Radiator Leaking! Help!

**DNS** · 7th January 2010, 12:01

Hi guys,

following my earlier threads about disappearing coolant, I've had the bonnet up today to find the expansion bottle completely empty... Closer inspection reveals a nice drip from the radiator and a pool under the car...

Bit of a relief, as I'd started worrying about head gaskets etc...

The drip is coming from corner of the radiator, offside, just in front of and below the air con. Looking from the top I couldn't see any pipes from that section of the rad, going to jack it up in a minute and take a proper look. Any idea what there is on the bottom, left hand corner of the radiator on a 2004 1.8 petrol?

The system is full of antifreeze, as demonstrated by the large puddle of yellow on the drive where snow used to be! Oddly, the car has been left overnight, but the drip is quite continuous now, 14 hours later. I have no idea what could have caused it to get worse in the past hour or so.

Any ideas for me? Thanks guys.

**Big Knox** · 7th January 2010, 12:17

Could be a loose or cracked hose, or could be radiator has corroded and is leaking I guess. Closer inspection would seem like best bet.

**spennny** · 7th January 2010, 12:31

Off side, Isnt that where the plug is to empty the rad when changing coolant, looking at the car its bottom left of there, maybe this has dislodged , worth a check,

**ChrisBilly** · 7th January 2010, 13:22

Mine was rusted/corroded all along where metal meets the plastic side parts. A new rad was around £150 fitted (70ish part). I wish i'd done it my self tho as the garage fudged my immobiliser and cost me another £120.

**Ste** · 7th January 2010, 13:36

If the leak isn't too serious a can of Red weld (or other) may be OK.

**DNS** · 7th January 2010, 13:42

Mine is corroded along the offside edge... Extreme cold must have split the weakened metal.

Just bought the new part online for £60. Would fit myself but it's too ****** cold! Garage are doing it on Wednesday...

**Guyver1** · 7th January 2010, 15:28

A tube of JB weld would have been a much better idea, costs £5 and sticks to anything, Ive rebuilt engine casings with this stuff

**Ste** · 7th January 2010, 22:11

Probably, now we know it is more than just a slight leak.

**DNS** · 7th January 2010, 23:18

i would use rad-weld if i absolutely had to use the car, but i don't for the time being so going to get the job sorted properly.

Besides, I've see a fair few posts on here with people having the exact same problem, so even if i did a temp fix it would undoubtably get worse anyway.