How To Repair A Radiator Leak with Epoxy 

I was skeptical of this working, I figured I couldn't break it anymore. Drove to work this morning and it seems to be holding, so far so good. Thanks for the video, and prolonging my sanity.

Thanks for the tutorial on repairing a plastic radiator.

thanks so much! appreciate your video and response! going to try tomorrow. p.s. thanks for getting to the point and not clogging the video with useless chatter 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

I did this used JB weld plastic epoxy so far so good. Did it on a 2003 Jeep Liberty Limited with a 3.7l 4x4 and it had the crack on the drivers side almost on the side of the plastic tank that is where all the liberty radiators crack at. Thank you for the video wasn't sure it would work at first but am glad that it did until I can get a new radiator but will for sure keep the old radiator as a spare once I get a new one. I gooped the epoxy on pretty thick and let it sit for 24 hours.

Indeed most helpful video in my case. I discovered this near exact leaking scenario, where a pin hole sized breach radiator fluid, fizzled side mou

Permatex plastic radiator weld patch kit.........WORKS EXCELLENT......My repair is over 3 years old and still holding......

Thanks for this. Takes time an energy to make these and saves me soo much time and energy.

It's better to use an applicator stick to apply one layer at a time. Let each layer set before applying again and you will get a thicker, stronger seal. Also the applicator stick will prevent glue from getting in unwanted places. I applied a steel enforced putty over top the plastic weld and another layer plastic weld over the putty.. uber strong.

Thanks a million....I will be doing this tonight. The fan broke on my Jag and hit the outside of my radiator, double whammy. Your video is gonna save me much dinero. Thanks again.

I'm trying this tomorrow between the part and labor this is going to be my route I take....

You actually managed to get some of it on the radiator too ;)

When it starts to leak, fix it with J.B Weld. It's amazing.

I will definitely be on your channel quite often thanks so much!!!

It wasn’t addressed in the video but you should drain your coolant below where you’re patching. The anti freeze will affect the ability of any epoxy to make a bond.

Thanks bro keep up the good work this video saved me a lot of time and money.

I'm trying it right now as I'm typing. It's very hot! But we'll see the results! Hopefully this will work. It'll be a lifesaver until I can buy a radiator. I'll post my results later. Thanks for the video.

Uptown Photography Thanks for the comment and I haven't tried it on aluminum but I'm pretty sure it would work for you. Ryan, yes it did.

I have a little coolant bubbling from where the plastic meets the metal. Will this epoxy also stick to the aluminum...I do have a tiny hair line crack also on the plastic tank in a different spot, but only about an inch from the seem leak....Thanks...(It's on an older 1989 BMW 535i)....Good video....Phil

Hay car man very cool with the epoxy. Will that stuff work for filling in pin holes in the freezer plug that leaks anti freeze.

Thank you so much you saved me time and money God Bless

Wow, I just diagnosed one of these leaking Sunfires today, with the tank cracked in the same exact spot!

Hey, Jamie, you're the man! Thanks for that easy and cheap fix for radiator leakage! I sure can use it for my Mazda 626, as I got a crack plastic as well! Cheers!

jamie, thanks for video

awesome video brother. definitely doing this. much easier than replacing the entire assembly. screw that. i subscribed! keep it coming homie. cheers!

Hi thanks for vedio we’re did y bay that epoxy

thanks

Live your video....Thanks 👍😃

ove you, that was amazing

Which version of JD Weld works best? What about just the regular JD Weld?

I subscribed big guy and thanks gor the information

Good vid. Unfortunately we don’t have Loctite brand here. Do you think PC Fahrenheit Hi Temp will help . Will appreciate

Thanks Bro. How long will it last? I'm going to fix my elderly friend's car who has a leak just like this. She was crying because mechanics want $400.00 for a new radiator and she doesn't have the money. Thanks Man. Really appreciate this.

new drinking game! each time he says "crap" take a drink! lol I did like the video, just playing!

Hey car man, when you did the hair like crack on the radiator with that apoxy how long do you let it dry ? Plus you're a genius!!

OK sir I subscribed for you so keep up the good work and make sure to be safe and keep your fingers so u can keep up your good work 💪

can you give us an update on the radiator since its been almost 3 years

how long to let it set i torn up the container it comes in and forgot how long it takes to harden

I did this today after this video hope it holds out

hi jamie & jones. does it fix the leak? is it still leaking?

