Leaking radiator
 

My radiator on my00 STi has developed a leak although i know this is not unusual i have a couple of queries regarding it.

When i look to try and see where the coolant is leaking from sometimes it looks to be running down the AC radiator but it may just be spraying onto there.If it was the AC radiator leaking would it be dripping red coolant?

Silly question i know but i am a bit of a noob to scoobies.

Also are the ebay radiators any good because at 50 quid delivered there worth a look,thanks in advance:)

I stuck one on my wrx £60 ish delivered 5000 miles later no problems

Nice one thats the answer im looking for:)

Mine went near the side and was spraying out near the edge, it had a very small pin prick hole in it , Took me ages to find it, Good luck, Gaz.

Cheers Gaz if i know its coming from the rad i wont even bother looking for it il just change it,i just dont want to change the rad and then its the AC one thats leaking.:mad:

Bud, rather than buy off e-bay, ring round your local area after looking on www.yell.com under radiators, cooling or car.

I picked one up for £68 guaranteed two years. The seller threw in new jubilee clips and loads of advice.

Just a quickie, check it's not a small tear in a water pipe spraying on the rad. That happened to me, i changed the buggger and found out it was the top pipe spraying on the rad. Well hacked off i was. Also steer clear of the chaep alu rads on ebay, i bought one and it was cack, leaked after a month or two. So got a normal one for £50 ish and few months later dry as a bone.

Hi mate the colour of your coolant woul be red because ac juice is like a illuminous yellow kind of colour. Just give a good check over on the pipes as they can split.

It wont be the AC as it's a gas that's in there, and some oil. The oil might have a yellow/green dye in it that shows under ultraviolet light.

As you are saying it is a red liquid, I think you're correct in thinking it's engine coolant.

Thanks for the advice lads sounds like you have confirmed it is coolant and not the AC liquid so that good,i suppose!

How will i check the hoses just give them a good squeeze?

Start the engine, after drying off any obvious wet patches with paper towels. Check around the hoses, if it's a hose it's 90% likely to be the top one. Mine went, TINY split, only visible once it was OFF except for a pinhole of spray squirting the block, which ran down the block, down the cambelt cover and onto the wrapped headers: clouds of steam and a brown trouser moment in traffic:D It doesn't half look like smoke:rolleyes:

Once it was OFF, however, twisting it showed that most of the inside had split. And not just in one place: looked like a madman had been at it with a razor:eek:

Once any fluid is present, again use paper towels to check where it's coming from.

My rad ALSO went, but that was me moving the fan shroud/support, I caught the rad replacing it. No worries, once I got the rad out it was so old the vanes were just crumbling away. Best to do it now when it's dry/warm/lots of daylight, rather than in January........

Swapping a rad is a couple of hour's job, tops, including draining/refilling. Don't worry if the bolts holding the fan shroud/power steering pipe shear off, just replace them with stainless ones, (M6 x 25mm), available from screwfix. The new rad should come with top and bottom supports ready fitted with nice new bolt holes. A couple of coats of Hammerite don't go amiss on the top and bottom supports, again, they are easily removed, two M6 x 25 bolts for each, replace those with s/s too.

DON'T forget to get the rubber seatings off the old rad!

Start the engine, after drying off any obvious wet patches with paper towels. Check around the hoses, if it's a hose it's 90% likely to be the top one. Mine went, TINY split, only visible once it was OFF except for a pinhole of spray squirting the block, which ran down the block, down the cambelt cover and onto the wrapped headers: clouds of steam and a brown trouser moment in traffic:D It doesn't half look like smoke:rolleyes:

Once it was OFF, however, twisting it showed that most of the inside had split. And not just in one place: looked like a madman had been at it with a razor:eek:

Once any fluid is present, again use paper towels to check where it's coming from.

My rad ALSO went, but that was me moving the fan shroud/support, I caught the rad replacing it. No worries, once I got the rad out it was so old the vanes were just crumbling away. Best to do it now when it's dry/warm/lots of daylight, rather than in January........

Swapping a rad is a couple of hour's job, tops, including draining/refilling. Don't worry if the bolts holding the fan shroud/power steering pipe shear off, just replace them with stainless ones, (M6 x 25mm), available from screwfix. The new rad should come with top and bottom supports ready fitted with nice new bolt holes. A couple of coats of Hammerite don't go amiss on the top and bottom supports, again, they are easily removed, two M6 x 25 bolts for each, replace those with s/s too.

DON'T forget to get the rubber seatings off the old rad!

mine was weeping through the black plastic end cap near the top O/S it, was like the plastic had become porous, I fitted a ebay special cost £60 ish delivered, it appears good quality and a perfect fit, all in all great value.

Had another look tonight but i still cant see where its coming from,i am going to get right into it tmrw il let you know how i get on

Well checked it out today and its defo the radiator thats leaking so i will source one and no doubt be back on once im trying to fit it :thumb: