Hole in radiator, need to drive home to repair?

Question

my mate has a hole in his car radiator, he is currently about 280 miles away from home, but needs to get his car home to repair it. will rad weld repair it as a temporary fix?

any thing else he can do? he has no access to tools or anything

Answer 1

280 miles is a long drive. But if the leak is only a small one, he might be able to limp home provided he took a lot of water with him and topped up as he went along. He has to keep an eagle eye on the temperature gauge. If it's a large one and all around it is rusty and weak, he will not have a chance. The pressure will force all the coolant out in no time at all. He could try plugging the hole with a wooden bung if it is a nice clean round hole and the metal is sound.

Answer 2

Any all- night garages/shops where you are now? if so buy some eggs and crack a couple into the rad/ that's if you can't get rad weld for now, old trick tried and tested,but you will have to flush it or buy a new rad.

Answer 3

i agree with the lama

get a whole bunch of water and watch the temp gauge

Answer 4

Depends how big the hole is.  Radweld will stop a trickle, but not a flood - and it makes a horrible gooey mess that you have to flush out afterwards.

    

If the leak's near the top, you can make a reasonable repair with Araldite rapid.  Make sure it's cured properly before topping up and driving home.

Answer 5

If you can see and get at the hole the best thing is hubba bubba chewing gum (not joking)have done loads of rads on our trucks and transit vans with it.Did a transit the other night for service and it still had the bubble gum on from over 18 months ago.Also tell him to run with header tank cap loose so that the system doesent pressurise and force water out of the hole.Just give it a good chew and stick it on when the rad gets warm it bakes it like bloody cement

Answer 6

I say no. He need to look in the phone book and find a rad shop to get it fixed. If he drives it and it over heats it will destroy the engine. My advice DON'T DRIVE IT IT WILL DAMAGE THE ENGINE AND COST A LOT MORE TO GET IT REPAIRED.

Answer 7

if the hole is small enough then rad weld will probably fix the entire problem.

Answer 8

Depends how big the hole is. If it is just a weep from the matrix then he probably can, however he will have to carry water and check the level frequently. Unfortunately if the matrix is broken then no he can not drive home  as the water will not stay in the system.

Answer 9

Body filler.

Answer 10

If the hole isn't too big he can add a can (jar) of Bars Leak to the radiator and it should stop the leak. Other wise may be he can stock up on some water in th trunk, leave the radiator cap loose and drive in. But watch the temp gage. Also Bars Leak will not harm the motor and you don't have to flush it out when he gets home. It's actualy recomended even if you don't have a leak because it's a water pump lubricant and a rust preventer.

Answer 11

tell your mate he can use the white of an egg that is what we used before rad weild but only the white  when you put it in the boiling water inside the radiator it seals the hole for a day at least done it many times it should get him home

Answer 12

Do not put an egg in your radiator--all it does is bung up the tubes and stop the water circulation and you will need a new radiator as you cannot get it out again.Replaced quite a few radiators after this silly trick. Don't recommend keep topping up either,cold water in a hot engine can cause the cylinder head or engine block to crack. Best option for that distance is to get the radiator fixed before starting(cheaper than a breakdown call out and/or a new engine.)

Answer 13

well when i was on the run from the cops when i had a warrent for my arrest i drove my car from san antone to houston it had a small pin hole  in the radiator it worked for me but every now and then stop the car let it cool down and see if you need anymore water cause we all know what happens when  theres no water  

Answer 14

you can put ground ginger in has an emergency measure...<^><..

Answer 15

Depending on the size of the hole at a pinch you can use pepper but rad weld should do the trick if you drive slowly

Answer 16

it depends on how big the hole is.

if hes desperate to get home he should find the damaged water channels (the thin metal strips running horizontally) and cut them and bend them over to stop water leaking but only do this if one or two damaged as this will reduce radiator efficiency and means rad must be replaced asap but will get him home

Answer 17

Hi Body filler,epoxy putty,Rad weld if non of these are available try dropping a raw egg in the rad (trust me it works)...