Porous rad.

[ALZ]

Last few weeks Ive been topping up my coolant, nothing major until heater started blowing cold.Checked everywhere, hoses , the block, you name it nothing, no antifreeze deposits.Youngest son works at Half fords he got me some bright Orange antifreeze for topping up.This morning opened the bonnet
and there it was.Along the top of the radiator (Brass one) where its raised and along the small radiuses and all the way along the side were small bubbles.Just goes to show it was right under my nose.ALZ

[NiftyNev]

I hope you have not mixed different types of antifreeze. ??? Bad thing if you have.

Nev

[stormforce]

my radiator has gone the same but at the mo i'm not losing fluid it is just enough at the mo to wet your finger but havent got the readies for a new rad yet

[BUSHWHACKER]

Richard, if you can wield a blowlamp and solder you could repair it yourself. Just remove paint from the leaking areas so that there is nice clean brass showing, clean with steel wool, brush on some flux then solder over the hole. If it's a 'pin hole' leak, just use a nail punch or 4" nail to create a small indent and fill the dent with solder. if the leak is a small split, take a piece of copper pipe. cut down the centre and bash it flat and solder this to the split.
I've repaired three rads this way now and they've all lasted.

[stormforce]

Richard, if you can wield a blowlamp and solder you could repair it yourself. Just remove paint from the leaking areas so that there is nice clean brass showing, clean with steel wool, brush on some flux then solder over the hole. If it's a 'pin hole' leak, just use a nail punch or 4" nail to create a small indent and fill the dent with solder. if the leak is a small split, take a piece of copper pipe. cut down the centre and bash it flat and solder this to the split.
I've repaired three rads this way now and they've all lasted.

cheers Vince i will give that a go got nothing to lose anyway but if it works i will let you know

[ALZ]

Richard, if you can wield a blowlamp and solder you could repair it yourself. Just remove paint from the leaking areas so that there is nice clean brass showing, clean with steel wool, brush on some flux then solder over the hole. If it's a 'pin hole' leak, just use a nail punch or 4" nail to create a small indent and fill the dent with solder. if the leak is a small split, take a piece of copper pipe. cut down the centre and bash it flat and solder this to the split.
I've repaired three rads this way now and they've all lasted.

Drained system stat out and flushed left empty.Then removed paint with wire wool and started soldering.All the pin holes (more under paint) are dead in the middle of the radiuses around the upper plinth near to top hose.I think it is thin section from original pressing?????.Just after wait and see now.
Had a quote for £269.10 inc vat replace rad (re con)and flush at Nationwide Autocentre.Good or bad?? ALZ