Hey Guys,

So I was removing the fans and apparently happened to puncture the radiator. It now has a leak dripping down from the spot it was hit, it is a "slow" leak but a constant drip. It starts where i circled and triangles downward from there. I have now drained the radiator and not sure how to proceed. Do you guys have any suggestions?? I dont know if running stop leak will do it, dont know if I can seal it up from the outside or not, hoping you guys have some answers for me, please help!




Radiator Puncture

 

Stopleak works for some. A pin hole like that itd probably work. But as with all liquid mechanic products, if you use it and it fubars whatever you were trying to fix, you get what you deserve.

Dude just get a new radiator. With overnight itll be like 150-200 tops.

 

I have done it this way on my quad and race cars... use a small pair of industrial scissors to cut the small fins on each side of the ding in the tube, make sure radiator is empty, at most Ace hardware stores you can buy silver solder, crimp the edge of the tube where the hole is then use a small butane torch to solder the spot (It does not take much) You will need to use the nasty acid flux.. Then once its cool check for leaks, if you don't find any, then use JBweld and basically fill in the area you clipped the fins out of (I usually do a spot the size of a quarter. ) I use the full on metal JBweld. Mix it in small batches gradually encasing the repair forcing the first application back in to the fins behind the repair. This works best with the radiator out laying flat on a bench, but I've done it in the woods on a jeep as well.

Or a radiator shop will solder it for < 30 bucks usually if you carry it in.

I only use stop leak if I'm way way out in the boonies and it would mean walking for a day or more to get out, and I don't have my tool box..

 

Don't use stop leak on it. Pull the rad and take it in. It will be dirt cheap to get it fixed and they will likely hot tank it for you as well

 

I just upgraded to a Ron Davis radiator so my stocker is up for grabs. PM if interested.

 

IMO, I'd jump on this. You need a new radiator. Putting a bandaid on something as crucial as your cooling system is setting it up to fail. You don't want to buy a new radiator unless it's OEM. It's quite possible if you get a new one from a parts store it's a knockoff and you will have to do some manipulating to get the low coolant sensor to stay put.

 

Just to update everyone, I went ahead and dropped the radiator off to a local shop and they repaired it for around $50. Should be all good to go now and I hope to put it back in this weekend. Thanks to all for the input!