It is possible to eliminate the leakage of antifreeze with the help of a sealant, in other cases the problem will be solved by a clamp or repair of the radiator. The repair of the latter depends on the material from which it is made.
There are two ways to solve this problem: either repair the car or use a sealant. Replacing the components of the cooling system can be postponed when it comes to radiator leaks, in this case a special sealant can cope with most of the defects. So there is a high probability that replacing old parts with new ones may not be necessary.
The reason for the leak in the radiator
The resulting through hole causes a leak in the radiator. In a moving car, the temperature in the tank of the system rises, the pressure rises, and the coolant begins to flow out of the crack. Often, difficulties arise with the detection of a breakdown location, because in the inoperative state of the engine, the fluid stops flowing, but at the same time its surface is splattered or steam comes out from under the hood during operation. All these signs indicate antifreeze or antifreeze leakage.
The location of the breakdown can be determined by attaching a compressor to the removed radiator to inflate the tires, while all other outputs must be muted. If there is no compressor, you can do it easier: lower the radiator into a bath of water and determine the place of damage by the bubbles rising up. Most often, the radiator is damaged at the contact points where the radiator bank is crimped with a block of tubes. Often, the pipes themselves or the can are damaged. If the nature of the damage makes it impossible to use a sealant, the radiator will have to be repaired.
It is easier for owners of foreign cars: manufacturers of such cars use coolants that can glow under the influence of ultraviolet color, as a result, the place of leakage can be easily detected. Antifreeze leak can also be eliminated by replacing or installing additional clamps. All sharp edges on the connecting metal pipes must be cleaned before tightening them.
Radiator repair
The copper radiator can be soldered with a special soldering iron with a power of at least 250 watts. If one of the tubes is flowing, you can simply clamp it, but in this case, you need to take into account the fact that it will become inoperative, which means that the heat removal from the radiator will deteriorate. An aluminum radiator with plastic cans is cold welded. First, the surface must be degreased and dried, then treated with a two-component epoxy-based adhesive. After the required time interval has passed, the radiator can be installed on the engine.
However, it must be remembered that all these are temporary measures: at high temperature and pressure in the system, the leak may reappear.
