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Radiator leaking at the top - Busted?


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So I'm smelling coolant lately and took a look last night. I see fluid pooling in the grooves along the top of the radiator and dried coolant/splatter in a few places. I think judging by the distance the splatter is from the radiator that it must be spraying from a small crack in something, or the cap leaking. Hard to say though since at 80mph I'm sure any little droplets end up everywhere.

 

None of my hoses appear cracked, and it doesn't look like the cap is leaking. My car is not overheating.

 

How can I try to figure out where the leak is coming from? I cleaned off all of the residue to maybe better see it when it leaks more.

 

Any good tips? If it is leaking from the top of the radiator itself will I pretty much need a new radiator?

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if its leaking from the top of the rad... chances are you will need a new rad ... if u cant pin point the leak after rinsing the old stuff off...... get a pressure test .. or i think some people have made there own pressure tester.. but if you put to much pressure in it you can make a leak or worse blow a hose or crack the rad ...
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This is quite helpful man, thanks a ton.

 

I'll check tomorrow to see if I can pinpoint a leak. I'd really love to find a tiny crack in a hose but with my luck that's probably not going to happen.

 

Thanks again - You going to T for T? Probably see you there if yes.

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I've had my '05 for 3 years now. Around 2010 I found a leak at the top as well. My upper tank was cracked right below the hose fitting. It was a 3 inch crack. Just enough coolant was leaking out to pool at the top. I used 1800 radiator.
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  • 4 years later...
to the guy who commented, had similar problem with my o4 legacy wagon h6. soot from dried radiator fluid between the overflow and radiator. used a bike pump to pump air into radiator through overflow hose and found it leaks through the cap. this isnt normal ?
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to the guy who commented, had similar problem with my o4 legacy wagon h6. soot from dried radiator fluid between the overflow and radiator. used a bike pump to pump air into radiator through overflow hose and found it leaks through the cap. this isnt normal ?

There should not be any leaks, even from the cap. The system must be sealed to create sufficient pressure.

 

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

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