Date:         Thu, 31 Mar 2005 11:12:18 -0700
Reply-To:     jimt <camper@TACTICAL-BUS.INFO>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         jimt <camper@TACTICAL-BUS.INFO>
Subject:      Re: Finding and repairing small radiator leak?
In-Reply-To:  <008c01c5359d$2d2a9470$6400a8c0@daadaa1>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"

On 3/30/05 19:55, "jbclem1" <jbclem1@CHARTER.NET> wrote:

> Appologies to the listserv...I sent this message to you by mistake.  Here it
> is again;
> 
> 
> My 1983 Westfalia radiator, not all that old, has a small leak obvious only
> when the engine is hot.
> I was looking at the radiator trying to figure out where the leak was coming
> from...from the front
> of the car with the grill off and looking at the radiator you see rows and
> rows of small W like
> fins.  I pulled off about 1/2 inch of fins in two rows in a wet area...the
> fins are way to thin to
> be carrying water... and was wondering if anyone has tried to find a leak this
> way, and then fix it
> (solder, epoxy, ???).  That is, with the radiator in place or removed, taking
> off a small amount of
> fin material, then pressure testing the radiator to see if a hole/leak would
> be noticiable.  If you
> could see a hole then I assume you could solder it shut.
> 
> I'm not sure where the water flows, is it going through the horizontal metal
> shelves that contain
> the fins, or are there larger pipes in the middle of the radiator, or both.
> 
> Does anyone have any experience or ideas in this area?
> 
> 
> John
> 
> 

Use stop leak or similar product.  There is no way to economically repair
the hole even if you were to find it that it wouldn¹t be cheaper to put a
new radiator on.   Also how old is that radiator?  It may be reaching the
stage where a new one may be a good idea anyway.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
jimt
Planned insanity is best.
Remember that sanity is optional.
http://www.tactical-bus.info (tech info)
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