How to fix radiator leaks cheap!
Got a leaky radiator or radiator hose? Here's how to fix it yourself and save a lot of money!
I have had to fix a few radiator leaks in my day (a lot actually as I used to be a Chrysler mechanic in the 80′s and 90′s when Chrysler was well known for making the worst vehicles on the road – and the best vehicles for us mechanics because they were always needing repairs).
You can take your car or have it towed (if the radiator has a bad leak or a burst hose) to your local car dealership where they will fleece you of around $500 to $1,000 or more to replace your radiator regardless of whether it needs replacement or not (car dealerships nowadays replace rather then fix things) or you can either fix it yourself or have a local mechanic or shop fix it for much less.
I would opt for the local mechanic or shop. The car dealership will 9 times out of 10 replace the radiator and all hoses even if there is nothing wrong with the radiator. They are lazy and looking for the biggest potential profits. Stop making the car dealer and their family rich. This is an easy repair and can either be done by yourself or by a local mechanic for much less.
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First, you need to find out where the problem is. Most of the time it is a blown or leaking hose. Usually it will be the bottom hose going from the radiator to the engine. This hose should be checked every once in a while for wetness and bulges. A bulge or wetness means there has been a failure in the hose and it needs replacing.
To replace a hose is easy. Just go to your local parts supply store or you can even order the exact fit hose off the internet and have it shipped directly to your house. You may want to get new clamps, but they are usually quite rugged and will long outlast several hoses so they don’t usually need replacing.
Next, you take a bucket or container and fit it under the hose are. Then loosen the clamps and remove the hose. To loosen the clamps you just need a flat head screwdriver and turn it in the direction that loosens it. The hose will pop off. Replace with the new hose and tighten the clamps. Then fill with more antifreeze. Then you are done. A hose repair is easy to do and can be done in ten minutes or so by any backyard mechanic.
If it is the radiator that is leaking then there are kits you can get that you add to the radiator to stop leaks, but I don’t recommend them as they rarely work. Instead you can either replace the radiator or you can have a mechanic spot weld (aluminum welding is different then steel welding and requires different tools). This will create a permanent fix that will not come apart.
You can also always order a aftermarket radiator off the internet for much cheaper then the original OEM one. This is one part where aftermarkets are actually far superior to the OEM ones. I suggest going with a aluminum racing one. These are built to last and are still cheaper then the OEM ones. Plus they have far greater colling capacities and they are tough.
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I put one of these aftermarket aluminum racing radiators in a truck I drive and the thing has taken rocks and road debris that would have crippled OEM radiators and it hasn’t sprung a leak or anything. I love my aftermarket radiator. If you want a great, cheap radiator then look for the CLF replacement radiators at RacingPages.com because for about $90 you can get a new radiator that will fit perfectly in your car or truck – that is a hell of a deal!
