Another radiator leak question

Actually, I've seen a couple of threads with seemingly this same problem I have. The posters solved it by replacing the rad. Yet I'm broke, and want to do it super cheap.

Here it is, 93 camry. The rad up on the top, middle, slightly in front has like a 3 inch long series of what looks like stress cracks. (About opposite the hose right there on top) In the center of this, it has begun dripping coolant when the engine gets hot.

What's the cheapest, easiest fix? Is there some sort of tape or sealant I can apply from the outside that can hold? Because it is a crack, not a hole, a can of sealant added to the coolant prob. wont work, eh?


Ty :)

The problem is the pressure that the coolant is under & how hot it gets. Tape & most glues simply will not hold it & the few that can hold it, will simply make the plastic crack around the glue. So nothing works for long.

The best chance is to clean the area with alcohol & use a layer of fiberglass epoxy to try to seal it. That's short term. I wouldn't trust it as easy as it is to take a radiator out.


Buy a new radiator, they're cheap. $60-90 for most after you bring back the used core. $5 for a can of cleaner, $5 for a gallon of coolant. Hell $5 for a new thermostat.

Ty, I'll snoop around the auto store for some epoxy. I will certainly get the coolant system flushed next time I go to greased lightning or whatever for my oil change.

Unfortunately, I live in the city, and park in the street. It is illegal to work on your car there, and I certainly can't dump coolant on the street, and stretching a hose from my backyard to flush the rad out will only result in towing the moment a cop drives by.

That's why i wanted a quick solution rather than paying a 3/4 hundred bucks to a garage.

you don't have any1 to loan u their driveway for a day? it's not that hard to replace + give him a case of beer or something similar for their time. (@ least, that is what i did when I was in NYC)

www.radiatorstores.com will sell direct replacement w/ lifetime warranty delivered to your place. + a 10% price beat policy is good to boot.

I hate to hear it. :\ Go talk to a garage & give the guy a case of beer like ricebike said. Most people are happy to comply.
Sigh, if you're going to try it, get some long time curing epoxy. Like 45min.
You'll need some fiberglass cloth for strength. Try hobby shops, or ebay.


Put the fiberglass cloth across the area. Then you put epoxy on top of the fiberglass & scrape most of the epoxy off. The biggest problem is over-use of epoxy.


After it's fully cured, if you feel like it you could put just a tad more epoxy directly over the affected area.

side note:

how about those products in a bottle/can that acts loke a clot to seal those leaks from the inside?

if it's the plastic tanks that r cracked, then u may go that route previously mentioned. i 4got if that system holds 13 psi or 16.

if it's my car, i'd replace the radiator & be safe instead of overheating the engine, blowing a head gasket or worse.

keep an eye on your coolant level, temps, & esp the oil level... in your search