Radiator repairs ??

[wooky48]

This isn't for my Jeep but since the theory and principles are generally the same. On a radiator with plastic tanks can epoxy (J B Weld) be used for a pinhole repair, even if it's only a temporary one? This is on my car and I haven't been driving it much lately but I need to tomorrow and again on Saturday. Also would it hurt to run it with the cap not quite on all the way?

[jeep_freek88]

This isn't for my Jeep but since the theory and principles are generally the same. On a radiator with plastic tanks can epoxy (J B Weld) be used for a pinhole repair, even if it's only a temporary one? This is on my car and I haven't been driving it much lately but I need to tomorrow and again on Saturday. Also would it hurt to run it with the cap not quite on all the way?

 

 

Whats not quite on all the way...... like not sealed? cuz that would make a huge mess and probly make your car over heat due to loss of anti freeze.

[CWLONGSHOT]

Sure can!!

 

On my lil Mazda it worked GREAT!!! ;)

 

CW

[wooky48]

WOW, that was quick replies. Jeep freek, not all the way on is where I back off the cap just a wee bit but CW said it worked on his car so I may not need to back it off.

 

Thanks yall

[CWLONGSHOT]

I have the cap completely on just like there is nothing wrong.. been fixed now for almost two months and 1000 - 1500 miles.

 

No issues on mine.

 

CW

[wooky48]

Ok, CW, thats good enough for me, I know J B is good stuff just didn't know if it would work on this, thanks

[mvusse]

I have run my Olds 98, my Suburban and my F100 with the cap removed to prevent the system from pressurizing and losing coolant through a pinhole leak. No problems. But all those vehicles have huge radiators and you can actually see the thermostat opening and closing by watching the temperature gauge.

 

I tried on my Jeep and every time I slowed down after high speed freeway driving (like stopped at the border, or traffic jam) it started boiling, causing me to lose coolant faster than if I'd left the cap on. of course I found this out on the way to Canada.

 

I just barely made it across the border before I completely ran out and the gauge started moving up fast enough to see it moving. Coasted into a motel parking lot to let it cool and get a bucket of water.

 

For the way back I McGuyvered my heater controls to the aux fan I had installed but not wired in yet and took 2 buckets of water with me, which managed to get me home. Still had a bucket left, even.

 

Anyway, the point is you can try it, but it's not guaranteed to work.

[jtdesigns]

If you can sand it down on that spot itll be better. I used a 2 part epoxy on a crack that was about a inch long on a Mazda 626 I had. The thing is try to find a epoxy thats made for the plastic that your rad is made of. Autobody supply stores should carry most epoxies you could ever want.

[FxRacing282]

agreed. :agree: if its plastic JB has an epoxy. you could get some epoxy 12 or something along those lines. definatly clean the surface and rough it up. i used jb on my brass radiatior on my k10 and it seems to be working although it is wearing away. kinda wierd but still works

[CWLONGSHOT]

I have run my Olds 98, my Suburban and my F100 with the cap removed to prevent the system from pressurizing and losing coolant through a pinhole leak. No problems. But all those vehicles have huge radiators and you can actually see the thermostat opening and closing by watching the temperature gauge.

 

I tried on my Jeep and every time I slowed down after high speed freeway driving (like stopped at the border, or traffic jam) it started boiling, causing me to lose coolant faster than if I'd left the cap on. of course I found this out on the way to Canada.

 

I just barely made it across the border before I completely ran out and the gauge started moving up fast enough to see it moving. Coasted into a motel parking lot to let it cool and get a bucket of water.

 

For the way back I McGuyvered my heater controls to the aux fan I had installed but not wired in yet and took 2 buckets of water with me, which managed to get me home. Still had a bucket left, even.

 

Anyway, the point is you can try it, but it's not guaranteed to work.

 

That's the difference a open to a closed system makes!! On OPEN systems the loose cap trick works well... NOT so on the closed systems the Jeep 4.0's have!! As you found out!!

 

CW

[wooky48]

J B is now on the radiator, let it set over night with residual heat from engine (almost cold again). Thanks for all the replies. This is just a quick fix til I can get a new one (hate to see the price for a BEHR for a Benz $$$). I haven't been driving it much lately, saving it for the weekends and trips (nothing like leather seats, cruise, A/C, and the gunsight :brows: on the hood for long trips).

[wooky48]

UPDATE

 

The J B that I put on last night set up good, drove it to work and around town this afternoon (80 - 85 degree weather), new T-stat working fine, new cap all the way on, no leaks and running normal temp (slightly elevated with A/C on). Thanks yall

[wooky48]

UPDATE II

 

I drove it to my class reunion on Saturday, took the back roads (shorter distance "through the woods") with a 4 mile run on the interstate, when I shut it off it started leaking again (about 1/2 gal to refill when I left the party), same route home but no A/C running this time, not a drop gone. Gonna pull it and do a better job (better view of area) with a more specific J B (for plastic). I hope that will get me through til I can get another radiator. Someone even suggested I look for a similar metal radiator out of and older car (worth checking into).

[DirtyComanche]

They sell plastic radiator repair kits... Kinda hard to find, but if you look at plastic gas tank repair kits they often say they'll work on plastic radiators. Anyways, all they are is a peice of a plastic like reinforcement with a epoxy like substance on them.

 

It's not epoxy though. It's something that dissolves the plastic for a short period of time, which seals up the problem, then the reinforcement gets bonded on at the same time.

 

I think.

 

 

They work better than JB.

[wooky48]

Thanks DC, I'll check into that also, I'd rather keep this one if possible, it's not clogged or dirty on the inside so I'm not worried about the core.

[Oizarod115]

or you can try JB waterweld. mo-diffrent than jb normal weld.

[wooky48]

Didn't know how many different J B's there was Oizarod, thanks. BTW, where in Atlanta are ya, down toward Monticello here.

[HOrnbrod]

Wooky, have had lots of 300 series Benzs. On my 88 CE, I had a pinhole leak on the tank seam, tried JBWeld, lasted a couple of weeks, and other "specialized" epoxies, none lasted long. The 3.0L M103 engines run normally at 20 PSI rad pressure, sometimes more, and no bandaid epoxies last long. I finally sucked it up, pulled the rad, and brought it to a local shop. They pulled the tank, cleaned it up, epoxied it back on, rotted it out, pressure tested it up to 50 PSI, and charged me $45. I ran it two more years with no more problems, and sold it last year. Sometimes ya got to give it up, and leave it to the pros. :cheers:

[wooky48]

That much.....I mean little, Hornbrod, I didn't even think of a rad shop figuring the plastic they wouldn't want to fool with. I can take my time with this because it's not my daily driver now.

[HOrnbrod]

That much.....I mean little, Hornbrod, I didn't even think of a rad shop figuring the plastic they wouldn't want to fool with. I can take my time with this because it's not my daily driver now.

 

Whatever that means. :nuts:

[wooky48]

That much.....I mean little, Hornbrod, I didn't even think of a rad shop figuring the plastic they wouldn't want to fool with. I can take my time with this because it's not my daily driver now.

 

Whatever that means. :nuts:

 

Let's see if I can translate :brows: "That much.....I mean little", a little joke on the 45 bucks :dunno: , "I didn't even think of a rad shop, figuring the plastic (tanks) they wouldn't want to fool with (repair).", and "I can take my time with this because it's not my daily driver now." I drive my Jeep now every day instead of the Benz. :brows:

[HOrnbrod]

K, understand. Any good rad shop works on all rads; plastic, aluminum, and of course copper and brass. If they don't, they suck, or have enough buisness to not to bother. In that case, you don't want them. :cheers: Good luck.