Radiator smoking

[dunova]

My radiator was smoking like a chimney this morning-not sure if it's just because it was cold and my engine was hot, but the engine itself wasn't smoking. It was the right hand side of the radiator (nearest the dizzy) and i thought it might be a leaking hose or something? Any ideas?

[DrivingSpanner]

ummm an odd one, i would have only thought that its leaking if the water level in the header tank has gone down, otherwise i would suspoect that something has been sprayed onto the rad at some point and it is just burnng off. ie some1 in-front of you splasher thru a big puddle and moisure was left in the fins of the radiator and now its evaporating once then rad has heated up

[Will F]

At worst it will be a leak mate, I wouldnt worry. Just keep an eye on water levels.

[dunova]

Yeah had a look at the water when i stopped and it was almost empty-then let the pressure off and it came up to almost half way. I'm not sure if that's because its leaking or if i haven't checked it in a while :idea:

I'll keep an eye on it, it looked pretty cool at the traffic lights with steam pooring out my bonnet :lol:

[dan-hipgrave]

had the same thing myself this morning - stopped at the lights and steam poured from under my bonnet :lol: gonna have to check the levels and tightem the hoses i think..

[dunova]

My radiator has bit the dust :cry:
Got home from uni (just), radiator had been smoking at the lights on the way home, popped the bonnet at home and had no water in the header tank. I'm hoping i haven't done any damage (although i have got my skimmed+ported head ready to go on).
I filled it up with water, started the engine and the water pretty much pished out! Checked all the hoses and they're dry, got it on the ramps and can see its the radiator.
Is it worth trying rad weld? I left the engine to get cold and filled it up and started it again, and it came out as a quick drip.

I suppose rad weld is a temporary solution-i got a price from partco for a new radiator+they quoted me ?37 :o Thought it'd be more than that.
Is it abit of a bastard fitting a new radiator? There's not a lot of room there (as fooking usual :roll: )

[Ste_Nova]

you want a valeo rad.... nothing else will do

[dunova]

Valeo rad? Why and how much? Are they any better?

[Donova]

try soldering it, i,ve done it with a few cars and its lasted years 8)

[nam]

i just put body filler in mine lol, it worked as well.

[Philsutton]

try soldering it, i,ve done it with a few cars and its lasted years
thats almost as bad as my mate welding his cylinders back together on his mini after he cracked the block. An he drove it round for months after he did that :lol:

[a11ova]

Rad weld!! wont last long tho 8)

[scott.parker]

Rad weld!! wont last long tho 8)

I had a leak from a pipe join to the head on my old fiesta,used rad welld,never leaked again,try it mate you never know.

scott

[dunova]

Too late i'm afraid, new radiator fitted today-only cost me ?37 new from partco :D

Not long ago a mate of mine used rad weld and it lasted all of 3 days :lol: :roll: