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radiator crack


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jessiegee
Anonymous Poster
jaygrand27@optonline.net

Mar 19, 2007, 7:46 PM

Post #1 of 11 (3061 views)
radiator crack Sign In

Frownimy mechanic let me know recently that i have a crack in my radiator, and it will be around $500 to fix ~ it is going to HAVE to wait a cpl wks..what should i be watching for?? warning signs? what happens in the worst case scenario???

TY


DanD
Veteran / Moderator
DanD profile image

Mar 20, 2007, 3:47 AM

Post #2 of 11 (3058 views)
Re: radiator crack Sign In


Quote
what should I be watching for??

Alternate means of transportation.

Quote
warning signs?

You’ve already received that, your mechanic telling you about the crack. Something else the temperature gauge will not read properly if it is not submerged in coolant. So possibly; no warning from the vehicle itself, if on the verge of an overheat.

Quote
what happens in the worst case scenario???

The engine may overheat and causes internal damage. If you cannot afford a rad, how are you going to repair a damaged engine?
Sorry to sound so abrupt but I have seen this so many times and heard the same thing from people; it didn’t seem to be all that hot, I only drove it a couple of miles and the engine started knocking just before it shut off.
This is as I’m pulling the sheet over the engine as I’m pronouncing its death.
Dan.

Canadian "EH"






Guest
Anonymous Poster

Mar 20, 2007, 2:57 PM

Post #3 of 11 (3054 views)
Re: radiator crack Sign In

MMMMM-k FANKS


Guest
Anonymous Poster

Mar 21, 2007, 1:37 AM

Post #4 of 11 (3052 views)
Re: radiator crack Sign In

I think they make a sealent that you pour into the radiator. Can't remember though.


DanD
Veteran / Moderator
DanD profile image

Mar 21, 2007, 4:46 AM

Post #5 of 11 (3051 views)
Re: radiator crack Sign In

They sure do make rad stop leaks and I guess they have their place but if this is a plastic tanked rad that has cracked then you’re pouring in good money for bad. The plastic expands and contracts quite a bit and I doubt the stop leak would work. Let along all of the side benefits of stop leak of plugging up heater cores and creating a nice sludge effect in the coolant.
Dan.

Canadian "EH"






Guest
Anonymous Poster

Mar 21, 2007, 10:58 AM

Post #6 of 11 (3049 views)
Re: radiator crack Sign In

yep, I heard that too. Thanks for refreshing my memory.


Guest
Anonymous Poster
westwood16@hotmail.com

Mar 21, 2007, 5:29 PM

Post #7 of 11 (3045 views)
Re: radiator crack Sign In

try crackin a egg and pour liquid from egg direct inside radiator
or try 2 eggs
i did that and it did the trick until my radiator got changed


DanD
Veteran / Moderator
DanD profile image

Mar 21, 2007, 6:56 PM

Post #8 of 11 (3044 views)
Re: radiator crack Sign In

Yea; the last guest that posted should have told you the rest of the myth; right after cracking in the second egg, you have to dance in front of your vehicle singing. You put you’re right foot in. you take you’re right foot out, you do the hokey-pokey and you turn all about; well I guess you know the rest of the song and dance, so I’ll stop.
It sure does make you feel good doing it but does it really work?
LOL
Dan.

Canadian "EH"






(This post was edited by DanD on Mar 21, 2007, 6:58 PM)


Guest
Anonymous Poster

Mar 29, 2007, 8:45 PM

Post #9 of 11 (3023 views)
Re: radiator crack Sign In

being that i have NO other option than for this radiator issue to wait, i figured i would look into a sealant or something that can possibly hold it temp. ~ i was told to use bar leaks (with the pellets), and that it would only work if the crack is smaller than an inch. well, i have no way of knowing that right now, but figured it cant hurt.

when i opened the radiator cap, it was full ~ completely full. to the brim. BUT ~ my reserve tank was damn near empty. since i couldn't add the bar leaks into a full tank, i filled the reserve tank up to the max line.

why would that happen, and what the hell was the mechanic talking about? if there was a crack in the radiator, than WHY would the reserve be empty? and if the crack is in the reserve, than cant just THAT be replaced??

curiousBlush


DanD
Veteran / Moderator
DanD profile image

Mar 30, 2007, 4:45 AM

Post #10 of 11 (3021 views)
Re: radiator crack Sign In


Quote
what the hell was the mechanic talking about?


Something that possibly you don’t understand?Wink
The “reserve tank” would be better called an expansion tank, as the coolant in the cooling system expands and builds pressure it has to go somewhere. Before these tanks and recovery rad caps it use to dump out onto the ground, now it’s pushed into the reserve tank.
As the system cools and the coolant contracts it creates a vacuum and draws coolant from the tank into the rad.
Now let’s say you have a small leak in your system, oh maybe from a crack? Not so big that the cooling system can’t build pressure and vacuum but enough to slowly lower the level. Guess where the system gets the coolant from to replace the amount that has leaked out?
Yup the reserve tank until it’s empty anyway; drive the vehicle around for a few days with the tank empty and you’ll find that the rad will now also be down.
Now because of the “crack” don’t trust that the rad is full by checking the reserve tank. If the leak becomes bigger and the cooling system cannot create a vacuum; air will be sucked into the system instead of coolant from the reserve; leaving the tank full and the rad possibly empty.
I understand that you’re short on funds but overheat the engine and you’ll be paying for whatever damage that was caused along with a replacement rad. Have you gave any thought on a used rad; there must be some form of auto wreckers (salvage yards) in your area?
Dan.

Canadian "EH"






(This post was edited by DanD on Mar 30, 2007, 5:03 AM)


carjunky
Enthusiast

Mar 30, 2007, 7:43 AM

Post #11 of 11 (3017 views)
Re: radiator crack Sign In

This may sound funny if the eggs were put into the radiator... but if the crack isn't that big, or more like a whole... black pepper will help clog the hole....

(funny part is two eggs and black pepper would be a nice breakfast)


By the way what type of car (year, make, model)


(This post was edited by carjunky on Mar 30, 2007, 7:44 AM)






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