DIY cooling radiator pipe repair

An article on how to repair a car cooling radiator - causes of malfunctions, methods of troubleshooting. At the end of the article - a video about the professional repair of the radiator.

The content of the article:

• Causes of cooling radiator malfunctions
• Typical malfunctions
• How to pinpoint a radiator leak
• Repair methods
• Video about professional radiator repair

After the fuel is burned in the engine, about 70% of the generated energy is converted into heat. Some of the heat goes outside through the exhaust pipe, but most of the heat stays inside the engine, heating it to a high temperature.

A cooling radiator (heat exchanger) is used to prevent engine overheating and dissipate heat into the environment, which is the main component of the vehicle's cooling system. A healthy and well-maintained (clean) radiator maintains optimum operating temperature in the engine, allowing it to run at full capacity.

However, the radiator, like all other elements of the car, can fail and stop performing its function. But at the same time, it is not at all necessary to immediately contact a car service for repairs. As practice shows, in most cases, a heat exchanger malfunction can be eliminated independently. To do this, you just need to identify the cause of the breakdown and know how to eliminate it.

There are not so many reasons causing problems with the radiator, and conditionally they can be divided into three types:

• mechanical damage;
• improper operation;
• normal wear and tear during operation.

Video (click to play).

You can also add a factory marriage, but this reason is extremely rare. In most cases, the above reasons lead to one consequence - a violation of the tightness of the radiator. That is, it simply starts to leak.

But there is another "result" of breakdown, which can be more likely attributed to improper operation - fouling of heat transfer plates... Simply put, the radiator becomes so dirty that it stops exchanging heat with the environment, since an adhered and dried layer of dirt (dust, insects, poplar fluff) prevents heat from separating from the heat exchange plates.

In this situation, it is hardly appropriate to talk about repairs, because the problem is solved by simply flushing the radiator fins with a stream of running water. By the way, dirt can form not only outside the radiator, but also inside it in the form of blockages, scale and corrosive deposits.

A small stone that accidentally flew out from under the wheel of a car, as well as a serious accident with a head-on collision, can damage the radiator mechanically with the subsequent violation of the tightness. Also, the inept maintenance of the radiator by an inexperienced car owner, when he accidentally damages the housing, heat exchange elements or other parts, can also be attributed to mechanical damage.

Incorrect operation can consist not only in untimely cleaning and washing of the radiator, but also in the use of low-quality coolant.

Poor quality of the liquid can lead to its freezing and "defrosting" of the radiator, even with a slight frost, with a subsequent violation of the tightness. Or the composition of a low-quality liquid can be so aggressive that it corrodes metal. And this eventually leads to the same defect - depressurization and leaks.

In a car, as in other technology, there is nothing eternal.And the cooling radiator is no exception. He and its accompanying parts are also subject to corrosion, destruction, blockages during operation.

Typical radiator malfunctions can be divided into two types: external and internal.

External:

• violation of the tightness of the pipes for the delivery of coolant to the radiator tanks;
• the formation of cracks on the radiator pipes for the supply / removal of coolant;
• violation of the tightness of rubber seals.

Internal:

• the formation of blockages in the conductive pipes that prevent sufficient cooling of the liquid.

Before starting to repair the radiator, you need to determine the nature and location of the malfunction itself. Almost all external malfunctions of the radiator (except for the usual pollution) consist in a violation of its tightness, which means that there must be a coolant leak.

The intensity of fluid flow from the radiator can be different, and at the initial stage it is visually imperceptible, but a rapid decrease in the level of fluid in the tank is noticed almost immediately. After all, a decrease in the level of antifreeze or antifreeze leads to overheating of the engine, which will be immediately signaled by a special temperature sensor on the driver's instrument panel.

There are two ways to pinpoint the location of a fluid leak. In this case, you will need to completely drain the coolant from the radiator, and disconnect the radiator itself, remove it from the car and rinse thoroughly.

It is necessary to plug (close) all radiator inlets and leave only one. Pour water into the radiator through the left hole. Through the same open hole, using a pump or compressor, create excess pressure in the radiator. A stream of water will begin to come out of the hole in the damaged area.

There are several ways to repair a radiator, but not all of them are available and are suitable for independent "garage" or "field" repair. Below we will consider the most simple and common methods of self-repair in simple conditions, without special professional equipment.

For outdoor repairs to a cooling radiator, a heat-resistant adhesive sealant with metal powder is often used. Such a composition is often called "cold welding" or "metal sealant". On the market, such sealants can be offered ready-to-use or as separate components, which then need to be mixed until a homogeneous mass is obtained.

Repairing a radiator using external glue-sealant is quite effective, but only subject to compliance with the relevant technological requirements at each stage of work:

• the coolant must be completely drained from the radiator;
• the outer surface intended for repair must be thoroughly degreased and lightly treated with a file or emery cloth until a slightly rough surface is formed;
• to seal large holes (more than 2 mm), metal patches with a degreased and treated surface can be used.

