Radiator leak - recommendations?

[iMacThere4iAm]

Hi chaps, my Peugeot seems to have sprung a leak in the radiator - do you have any advice on using sealant fluids such as Radweld etc?

 

[pepper]

I try not to use anything, modern car engines have very fine waterways, and sticking stuff in with the water just causes more problems.

I know it's more expense but better to pay for just a replacement radiator than, leak seal and then a replacement radiator, do it once and do it properly saves an awful lot of money in the long term.

 

[ggcton]

I agree with Pepper a recore or a new rad are the only solutions you can rely on.Depending on the price of a new Radiator a recore will usually be about £110 or there about and is as good as new.Gary

 

[Cornish4]

Hi Tom, yes these chaps are right, if you use a sealer it is just a short fix and of course the problem will return just at the wrong moment. New rad or re-core and hey-presto, cooling sorted and no-worries. Brian.:smile:

 

[alewis]

As a temporary fix try and seal it with something from the outside. Rad weld just clogs up the insides - especially the inside of the heater matrix

(I'm trying to remove rad weld from a car at the moment - one thing to also note is Rad weld cures when dry - so draining the coolant to do head work has left me with a load of dry rad weld inside the engine :shock: )

 

[iMacThere4iAm]

As a temporary fix try and seal it with something from the outside. Rad weld just clogs up the insides - especially the inside of the heater matrix

(I'm trying to remove rad weld from a car at the moment - one thing to also note is Rad weld cures when dry - so draining the coolant to do head work has left me with a load of dry rad weld inside the engine :shock: )

I can see how that would be a problem!
Thank you guys for the advice, I'm going to start looking around for a replacement radiator to do a proper job of it.

 

[Cornish4]

Hi Tom, you may not need to replace the rad, as I'm sure there will be a company in your area that could recore yours. Might be easier than sourcing a replacement rad. It seems leaky radiators are catching on. Just today whilst down at renault4mads' garage with our 4, Andrew said, where is that water coming from? Drip drip. Now where did I put that Radseal?:smile:

 

[billythefish]

I had mine recored last year locally and it cost £100, worth it.

 

[iMacThere4iAm]

That's not bad, but apparently I can get a whole new radiator off ebay for about the same.
Meanwhile, the leak has completely stopped of its own accord. I still keep an eye on the level and carry a spare bottle of coolant, but I'm not going to mess around replacing it just yet. Especially as £100 far exceeds the car's value and I'm planning to take it off the road in less than a month.