HOw to repair a radiator ( nissan Patrol)

I dont mean to be sceptical but it sounds like the coolant has reacted with the aluminium from either mixed coolants or not flushing out properly or leaving too long between flushing and replacing . Replace with an aftermarket brass one . Should cost about $600 fitted . Have the coolant power flushed out and replaced by a reputable radiator place every 12 months .

Ozboc

this stuff works a treat,used it for your exact reason in one of my racecars.

Knead it

Boc

As a patch you can use silicone sealant, which I have used succefully many times. Just remove the fins on either side of the damaged tube clean it up with some sand paper and fill either side of the damaged tube with silicone plus a layer of a few millimetres thick over the top of the hole. Allow plenty of time to cure.
How long this lasts depends on the condition of your radiator of cause.

Chris

Araldite is really good as well.
Mix some alloy fillings in the mix and you can use it to patch broken Alloy casings on M/cycles, good stuff for that.

Then again that's what kneed it does now, but 35 years ago it wasn't around.

Cheers

Everybody knows that something like a radiator only gives trouble at midnight during a heavy rainstorm on the coldest night of the year and at least 100 km from the nearest assistance. Or, in the outside lane at rush hour on the busiest motorway. :-))

If one tube is corroded then the rest are also corroded. Better get it replaced as soon as possible.

.

Boc

I have just replaced mine again after 2.5 years. Think the coolant mix was too strong. You should find one for around $450 -$500 as that is what I paid for mine freight included. Had to drive 40km to collect it.

Cheers

Hi

I have heard of some people using a heat torch and a zip tie as a quickfix to get themselves out of trouble.

Melt the ziptie over the hole.

Cheers

Greetings guys and thanks for your reply - I have fixed it - that being a temporary fix till i get a new radiator in the next week or 2

Not sure why troopyman would say its a chemical reaction when i said it looked like something had been rubbing on it .... and on closer inspection i actually found the radiator cowling has an arm that extends out - somewhat like a support and its directly where the rub marks were .....

all i done to fix was the following --- knocked out the small fins about 1 inch up and down ( in total) of the worn through rub mark - just crimped the core over and crimped it with bull nose pliers --- manual says it reaches pressure of 14 psi ... so pressure tested to 16 PSI -- holds pressure with no leaks ....

this will be good till i source a new one at a decent price --- the 2 places i called quoted $750+ now have some breathing space to shop around and save a few hundred$$

Boc

The fan shroud rubbed a hole in my aluminium core and I had it fixed by a radiator specialist. The spot where it was fixed I then covered in sikaflex about the size of a 50 cent piece to stop the fan shroud rubbing through it again. Dodgy std setup with the fan shroud which caused the leak in the first place (there are 2 spots where the fan shround contacts the core on my '00 model). There is also a copper core available aftermarket that fitted my non intercooled td42t. This has a closer pitch (spacing) on the vertical water galleries. I had this fitted later after the temp climbed when towing. Was about $800 4 or 5 years ago.

A new radiator is the ideal fix, however is cost is a determining factor and when it. This could work and would in my opinion be a more permanent fix than silicon or araldite

A product called Fasmetal made by a US manufacturer called Devcon do the trick, it is used in the HVAC industry (Air Con) to repair evaporators.

Not cheap its a two pack epoxy similar to araldite but looks like aluminium weld when it cures. From memory about $30 last time I bought some. Will withstand pressure when cured.

You might have to check the specifications to see if it can withstand the of a radiator as it is used usually in a cold environment.

Might be worth further investigation.

Cheers

Col

Hello all, I'm new to EO but a long time fan & reader.
I always keep one of the small plastic dispensers of Black Pepper you can buy at the supermarket in my 4x4's. it works a treat for plugging up pin holes in an emergency and all you (or your radiator repair guy) has to do is flush the system as normal when it gets fixed.