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#1
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radiator tank crack
Can the crack in my radiator top tank be repaired? JB Weld doesn't seem to get a grip. What should I use?
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#2
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rad repair
J-B weld for some reason doesn't quite get it. I used that tough steel crap in the clear plastic tube. Keep patch area clean, anti-freeze dry, and use 100 grit sand paper or so to lightly burnish repair area. Pinch off a couple inches of the compound in the tube and knead with the hardener thats rolled inside. The stuff stinks a bit and will be dark gray. You have about 5 mins. to use it. Use usual tricks " use brake cleaner or acetone," lightly to etch... a turkey baster to lower anti-freeze in rad. etc. I have used three tubes of the crap, and have driven 5k miles. It's not a permenant fix, but if you do it right it will work pretty well for a while...mines held almost 6 months... good luck
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#3
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Anything you try will be temporary and you'll have no idea when it will "let go". If you play the cost of a new radiator against the cost of a replacement engine, this is a no brainer.
-Bill (owner of a new radiator after the original radiator "let go" at 184k miles...)
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Retired NASA Rocket Scientist Most famous NASA "Child" - OSIRIS-REx delivered samples from asteroid BENNU to Earth in Sept. 2023 Center Network Member #989 '92 Fully caged, 5 speed, waiting for its fully built EG33 '92 "Test Mule", 4:44 Auto, JDM 4:44 Rear Diff with Mech LSD, Tuned headers, Full one-off suspension '92(?) Laguna, 6 spd and other stuff (still at OT's place) My Locker |
#4
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i used many different thing when mine crack and the best thing i used was the radaor repair kit from pepboys any auto part store should have this.
it uses a sheet of fiber glass fabric and a plastic bonding compound it work ten time long the jb weld and that other stuff
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01 subaru legacy 5sp 97 J-spec kl-ze 5sp ford probe the best of them all the 92 lsl svx amost 100,000 mile |
#5
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This worked for me (on the 4th try!)
As counterintuitive as it may seem, the key to a long(er?) term fix is to actually widen the crack! 1/8th to 1/4 inch.
I used a Dremmel Moto-Tool to enlarge the crack, actually using a drill bit at the ends of the crack (most of which are right up front on top of the radiator where the return hose flairs into the tank) which is often stress-related. Using one of the cutting/grinding bits down the length of the crack allows room for the radiator epoxy (mine was a small Tootsie Roll-shaped) goop that you knead for a minute or so, until it was a uniform green) which you push through the crack so it will MUSHROOM behind the plastic. Of course it needs to be warm, dry and grease & anti-freeze free 1st. After this stuff dries and hardens you can use a couple of overlapping layers of JB Weld to reinforce the repair. Mine has lasted over 6 months... Got me to the 120K timing belt/water pump service. Too bad I ordered and bought a new radiator prior to this last fix, though. Well, at least I'll have a spare Good Luck!
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' 92 SVX @ 185K ' 91 420SEL @ 223K! ' 88 420SEL I. @ 178K (what a buy!) ' 87 F250 @ 180K ' 93 ZX-11D @ 29K ' 93 SC400 @ 93K 2001 Valkyrie Interstate @ 6.6K (Brynhild) Y2K NightHawk 250 @ 1,500 miles ' 88 420SEL II. @ 208K '85 F150 @ 135K |
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