yellowss7 Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 Guy's while chasing down a coolant issue on Monday, I did a pressure test of the system and brought it up to 16psi about equal to what my cap is rated at. At that point, I noticed that there was a very slight leak from the bottom corner of the rad. Not much, but after blowing it out with some compressed air, the leak appears to be coming from inside the rad, not from one of the outside channels. I can't see any leakage, but a drop or two every 10-15 seconds happens. Unpressurized, there is no dripping, but today, feeling the bottom of the rad, I did find that the bottom was wet, but nothing on the floor. Can aluminum radiators be repaired, or should I put my order in at Caterham UK tomorrow morning? I'm assuming that those radiator sealer treatments in a can are for temp fixes only correct? Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastg Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 A good radiator shop should be able to repair it. They use special epoxy and flow it into the leak area. When I worked on a motorcycle race team, damaged radiators was a common problem. We ended up with some very strange bent and deformed radiators, but they were water tight. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowss7 Posted October 2, 2014 Author Share Posted October 2, 2014 Thanks Graham. There's shop about 10 miles from me that I'll stop by tomorrow and see what they say. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
super7guy Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Tom, Just picked mine from a local radiator shop that I found searching "alloy radiator repair". The first radiator shop just said go buy a new one. Mine doesn't look as pretty as when it was new, but they said it is water tight. I am thinking now of adding an aluminum angle to the bottom. Hope that your shop works out for you. Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bball7754 Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Tom - If you end up replacing rather than repairing, you should consider a Radtec radiator. I bought one for my Crossflow, and the increased cooling is significant. Believe that Lotus 7 Club members get a discount. Plenty on Blatchat about Radtec vs. Caterham radiators. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowss7 Posted October 2, 2014 Author Share Posted October 2, 2014 Went to the radiator shop around noon. They weren't too hopefully with an interior leak on an aluminum rad, but said they'd take a look. I went home, pulled it of and took it over. Neat place. Their dunk tank is from 1951 and is wooden. They don't make them like that anymore. On first dunk we couldn't see any leaks. I mentioned that it was a very small weap at 16psi, so he pulled it out, flushed it out and cleaned it out and resubmerged it and this time cranked the pressure up to 16psi. Still no leak visable, but just as he said "looks like you are lucky" he saw a very very,very small stream of bubbles. So small that I had to get almost in the tank to see them. Good news is he said he thinks he can get to it. So Fingers crossed. I should know later today or Tomorrow morning. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Just use a raw egg or three. What could go wrong? :iamwithstupid: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcarguy Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Just use a raw egg or three. What could go wrong? :iamwithstupid: Are you going to include the 'banana' fix and some rhetoric about a noisy diff with that tidbit of advice? :jester: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowss7 Posted October 2, 2014 Author Share Posted October 2, 2014 :deadhorse::deadhorse::deadhorse::smash: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowss7 Posted October 2, 2014 Author Share Posted October 2, 2014 Croc, you can put those eggs where the sun don't shine.:jester: I just got the call, they were able to fix it and I can pick it up tomorrow morning. :hurray::hurray::hurray: Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcarguy Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 . . . . . I just got the call, they were able to fix it and I can pick it up tomorrow morning. Tom . . . . . . :cheers::hurray::party: How about them eggs!!!!!! :smilielol5: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Croc, you can put those eggs where the sun don't shine. Tom Once you have laid them they don't go back in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcarguy Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Once you have laid them they don't go back in? LOL!!!! . . . . . . :smilielol5::smilielol5::cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowss7 Posted October 3, 2014 Author Share Posted October 3, 2014 Picked up the radiator at noon. $79.50 total for the test and repair.:hurray: Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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