Radiator / coolant leak

[El Saxo]

Last night after the ride home from work I found some fluid of some kind on my left boot, so went back out to inspect the bike and found there is a coolant leak from the left hand side of the radiator - must have happened when I crashed a few months ago but yesterday was the first time I have ridden the bike since.

It looked like the hose had been dislodged a bit so I re-attached it and tightened the jubilee clip etc - couldnt see any cracks or anything in the hose itself.

Riding to work this morning I looked down and sure enough there were drops of fluid landing on the crash bung, and when I pulled up there was a small drip forming at the bottom of the radiator.

Is it a good idea to use something like rad-weld to try & stop the leak before I go down the (much more expensive) route of buying a new radiator?

Also I checked the coolant level and it's only leaked a very small amount, and the temperature reading on the clocks was fine all the way to work this morning so if you were me would you keep riding in the meantime as long as I keep the coolant topped up?

Any advice would be appreciated - thought my bike was finally sorted after my off and now this... :lol:

Thanks

[dizzyblonde]

I hate radiator leaks.There are places that can repair them, if they ain't bent, which could be cheaper than a new one. However I have had mixed results. One Raptor rad didn't repair and 125ml of radweld sorted it, three years on and its still going strong.
This Raptor radiator has been repaired and its perfectly fine. Fingers crossed!

[Dicky Ticker]

I have just had my rad repaired/pressure tested and it cost £20 but the leak was not on the fins.
Not exactly on your door step but Colchester Radiators repair any ally rads,so I would surmise there would be somebody in your neck of the woods who does likewise.
A DARNED SIGHT CHEAPER THAN A REPLACEMENT RAD----but if you have to go down that route there are manufacturers of replacement rads for the SV[and others] which are 50% of the OE cost

[barwel1992]

mine was leaking, sounds likes ures might be doing the same thing as mine. i had to tighten the clamps around the tubes to an excessive tightness to stop them from leaking

[_Stretchie_]

Last night after the ride home from work I found some fluid of some kind on my left boot

"Joy juice" following one of your first big rides back on the bike?