cap instead of going into the resevoir.
i had to replace the radiator on my 99 CRV at about 120K miles, needless to say i was disappointed that my otherwise reliable honda would spring a leak in such a critical item. i bought an aftermarket product, probably off the internet, and put it in myself. i have used all the sealers known to mankind on various cars, sometimes they work a long time, sometimes a short time, i just wouldn’t want to be on a road trip when it fails so i went with the replacement.
A typical aftermarket radiator is about $250-$300. That’s hardly a “costly” repair. Don’t put anything in the radiator once you have determined that it is actually leaking.
Radiators can no longer be repaired, the way they used to. For little more than the price of a family dinner and drinks you can ensure the continued health of your very reliable CRV.
"For little more than the price of a family dinner and drinks"
You must have a big family, a lot of thirsty people, or live in NEW YORK CITY!
Actually maybe even less then a $100.00 http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,carcode,1315673,parttype,2172
waterboy; once a year I take all my relatives out for dinner. We don’t skimp.
The next post shows that aftermarket radiators can cost as little as $100. My point was that replacing a radiator is not a “costly” option. many people who think so eat out for lunch everyday and spend at least $250 per month, where as the could save $200 of that by packing a sandwich.