If you take the radiator out it's better it's not messy I did that before nice and neat

Will this work on most craks even bigger cracks

AWESOME! You just saved me over 600.00...

Hello I had a question and was wondering if you can help out ?

So did it work? How long did you have to wait for it to dry

Much love

I have a horizontal style crack in the plastic part of the radiator (top) that is very close to the metal seam. I use Bars Leak carbon fiber goo yesterday to get home. If I can reach the crack do you think this method will work ? 05 Honda Element

Hey bro thanks very much. I subscribed...

Tks Bro

Did it last? Loctite says not to use it in wet areas or over 120degrees

I'am Your Newest Subscriber Great Videos

Can it be in the steel parts?

my question is what does Loctite say about how hot the temperature can be for it to still stick to the plastic ?

Did it really work on that car please let me know I have a leak on my radiator on my cavalier

Just put epoxy steel on my intercooler. Put 3 neat layers on the hole. Hope it holds. Will fire it up tomorrow.

Hell yeah Car Man!!

One more reason to buy all aluminum radiators, preferably dual core at least. A crack can be fixed with aluminum flux and propane torch, seal is much stronger and will last longer, hence why they are more expensive. Its one of those things worth paying more money for because of the pressure, heat and stress they endure over time.

mines has a hole in the corner how would I fill?

Acetone, doggone. I cleaned my repair with denatured alcohol. One of the tabs on the neck had a section snap off. Managed to save most of it and glued it back . If it does not fix it, will have to come up with a plan B. Perhaps use one of those rubber freeze plugs.

If you get the smallest drll bit you can find,drill topand bottom of where it starts then this. It helps stop the crack from traveling

Allah razı olsun

Hey budy. So did it help? Did the leaking stoped? I also have the same problem. Thats why Im asking u.

so I'm going to need to take off the front grill and that bar that goes across top of radiator? Do I also need to remove cooling fan??

Thanks for the video. Will this be a short time fix for the radiator which will need to be replaced sooner then later, or could this repair prolong the life of the radiator for many months/years.

I have no doubt that your fix will work but you put so much epoxy on it that much of it just ran down away from the crack. I would have used just enough to cover the crack, waited for it to start setting up and then put more on. I would have done this several times and then put a patch, probably a piece of beer can, on the top.

Sloppy but we get the point lol thanks because this is exactly what I needed to see

Is this epoxy a "high temp" epoxy?

Jamie - One point I wanted to ask you, I have a crack on my upper plastic radiator ('94 Honda Accord Ex) - near top hose. My dad tried Steel Quick but it didn't last. I want to try what you did but have a question. Should I run the engine and make the radiator hot before applying glue so that the expansion, shrinkage issue in cold weather isn't an issue - any thoughts..?

Wouldn't it be better if you drained the radiator so the epoxy would get deeper into the crack or doesn't it matter? I have same problem in exactly same place.

Cool

can I do this to a four inch long and thin crack on the top that runs parallel to the center of the radiator?

Can sealing up a crack or hole in the radiator not harm a car's engine?

Dude I'm getting this! I already ordered a replacement radiator for 60 bucks but shit I'll take the loss and do this for now

seems like welding with same plastic may be better then put epoxy over- I am in th midst of doing my subaru- I already cut the spring 1/2 in back in the rad cap to lower the pressure- 16 lb is too high I think and will make for less flexing- so shooting for around 10/12 Mine is hard to get at it seems so may have to pull the rad Thnx for your honesty there car man!

Think QuickSteel would work?

Thank you CarMan for you excellent tutorial. I had a pinhole leak in the radiator in my 06 Jeep Liberty (discovered it when my heater stopped working). I took it to a chain and a local repair shop. Both said the radiator had to be replaced at a cost of between $600-$750. Being handy I decided to give your method a try. Found the Loctite 5 minute plastic epoxy at Home Depot. Cleaned the leak area it with acetone and used sandpaper to roughen up the area a bit. The epoxy worked great...not a sign of any leak. I've driven the car about 1000 miles since than, I keep checking my antifreeze level, all good. Thank you so much. How long do you think it will hold up? Jeff

also does it drip into other parts.. would that cause a problem??

Down to earth repairs. If you have a flat surface to repair I have found that applying a patch sized cutout of screen into the epoxy helps hold it together and the epoxy won’t spread too far before it cures.

A'Tavia Tatiana, it would be worth a shot but you would need to know where the leak is at and there are a few steps you need to take to ensure that it seals properly.

Did this hold?

