Rad Weld/ K Seal etc - Opinions

[Antoin]

The Volvo is losing water, looks to be leaking from the join between the core and end cap.
Cant get a new rad for love nor money until Monday, noone keeps any stock so to keep me going I was considering throwing in some radweld/ sealant to plug the leak. Could also do without splashing out £150 before Christmas!
Am I asking for trouble further down the line, blocked heater matrix etc going this route or fire away?

Thanks,
Anton

 

[Mark King]

stay away from that stuff

 

[gary1365]

I threw rad weld into my fiesta years ago and it was grand for the few more months I kept it. I had no long term plans to keep it to be fair. It’s still shows up as being on the road.

 

[Mr.Mint]

stay away from that stuff

Best advice ever given. Just switch it off until you can get it sorted properly.

 

[andy.]

if your keeping the car avoid it completely, it'll just end up blocking waterways all over the place and make it worse when you fix it properly. If its a bucket of scrap you intend on scrapping soon or just driving into the ground then work away.

 

[Woodcutter]

That stuff serves its purpose for some applications, but I personally wouldn't put it in my own vehicle.

 

[Antoin]

More or less confirmed my thoughts on it. Il avoid it and either get the rad fixed or replaced.
Its not an expensive motor but I'll likely keep it til its done so would like to do it right.

 

[Woodcutter]

Try Peter Pollock at Coleraine Radiotors , I’m sure he could fix it if you’re on a budget

 

[Gambit]

subaru used it in their workshops...bottled and sold under a subaru part number - they called it coolant conditioner!

 

[Antoin]

Try Peter Pollock at Coleraine Radiotors , I’m sure he could fix it if you’re on a budget

Tried them. Not open Saturdays unfortunately which means itll be midweek before I would have a rad either fixed or new.
I will get it off this evening and see whats exactly wrong and might even manage a temporary fix msyelf to keep it going a while.

subaru used it in their workshops...bottled and sold under a subaru part number

Heard a few manufacturers have used K Seal in particular in their dealers. However, given some of the dubious work you hear from main dealers its probably not a great endorsement.

 

[McFall1984]

We sell kSeal all the time
Very popular

try brownlow radiators

 

[111gsi]

I had excellent results with Steel Seal years ago, although that was for a head gasket, not sure how it works on a radiator leak with less heat and pressure.

 

[zafturbo]

Can’t comment on anything car related but on the one occasion I used it in a truck when in Cornwall it turned out to be the worst decision I had made lol.It would of been cheaper getting Mercedes to recover ,replace ect than the balls it made of everything else in the long run .

 

[brendy]

Radweld only works on the thinnest of cracks, you might as well spit on it tbh. Keep away from it if at all possible.

 

[stevieturbo]

Radweld etc is fine for small leaks you can see.

K seal is an absolute last resort, and usually when people are selling a car. I'd never use it on anything I'd be keeping ( although I'd never use it in general )

 

[Antoin]

Update;
Fan shroud had wore a hole in One of the alu tubes that run horizontal.
Decided to DIY it. Cleaned it out, opened the hole a bit more. Pinched the tube either side of the hole and poured in some epoxy resin. Left it overnight to cure.
This morning I pressurised the rad to about 25psi and it held so threw it back in the car for a run to get it up to temp. Seems to have held so far. Remains to be seen how long it'll last or if it will last at all.

 

[Coog]

Fixx-it self amalgamating tape is good for that sort of repair as well. If you can get enough access for a couple of laps of it

 

[Antoin]

It was right in the corner of the rad so would have struggled to get anything at it tbh @Coog

 

[stevieturbo]

If you can get it clean, there's probably some sort of solder type repair you could do.

But I'm sure a new rad isn't overly expensive anyway which is safest long term option

 

[Antoin]

If you can get it clean, there's probably some sort of solder type repair you could do.

But I'm sure a new rad isn't overly expensive anyway which is safest long term option

Expensive enough lol
150 all in!

If id had a plumbers torch I might have tried a bit of silver solder but didn't have one to hand so went with this option. See how it goes

 

[stevieturbo]

crimped plastic ends and the solder would be a risk though.

Some rad places could re-core it...but I'd be buying new. Or leaving the epoxy and hoping lol

 

[Antoin]

Epoxy still holding

 

[NI_Volvo_Nut]

What's the Volvo? I'm sure I have one for P2 cars, S60 / V70

 

[Antoin]

Its an xc90 @NI_Volvo_Nut

Doubt if the saloon/ estate cars would fit.
It has a built in auto gearbox oil cooler which is maybe what makes it so expensive.

 

[NI_Volvo_Nut]

Its an xc90 @NI_Volvo_Nut

Doubt if the saloon/ estate cars would fit.
It has a built in auto gearbox oil cooler which is maybe what makes it so expensive.

Aye, they are taller that the car ones too from memory. Guy in Newry on Gumtree is breaking an XC90, think there's another in Crumlin, both of which I can't find.

This one on Marketplace --> Volvo xc90 parts only 2-5 diesel - Car Lighting - Ballymoney | Facebook Marketplace

To best of my knowledge all you need is auto, petrol or diesel use the same rad