![]() The seams where the core is mated to the end tanks is another place where leaks frequently develop, especially on aluminum radiators with plastic end tanks. Radiator - Radiators can develop leaks around upper or loser hose connections as a result of vibration. This radiator is badly corroded and is not worth fixing Look for stains, discoloration or liquid coolant on the outside of the water pump or engine. The gasket or o-ring that seals the pump to the engine front cover on cover-mounted water pumps can also leak coolant. If the water pump is a two-piece unit with a backing plate, the gasket between the housing and back cover may be leaking. Water pump - A bad shaft seal will allow coolant to dribble out of the vent hole just under the water pump pulley shaft. The most common places where coolant may be leaking are: A worn seal on the water pump shaft can leak coolant. You may also notice a sweet smell, which is a characteristic odor of ethylene glycol antifreeze. The color of the coolant may be green, orange or yellow depending on the type of antifreeze in the system. If you suspect your vehicle has a coolant leak, open the hood and visually inspect the engine and cooling system for any sign of liquid leaking from the engine, radiator or hoses. But your car may also have a Low Coolant indicator lamp. The first symptom of trouble is usually engine overheating. Nine out of ten times, coolant leaks are easy to find because the coolant can be seen dripping, spraying, seeping or bubbling from the leaky component. How To Find & Fix Coolant Leaks by Larry Carley copyright 2022 Ĭoolant leaks can occur anywhere in the cooling system. They will ten repeat steps 5 and 6 if necessary.Auto Repair Library, Auto Parts, Accessories, Tools, Manuals & Books, Car BLOG, Links, Index.Having identified the leak or leaks, they will dry the radiator out and apply an epoxy seal to fix the coolant leak.They will use a radiator pressure kit to re-pressurise it and then submerge the radiator in a tank of water to identify the leak through the release of air bubbles. If this does not repair the coolant leak, they will need to remove the radiator.This should be sufficient to seal over any small cracks. To fix the coolant leak, they may add a radiator sealant to the engine while the coolant is cold but with the engine running.If they can’t identify where the problem is coming from, they will use a cooling system pressure tester.Next, they will look for broken fins and cracks to the radiator casing.They will check the complete cooling system for swelling, collapsed hoses or coolant crusting onto the connections starting with the hoses and their connections.The workshop is likely to work to a process similar to the following: Our advice is to contact an authorised workshop should you experience problems with your coolant system. A malfunctioning thermostat or heater core can also put too much pressure onto the radiator meaning that you will need to repair the coolant leak. Over-filling the radiator can also cause problems through increasing the water pressure inside the radiator to the point at which it causes damage. The radiator, its hoses and connectors all collect sediment and rust which can perforate the radiator. In an emergency should you feel that you are experiencing a significant car radiator leak, you should wait for the engine to cool down, add some water and drive the car to your nearest workshop.Ĭooling systems and radiators take quite a bashing given the heat generated by modern engines.īy far and away the leading cause of coolant leaks is corrosion. Telltale signs of a car radiator leak are a sharp decrease in the level of engine coolant, an overheating engine or signs of coolant leaking onto the ground. A car radiator leak is bad news insofar as the radiator plays an essential role in ensuring that an engine doesn’t overheat.
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