Plastic radiator repair

I have a slight leak under pressure right at the upper rad hose neck. A new radiator is more than what this beater is worth.

Is there any decent plastic repair stuff out there that is not a waste of time???

If I can not fix it I will just continue to add some anti freeze occasionally until I dump the truck.

Thanks

 

I have some fine cracks on top of the radiator on my 84 Camry. I would like to know of a cheap fix as well.

 

I've used "Steely" with some success. It's a steel/epoxy compound, kinda like JB Weld, but a little more stout. I believe it's designed for gas tanks, originally. This stuff is not like the two-part compound you knead together. I comes in a plastic jar with the contents forming a slurry in a liquid suspension. I kinda reminds me of iron filings held together by an adhesive. Not sure where you'd get it in the US, but up here in CANADA you can find it at almost any hardware outlet.
Good luck. If you do a search, you'll see that the rad leak on the top bulkhead is pretty common.

 

Call around, you can get the top cap replaced, I've gotten a few radiators done and it makes them as good as new! If I recall it was around $45....

If your in SoCal this is the place I get it done at:

The Welding Works (818) 701-3093

 

If you are good a brazing, that is the best way.
Failing in that I would follow Bruce's suggestion.
Otherwise the steely and JB Weld work pretty well too.

 

A buddy of mine used JB Weld on his rad and it has held up well so far... been a year and a half now if I remember correctly.

 

Have a rad shop replace the tank. Most shops stock or can order a variety of plastic tanks and can crimp them onto your existing rad core.