siscogts

Hi! I was asking also about royal purple 20w50 opinions.... But opinions here change every week, so I go straight to the real problem.

Noticed small leak, right side of the radiator,just few drops in a week,but enough to run the car for 5- kms and see steam coming out from the front of the car.... After 10 kms no more steam,and everything was fine. Left the car there 1 hour, no leaks under the car, no more steam....

Could be the big coolant hose, or is there a leaking drain plug on the right side?what and how can I check? Space in that area is tight...

Mrmerlin

I would check the hose clamps for the hose first.
But otherwise what happens is the plastic tank on the passenger side will crack along the clamped flange area just along the top edge of the tank,
this part has an air bubble and over time it will crack from flexing and not being in contact with the coolant.

it can be confirmed by looking for white crusty deposits along the flange edges, the drain plugs dont leak unless they have been cross threaded or the heads are ripped off from overtightening as this is an O ring seal

siscogts

Ok.... I need a mirror to search the leak on the radi tor as the reservoir has no cracks...
30 minute ago i found a coolant drop at the right side, just under the Black lower spoiler........

bureau13

Regarding Royal Purple 20w50, I'll be using that at my next change. It seems to have good zinc content or whatever that additive is that our engines prefer, and in general I've always liked their oils.

James Bailey

the plastic end tanks are crimped to the aluminum radiator core with a rubber o ring seal squeezed in between. That seal overtime may leak a bit but when the radiator is hot things expand enough to seal... New seals as well as new end tanks are available. The aluminum tabs which hold the end tanks on and compress the seal are easily broken if they are bent / moved too much but many radiator shops have experience with them.

siscogts

Difficult to say i need better light to see the upper rad hose, but leak seems to be located between plastic and alluminio core. Finger crossed, but I have the feeling i need a new rad...
Francesco

Mrmerlin

usually a new end tank and seal will be good to repair the radiator you have

James Bailey

I guess I was not clear enough about the fact that his radiator was probably fixable

siscogts

Ok, my Technical language needs to be improved... I confused Tank and reservoir.... Sorry. the radiator is leaking where plastic is crimped to the core, right in the middle. Today (now it's 5,10 am) i will call a factory here in Italy that repair/sell every kind of radiator. He repaired the radiator of my ex bmw 635 (plastic end Tank broken), and the subaru one of my factory (leaks where thanks were crimped). With 50 euros + delivery i think they can fix it.

James Bailey

Great a simple fix !! and reasonable price.