Good morning ladies and gents.
Could someone please advise. While changing the power steering/alternator belt I've managed to crack the plastic at the top of the radiator on my wife's 07 Impreza.
Does anyone know if any radweld type product would seal this or is it a case of a new radiator. Losing brownie points by the hour 🤣

 

if it’s a cracked there is a radiator repair compound that can be found on ebay it’s worth a go , like “water weld “ , there are a few other options available

 

Many thanks. Just wasn't sure if it would just plug any pipe or alloy leak at the core or would work on the plastic.
Appreciated 😁

 

id get a new one if im honest. dunno if i can trust these rad weld's for the long term. rad's are cheap enough.

 

That's my thoughts. It's just a quick fix for the weekend then order one next week. Seen a standard for £50 but the uprated one around £160 is probably going to be the best option long term 😊

 

Then the rad weld is throughout the system; I dont think any professionals recommend this for anything more than " get you home emergency situations " I wouldn't put it in and potentially compromise the rest of the system. Putting in a new radiator is a simple driveway job.

 

the one discussed by VXR2010 - water weld - is a resin you apply to the outside rather than Rad weld additive to the coolant. i used it previously to repair a cracked fuel pump housing on my mk2 golf and works well.
https://www.jbweld.com/product/waterweld-epoxy-putty

personally id just buy a new std radiator - its more than up to the job

 

if you have cracked a pipe or the outer hosing of the rad then the water weld is quite good as it’s for external repairs , which from what you are describing appears to be your problem , if you have damaged the core then i would not be adding any thing too the coolant , i would get a new one , the over flow small plastic pipe got broken on mine so got that repaired , if you broke the main in or out pipe then i would get a new one , nissens are good , or give mishimoto a go , the slight issue with mishimoto is again the little over flow pipe they thread into where the radiator rad cap goes the thread tends to be a bit weak , so i re enforced mine with the putty which worked very well

 

Plastic has probably gone brittle anyway; common failure on old radiators (and cheap reproductions)....repair it and it'll probably fail again or elsewhere...then leave you stranded at the side of the road waiting for recovery with a pair of blown head gaskets after it airlocks from the leak.

Radiators aren't that expensive and not hard to change. Its harder to purge the air out if anything.


Could even change the cam belt while your down there as without the radiator it's a lot easier (assuming the crank pulley bolt loosens )

 

Many thanks gents. Just ordered a radiator. Best option in the long run. How come the wife and son have a Scooby and we end up paying. That's why I now ride bikes. Have to admit I did have fun in the snow 😁