Hi. It appears that the plastic has separated from the aluminum on the radiator in my 05 Hyundai. The leak though small is causing the ect sensor to fail and the car to overheat. Will this work for that as a temporary fix? Thanks

Did you drain the radiator first?

I have a leak at the bottom of my radiator, I went to the auto store and the guy told me I could try to fix it, but I don't even know where the actual leak is. My car just overheats and I can't drive it, would this help?

how long after applying epoxy do I have to wait before I can use the radiator again???

Put some of that drywall fiberglass mesh over that first, then apply goo.

Looks good and the process seems me easy but does it still last?

Viva el vinoooo...!!!!!!!

hey carman... where do I buy the loctite?

what happened after u start the car and steam build up in the radiator and it busted again??

I used 400 sand paper. Is that okay?

Did it work?

Does the Epoxy permanently fix the leak? Also my radiator is currently leaking and leaks more every time I wipe it off. Should I wait for it to dry off, get rid of all coolant and then apply it or it doesn't matter?

Did the repair last. I'm about to go try it on my jeep.

Can anyone post an update to the fix? How long does it last?

Technical specs for the epoxy on Loctite's web site says that the cured epoxy shouldn't be used over 180 degrees. Maybe they're sandbagging the number? Normal radiator temp can be around 200 right? Any comments re: the temperatures involved with this app? Also, what about "fluffing" the epoxy with flocking (ground cotton fibers) for strength? Plastic reservoir on my wife's radiator (Camry) has a 1 cm hairline crack near the top.

Cut the bar between the two plungers on the epoxy container. This will allow the epoxy and catylist to be dispensed in equal small amounts (never seems to work out equal when plunger is pushed with bar connected). Squeeze out amount needed, do not touch the tips of the tubes to the other product or it will start the cure process at the tube ends. Mix small amounts and apply several coats as needed. Put the cap on the tube ends, place the dispenser and the package (so you know what it is in the future) in a zip top freezer bag so it all stays together and store where ever you keep your adhesives. Have had it last for months that way. The excess dripped all over everywhere is just a waste, does no good for the work, looks messy and unprofessional.

Epoxy putty any good?

Hi How long has it held

The problem with fixing these plastic tanks is the fact that you have water, heat, and pressure, all involved. Whatever you use, it has to be water proof, it has to be able to withstand the high temperature. It has to be able to hold back the pressure in your radiator (whatever PSI your radiator cap is) AND it has to be able to flex WITH the plastic radiator as the temperature goes up and down repeatedly. Not only that, but as the video states, the crack will spread. What you see on the surface might just be the tip of the ice burg. You might have a much LARGER crack on the inside of the radiator which is preparing to breach the surface. Finally to make matters worse, these radiators with the plastic housing are just NOT MADE TO LAST. If they were we wouldn't have to repair them all the time. As time goes by and the temperature of the plastic housing goes up and down, the plastic will actually BAKE and HARDEN becoming more and more BRITTLE over time. Most of the time when you have a crack on one part, the WHOLE THING is going to be brittle in multiple places due to the baking effect. Eventually the heat and vibration of the engine will destroy the radiator housing. The people who suggest to completely replace these things are absolutely correct. Any "Fix" or "Repair" is going to be a temporary solution. If all you need is to get your vehicle running on a limited budget, an epoxy fix like this will get you rolling... for now. But if you can afford the time and money to replace the entire thing, I highly suggest you do it. It's also recommended to have the vehicle's engine cooling system thoroughly checked, since other problems may have caused your radiator housing to fail prematurely. Check and make sure that you are not past-due on an oil change and the dipstick reads the correct level. Also check your radiator cap, since a normally functioning cap is supposed to release pressure into the reserve tank when it builds up too high. A failing cap can cause unnecessarily high pressure and temperatures. Check your motor mounts to make sure they are in working condition since excessive vibration can lead to many engine problems. Any time you over heat your vehicle or let it run low on coolant, there's a chance that the thermostat will fail which will cause even more problems. The thermostat is a cheap part, and if you're going to be working on the vehicle, you may as well change the thermostat out too, just to be sure.

Sounds great, but Rob asks how hot can the epoxy glue withstand, before the glue breaks apart? Subscribed to your channel also!

Hey bud, I gotta 99 s10 with a small crack up top passenger side in the plastic. Easy to get to, and I think this would work a treat even though a new rad is only $115, but I wanna try this first. My question is, do I need to drain the rad first, will the glue seep inside the crack and mix with my coolant?