a customer of mine has a toyota 2000 corolla and has a small pinhole leak on top of his radiator and the anti freeze shoots strait up when pressurized.. What can i put on it top stop the leak until he can bring it in to my shop for a new radiator.. Body plastic ? Indian Head Sealer?
Plastic Radiator Leak On Top Need Temporary Fix
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These have been recommended on here:
http://barsproducts.com/catalog/view/6-radiator-stop-leak-tablets-hdc
http://barsproducts.com/catalog/view/6-radiator-stop-leak-tablets-hdc
MrQuackers
Site Donor 2024
Years ago I flew to Texas for an auto auction and purchased a VW Golf. Drove it straight to an auto parts store and bought some JB Weld and fixed the leak in the plastic on the radiator and drove non stop to California. A couple days later back up to Oregon. It held as long as I owned it, a couple years.
If it's just one pin hole I would try the epoxy , just clean the area and rough it a bit with some sandpaper . Make sure you allow it to cure/dry completely .
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Leave the cap loose and drive it to your place. Once a plastic tank starts to crack its on its way out.I have had customers come in with 5 lbs of jb weld on a tank lol
If you go with JB weld use the slow because it grips better than the fast. Also clean the surface with 91 percent alcohol from the drug store, and rough up the surface with some very course sandpaper.
The JB probably will last several years, but Loctite E-20HP probably is a better epoxy, though it cost more, and you also have to purchase the special dispensing gun. Both are available from McMaster-Carr.
Regardless of which epoxy you use, you should clean and rough up the surface. And give it at least 24 hours to cure properly, 48 hours would even be better.
The JB probably will last several years, but Loctite E-20HP probably is a better epoxy, though it cost more, and you also have to purchase the special dispensing gun. Both are available from McMaster-Carr.
Regardless of which epoxy you use, you should clean and rough up the surface. And give it at least 24 hours to cure properly, 48 hours would even be better.
Using sandpaper before cleaning can push contaminants into the surface which will repel the epoxy.
Always, before using sandpaper, wipe off any contamination with alcohol, or perhaps a stronger solvent if needed.
sand at 90 degree angles for maximum "mechanical tooth" eliminating all shiny spots.
Always, before using sandpaper, wipe off any contamination with alcohol, or perhaps a stronger solvent if needed.
sand at 90 degree angles for maximum "mechanical tooth" eliminating all shiny spots.
Don't they sell sheet metal screws with an attached rubber washer? That is what I would suggest.
The slow cure epoxy can be a permanent fix for such a small hole.
At one auto parts store, I saw an adhesive made just for cracked plastic radiators, but I forgot the name of the store, and the name of the product.
But JB-Weld is sometimes used to temporarily repair a radiator.
But JB-Weld is sometimes used to temporarily repair a radiator.
The Loctite E-20HP would be a permanent fix. That epoxy can handle the heat, and any chemicals it would see, and it grips great.
BTW you do not require the special tips for that epoxy gun, just use the gun to get the proper ratio, and use a clean piece of cardboard to mix the epoxy on.
Originally Posted By: JimPghPA
The Loctite E-20HP would be a permanent fix. That epoxy can handle the heat, and any chemicals it would see, and it grips great.
I would never use it as a permanant fix, because of a terrible experience I had with a customer's Cadillac.
It did save the radiator, but the AT cooler eventually failed afterwards, and getting all that coolant out of the transmission was a challenge. Also, I am not sure how much life that took away from the transmission.
The Loctite E-20HP would be a permanent fix. That epoxy can handle the heat, and any chemicals it would see, and it grips great.
I would never use it as a permanant fix, because of a terrible experience I had with a customer's Cadillac.
It did save the radiator, but the AT cooler eventually failed afterwards, and getting all that coolant out of the transmission was a challenge. Also, I am not sure how much life that took away from the transmission.
If your customer can't change their own radiator on a Corolla, there is no repair that they can do that will hold for longer than a short trip.
Anything with drilling, sanding or ordering and applying special epoxy products is probably out.
Maybe they could loosen the radiator cap and drive it to you that way, but if they burn up the motor they will blame you for that advise.
I tried to repair cracked plastic on a Camry radiator and none of the "quick fix" in a tube products worked for me.
Anything with drilling, sanding or ordering and applying special epoxy products is probably out.
Maybe they could loosen the radiator cap and drive it to you that way, but if they burn up the motor they will blame you for that advise.
I tried to repair cracked plastic on a Camry radiator and none of the "quick fix" in a tube products worked for me.
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