ShakesTheKlown

Ok, here goes. My car has been leaking coolant like a Sieve whenever I drive it... As it's just about impossible to drive more than 30 mins at a time (I live on Maui) it hasn't caused any problems yet. Finally I found the culprit.

The top piece of my radiator, the plastic thing about a foot and a half long, half an inch wide, and in inch or 2 tall has a really small hairline crack on it. It's not touching the sides or anything, it's just on the side, about an inch long. I ASSUME that's what causing the problem, as there's a lot of pooling of green liquid all around that lip on the top of the radiator, and no telltale signs of a broken hose.

Now, my question is, what can I do about it? Will a little JB Weld fix it, or should I go hunting at the local junkyard?

Thanks in advance,
-Shakes

poo flinger

It will work. Just make sure the area is dry as a bone.

DUCK COMMANDER

hell yeah, good olde JB will do the trick. Just let her sit over night after drying the area off. Maybe wipe the area clean with a cloth with acetone on it or some other solvent. Let Dry and give her hell

Milano_EH3

If it's the plastic top of your radiator I wouldn't recommend JB. That stuff is really only good for metal. Get a nice STRONG epoxy, the heavy duty **** that comes in two tubes. Clean the **** out of the crack, and rough it up with a file or something. Slab some of that **** on there and wait according to the directions.
This works. A buddy of mine had this same problem right before a car show he was in. I got some good epoxy, fixed it up, and by the time the car show was over he was rolling with no leaks.

Keep in mind a patched up job will never be as strong as the original. So maybe you think about saving up to upgrade?! FAL radiator maybe (no stupid plastic pieces)

silverEH2

it worked on my friends GSR fine, you will be ok buddy

nema741

JB weld works great for quick fixes...

Plan B

not safe, not a permanent fix.

Replace radiator, aftermarket stock radiators do not crack.

vtecvoodoo

Just buy a used radiator. If you are single cam they are dirt cheap. I have one...

IS3Fifty

SOHC rads are bigger also.

Shawn C

iTrader: (1)

exactly. i had a hairline crack that i fixed with really good epoxy in the same place yours is. i did it "right", or so i thought. on my way to atlanta, not even at full boost, she exploded. talk about a fun trip to atl. just go get an aftermarket oem replacement. they do make them in all metal, you just have to find them.

ShakesTheKlown

If I use Epoxy, should that hold up for a week or so? I'm on Maui, and it can take some time for stuff to get here if they don't already have it in stock. The honda dealership never has anything, and I refuse to step into the only performance place on the island...

I've just got I/H/E, no boost, so should I worry about it "exploding"? As I said, I usually don't drive more than a half hour at a time, with at least that for cool-down in between...

RyanAutry

I fixed my radiator 2 years ago with JB weld...

Still going strong...

chad

make sure it is dry and scruff up the area first...use heavy gritt sand paper....then clean area then jb weld.....

worked for me for over a year...

RyanAutry

Yep, I also used a wire brush....