Radiator Leak

[wildbill23c]

So my Bronco 2 has a radiator leak, before I go through the trouble of taking the radiator out and spending $60 to have it fixed, I thought I'd ask about an idea here.

Would JB Weld work to fix the small crack by the upper radiator hose inlet? Its just about right in the seam where the inlet piece goes into the actual radiator housing.

 

[RonD]

It would for awhile, but expansion and contraction would cause it to fail at some future point.

 

[Mark_88]

It may...but...how susceptible to heat are your heads and how much are they worth to you to replace if the crack just gets bigger?

I patched a few rads with a few things over the years, but found it wasn't as good as replacing a critical component with something permanent...

I know how it is to be limited in the coin department, but...I've found the problem only gets bigger and more expensive the more I throw temporary fixes at it (ask me how much I've spent on oil and additives to compensate for blow-by and I could probably cover a new rad for you and a new engine for me)...but finding a working engine for my truck (and yours, probably) is getting more and more difficult with these cash for clunker programs.

If I had it I would send you the money...but I'm scraping by myself...only trying to pass on a bit of hard learned experience...hope it helps...

 

[wildbill23c]

Well I'm trying the JB Weld to at least get me by for a few weeks until I can locate a descent radiator, couldn't find one the other day at the junk yard of course when I need something there's never anything I need there.

I am not going to be driving it much, just my usual 12 mile a day commute round trip to and from work for a couple weeks, then hopefully that'll get me enough spare money saved up to get a new radiator.

Well I have another radiator I was given by another TRS member, however it has the connections in it for I'm guessing an auxiliary cooler for an automatic transmission. Both those ports are open, would I lose coolant out of those ports or are those just tranny cooler ports? If it would be ok to use it I may just toss it in there next week. Grandpa is going on a trip to Washington and taking my other truck so I kind of need my B2 through this weekend. So after that I could possibly tear the radiator out of it and swap in this other one if those open ports won't cause a problem with losing coolant.

 

[Chris_North]

I would say go for it, just with the expectation that it will fail eventually. But so does everything.

If they are indeed for transmission cooling then no you should be okay. You could just plug the bottom coolant hose inlet (or outlet? Can't remember...) and fill the rad with water to see.

 

[Mark_88]

Yeah, they are for transmission fluid and if you get coolant coming out then the rad is probably toast...but you could always make up a line with two connectors and run them into each other...that will at least keep the dirt out in case you ever need it for an automatic...

The JB weld will probably hold it for a while like RonD said, and with cooler weather that could tide you over till you can swap in the other one.

 

[wildbill23c]

Sounds good guys thanks again. I got the connection all cleaned up and JB welded so I will see tomorrow after work how it turns out, at least get me through till payday to scrounge up some money for a radiator if this spare one turns out to be bad, but it looks pretty good to me except for a few places where some fins are bent, but so are the ones in the old radiator LOL.

I'll let you know how it turns out tomorrow afternoon.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Yeah, they are for transmission fluid and if you get coolant coming out then the rad is probably toast...but you could always make up a line with two connectors and run them into each other...that will at least keep the dirt out in case you ever need it for an automatic...

I just used pipe plugs.

 

[wildbill23c]

I'll just take one of those ports out and take it to the hardware store and get some plugs. Just to be safe, however the radiator in it now those ports are open, so I'll seal it up at least, not that it makes a difference since I have the manual transmission and no intentions of ever going to an automatic.

Will see this afternoon if my temporary patch worked or not.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Those ports do not come out without destroying the radiator...

 

[enjr44]

Use the other rad (with the trans cooler) and you will be good to go. The trans cooler is a sealed container inside the rad to cool transmission fluid. It is completely separate from the engine coolant. It has nothing to do with cooling the engine.

Cap the trans connections, don't cap them, it will make no difference when it comes to cooling the engine. They are completely separate systems.

Ed

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Cap the trans connections, don't cap them, it will make no difference when it comes to cooling the engine. They are completely separate systems.

Ed

I capped them to keep dirt and moisture from accumulating in the bottom and rotting out the inside of the trans cooler.

I don't know what material it is made of, maybe it is a non-issue. I figured it would be cheap insurance from at best buying just a radiator, at worse a radiator and a tow if I catch it in time to save the engine.

Actually now that I think of since my radiator was new it came with the plugs...

 

[Andy D]

Carry a couple gallons of water , mixed coolant is better, but plain water is fine to get you home. I am a cheap @$$ old fart, but engine overheats cost way more than a radiator. I melted a 1.6 Datsun motor, spent mebbe 300$ 1979 dollars and R+Red the head and a piston/rod . And still needed to replace the POS radiator that set the stage for the meltdown.

 

[wildbill23c]

I carry extra fluids with me anyhow just because its an old vehicle LOL. It doesn't leak very much just enough to tell that its leaking and I won't be driving it out of town until I get the other radiator put in Sunday, just need it to get me by the rest of this week as grandpa is taking my other truck on a trip so I will have to rely on the Bronco 2 for work, well I don't know the nice weather we are having I may just ride my bicycle instead wouldn't hurt me anyhow LOL.

Definitely carry extra fluids anyhow, regardless of known leaks or not, I've always done that with all my vehicles, I even threw the old fan belts in my parts box for the Bronco 2 at least they would be able to get me home.

The repair kind of worked, but I put pressure on the connection putting the radiator hose back on so it cracked open again of course LOL, but its only seeping out a tiny bit now, so hopefully it will be good enough till Sunday morning and I can tear it a part and take my time and not be rushed trying to get it done before it gets dark.

I also carry a low profile floor jack because I know if you get a flat tire the standard bottle jacks are useless.

 

[Dune Runner]

Buy a new one. They are like $70 on sleaze bay