Radiator leak

does anybody have a suggestion for batching a small hairlink crack in a radiator that would hold for about 2 months of normal city driving? And I noticed there are two types of radiators for my 1999 Tahoe LT 5.7L. Is the Heavy Duty the better one and does it fit on all 1999 Tahoes? Thanks.

Mike

I'm assuming that you are talking about the end-cap pieces, which are plastic right? I have read where people use that 2 part epoxy putty over the cracked area as a band-aid fix until the get a new one, or send it down the road. You would want to do this when it is cold, and maybe even drain the fluid down below the level of the crack first. If it isn't seeping when it is cold you may not need to do that.

Make sure you clean and prep the area good first by sanding lightly with 120 grit paper or so, and then clean with acetone or brake cleaning solvent to totally rid the area of any oily residue. One it is pathched give it plenty of time to cure, even overnight before running the system up to temp. It's worth a try!

It is a crack in the plastic. I was told by someone that the entire radiator doesnt need to be replaced. He claimed the same thing happend to him and a radiator shop replaced the plastic side for around $100 insted of $700 for the entire radiator. Has anyone taken this approach?