The radiator is a vital component of the car's cooling system. Without it, overheating of the engine would occur, causing other components to fail and the car to stop working. The radiator simply radiates the heat out of the coolant and out into the atmosphere. This process cools the coolant which can now circulate around the engine and decrease the levels of heat. When a leak occurs in the radiator, the engine can no longer cool down and will overheat. The first step is to identify where in the cooling system the leak has occurred. Often it is the radiator where the leaks have occurred. Here is some advice on how to identify the leaks and to repair them yourself.
Inspect the cooling system
Signs of a problem in the cooling system are usually low coolant levels, overheating issues and leaking coolant on the garage floor. The location of these leaks will help point you towards where the leaks are located. Once you identify the main leak, you should continue looking to see if there are additional leaks. You should check all of the hoses for any signs of swelling or collapsing. Look for any caked coolant on the hoses, which will be a sign of a leak. Any hoses that have damage need to be replaced. If there are leaks in the freeze plug or water pump, you should bring the car to a mechanic, as this can be an extremely tricky repair process. If the leak cannot be found, bring it to a mechanic who can use a cooling system pressure test to identify any leaks.
Home fixes
If the leak is relatively small, you should try and seal it with a radiator sealer. This comes in powder or liquid form and is simply applied to the radiator when the coolant is cool and the car is turned on. It will be able to work its way into the crack and crevices, providing a seal that is semi-permanent. Cold weld epoxy can be used for the same purpose, but you need to drain the entire radiator first and apply the epoxy when everything is dried. If the leak is on one of the hoses, you can use duct tape to wrap it up. If these home fixes don't work, you should bring it to a mechanic who can conduct more temporary fixes and car radiator repairs on the leak sites. The radiator may even need to be replaced if there is enough extensive damage to the components and the cooling system as a whole.
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