How does a radiator work?
Constructed with slim, hollow channels, the radiator sits at the front of your engine.
Liquid coolant is pumped from the radiator through tubes to the running motor, where it draws off heat.
Pumped back to the radiator, hot coolant is then cooled by air passing through the grill because the car moves.
The coolant then cycles back through the engine to repeat the cycle and keep it performing at an optimal temperature.
Basically, without a radiator—and engine coolant—your engine will overheat.
Step 1: Spot the leak
One sign your radiator is leaking is that if a pool of green, yellow, or orange coolant shows up under your car. Sometimes all you’ll find are a couple of drops. Other times it’s going to be an actual puddle.
Another sign is your temperature gauge if it’s indicating that your car is overheating.
Sometimes you’ll see steam rising from the radiator, indicating a pinhole leak or ruptured seam. If the leak isn’t readily apparent, wash down the radiator and its hoses with water and await the leak because the motor runs.
A word of caution when inspecting your car’s engine: parts of the motor are going to be extremely hot and will cause burns or scalding. Always exercise extreme caution when trying to find leaks in your car’s cooling system!
- Inspect the parts
The radiator should be inspected for cracks, broken fins, and crusty coolant leaks.
All hoses, including heater core hoses, should be checked for collapsing or swelling. Crusty coolant on the surface of hoses or connections suggests a leak.
The pump , overflow reservoir and exterior of the top gaskets should be inspected for leaks. As well, check the engine’s oil for the visible presence of coolant or water. If any of those problems happen , you ought to consider getting your car to a garage.
If the leak still cannot be found, you or your mechanic could use a cooling system pressure tester to check the radiator and cap for leaks.
- Try these temporary fixes
If the leak is little enough you’ll try radiator sealer, which may be a liquid or powder added to the radiator while the coolant is cool and therefore the car’s running.
It works its way into nooks, crannies and leaks, providing a semi-permanent seal.
You could also use cold-weld epoxy.
It requires you to empty the radiator and apply the epoxy when everything is dry.
If the leak is in one among the hoses, you’ll also resort thereto most Canadian of fixes: duct tape!
- Get to a fix-it shop if you’re unsure
The above are only temporary fixes. Unless you are feeling confident enough to try to to the work yourself, a more permanent solution might be to require your car to an auto fix-it shop , where they’ll assess if you would like full repairs or replacement if the damage is just too extensive
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