Radiator permanent fix?

[NTECUK]

B & Q did a copper pipe repair putty.
Worth a look.

[Matt-EUC]

I've radwelded and superglued the outside. It appears to be holding firm after 100+ miles.

[NTECUK]

Super glue dissolves in water

Use araldite or similar

[jambo]

Radweld is not a good shout, if it was me I would flush all the coolant out, fill the rad with water a couple of times, drain that and replace with coolant. Please.

Like some of the others here I have used Epoxy (araldite) to replair a rad before. To fix an area live the one you have I cut the fins away carefully above and below the leak with a knife, then rubbed the bar with the hole with some fine wet & dry to key the surface and used Araldite and some cloth or wire to make a wrap around the bar, then I let it dry. A light spray of black afterwards and you couldn't see it unless you looked.

Jambo

[timwilky]

My dad used to own a radiator repairers, so I have plenty of experience as a kid of repairing rads. There is only one sure method. A re-core.

Otherwise, you need to remove the top/bottom tanks and then soak the core in an acid bath to clean it.

Then a blob of solder at either end of the holed tube. Reassemble core/tanks.

To test, blank hose fittings with a rubber bung, a washer either side and a nut/bolt through. As you squeeze the bung, it expands to seal the hole. fit an air line with about 3-5 psi and drop it into a water tank and looks for leak bubbles. If OK, refit. Careful with the pressure you do not want to rupture the core and make sure those bungs are tight. I have seen them fly 30ft smashing a window on their way.

Sounds like hard work, it is. that is why it costs for a repair. Especially with modern plastic tanks that need to be bonded. Old fashioned soldered was far easier.

[timwilky]

My dad used to own a radiator repairers, so I have plenty of experience as a kid of repairing rads. There is only one sure method. A re-core.

Otherwise, you need to remove the top/bottom tanks and then soak the core in an acid bath to clean it.

Then a blob of solder at either end of the holed tube. Reassemble core/tanks.

To test, blank hose fittings with a rubber bung, a washer either side and a nut/bolt through. As you squeeze the bung, it expands to seal the hole. fit an air line with about 3-5 psi and drop it into a water tank and looks for leak bubbles. If OK, refit. Careful with the pressure you do not want to rupture the core and make sure those bungs are tight. I have seen them fly 30ft smashing a window on their way.

Sounds like hard work, it is. that is why it costs for a repair. Especially with modern plastic tanks that need to be bonded. Old fashioned soldered was far easier.

[Bibio]

you can get pipe repair putty that is two part, just mix and squeeze on.

[NTECUK]

Yep this