How To Stop A Car Radiator Leak: Finding a radiator leak may sound simple, but it is far from it. Just because you spot coolant coming from a single area does not mean that the leak is centrally located in one spot. The radiator is a complex piece of equipment on your car. It is a maze of tubes and ventilation ribs that distribute heat out of your cars engine. Finding the exact location can be tricky. There are simple methods that you might think strange in locating a radiator leak, but as strange as it may sound it actually works. I had a late model car that had one of those big radiators and when I discovered coolant coming out on to the concrete of my drive way. I immediately called my brother the radiator specialist over to my house. He arrived ten minutes later and inspected the radiator. He turned to me and asked, “Go get me and egg from the fridge.” I looked at him puzzled, but I did as he asked. Once I returned with the single raw egg. He took it from me and laid it on the ground at his feet. He removed the radiator cap and told me to start the engine. After a few minutes the circulation of the coolant through the radiator could be seen. With no pressure on the radiator due to the cap being removed, there was no visible sign of a leak any where. My brother picked up the egg and cracked it open. Separating the yoke from the white, he added the white of the egg into the mouth of the radiator. He replaced the cap and we waited for the pressure to build up. Like something out of a horror movie, the radiator took on a life of it’s own. A hiss started to develop, and soon after that a white substance emitted from the spot of the leak. The water had boiled the egg white and pin pointed the exact location of the tiny hole. I cut the car’s engine off and he released the pressure on the radiator by turning the cap a half turn. Once the pressure was off he ran cool water into the radiator with a garden hose. He then got underneath the car and opened the radiator drain plug and let the coolant out into a large pan. Some of the egg white came out in the pan, but not all of it. With the egg white marking the spot. We removed the radiator from the car. My brother retrieved his brazing torch from his truck and gathered the roll of solder. He took a wire brush and gently scraped off the top portion of the egg white. There in the midst of all the venting was a single white dot. He took out a tiny pointed punch and inserted it into the white dot. The spot was marked and the pointed punch protruded from the hole to keep the spot located. He removed the punch after he had the soldering flame at the right temp and started applying the solder to the hole. Once the patch work was done he flushed the radiator once again before we installed it back inside the engine compartment. We hooked up the hoses and filled the radiator with new coolant. I started the engine and monitored the thermostat from inside the car. My brother watched for any disruptions in the coolant flow through the mouth of the radiator before adding the cap back into a secure position on top. I let the car idle for fifteen minutes to make sure the car would not over heat, and allow the radiator to build up pressure. This made sure that the hole would not reopen and the patch held. Job well done for two shade tree mechanics and the radiator lasted for years after. Category:Home › Autos • Will the trend toward economy-size car models lead Americans back to buying smaller-sized cars? — part 2 • You should never use after-market auto parts when maintaining or fixing your car • Should a new car be rust-proofed? • Will the trend toward economy-size car models lead Americans back to buying smaller-sized cars? — part 1 • Five safest cars in North America • How to ensure your teen drives safely after getting a license • Pros and cons of using an hydrogen generator for your car • DIY automotive maintenance: How to change the oil