A sealant is applied around the hole (crack). Initial hardening occurs within 2-3 minutes, and full hardening within 24 hours. The product can be used after 24 hours.

The advantage of a metal sealant is that its coefficient of thermal expansion is close to the coefficient of metal, and if everything is done correctly, then the sealed radiator can serve for several more years.

"Chemical sealants" are sometimes also referred to as "radiator reconditioning fluid" or "powder reducing agent".Accordingly, such sealants are powder and liquid.

Eliminating a leak with a sealant (from the inside) is not a difficult process. The sealant is poured into the cooling system, after which it comes into contact with air and creates a polymer plug, which clogs the hole at the leak.

However, this method has a serious drawback - the sealant clogs the cooling system., after which a complete flushing of the system (and an air conditioner with a stove too) is required. Therefore, the internal use of a sealant is advisable only in an emergency, when the leak is urgently needed to be repaired. You can drive with such a sealant no more than 100 km.

Repairing radiators using soldering is considered not only more reliable, but also more difficult and time consuming. However, this self-repair method is not suitable for all radiators. For example, it is better not to use it to repair radiators made of aluminum alloys, which are very difficult to repair under normal conditions. It is better, easier and faster to seal such radiators with metal sealant. Brass devices are considered the most suitable for home repair with a soldering iron.

To solder a brass radiator you will need:

• a soldering iron with a power of at least 50 W;
• soldering acid (acid and zinc solution) - for cleaning metal from oxide;
• borax powder (flux) - to neutralize the oxide film and better spreading of liquid solder;
• solder.
• metal brush, sandpaper or file.

The surface for applying the joint layer must be pre-cleaned from dirt and dust. Signs of corrosion and oxidation are removed with a wire brush. The working surface is processed with an emery cloth (or a file) to a shine, to improve the adhesion (adhesion) of the metal to the solder. The soldering iron tip must be clean and free of old solder and scale. The work surface must be warmed up immediately before starting soldering.

Important! Soldering can only be carried out at a certain distance from the factory seam, since brass has a high thermal conductivity and can melt the factory seam.

The process of soldering a radiator is not as easy as it seems at first glance. If you do not have sufficient minimum skills to work with a soldering iron or you are not confident in your abilities, then it is better to contact a specialist.

If the cooling radiator has extensive damage, but at the same time it is localized (that is, located in one place), then the problem can be solved by plugging the damaged pipes.

Usually, the damaged tubes are tightly squeezed (flattened) with pliers on both sides as close as possible to the damaged area. In this simple way, the leakage of coolant from the defective holes is blocked.

As a rule, such radical actions are taken in "field" conditions when there is no other way out of the situation. It should be remembered that it is impossible to operate the car for a long time after such a radical repair, and the number of plugged tubes should not exceed 3-4 pieces.

The most recent car models are increasingly equipped with cooling radiators with plastic barrels and an aluminum alloy center section. It should be remembered that it is not necessary to waste time on the repair of such radiators, since they cannot be repaired at all - they must be changed immediately.

Video about professional radiator repair:

The normal operation of the motor is influenced by many factors, including the correct operation of the cooling radiator. For example, a car is stuck in a traffic jam, the engine runs smoothly, and suddenly steam starts pouring out from under the hood of the car. Another case. In the cold season, the motorist suddenly wanted to turn on the stove. And then a breath of icy air was felt from the deflector, and the fuel began to be consumed much faster. A faulty radiator is the cause of these two phenomena.For this reason, it is necessary to try to identify its malfunctions in a timely manner and carry out high-quality repairs.

Among the options for a radiator breakdown there are those that can only be eliminated at a service station.

What can happen to the cooling radiator? So, the generator fails due to the fact that:

• The tightness of the pipes through which the coolant enters the radiator tanks is broken;
• Cracks form on the radiator tubes (for supplying and removing fluid);
• After a car gets into an accident, due to the effects of corrosion, cracks and holes appear on the radiator itself;
• The rubber seals of the steel are not tight;
• The conductive tubes were clogged, as a result of which the liquid could not be cooled sufficiently.

In order to repair a radiator with your own hands, you must first identify faults in its operation.

Also here you can find out how to remove the VAZ 2110 vacuum brake booster.

If there are leaks of coolant, then the radiator is faulty. It is not difficult to identify a radiator leak, you just need to carefully inspect the parking lot.

Looking for leaks. In case of problems with the radiator, this is the first action of any motorist. To do this, you need to open the hood, in which you then search for the pipes leading to the radiator. It is necessary to check the condition of the upper and lower pipes of the motor and two pipes of the stove. Careful inspection of the connections and the sealing clamps is necessary. Hoses must be free of cracks or breaks, and clamps must be free of leaks.

Next, you need to inspect the radiator itself, whether there are traces of recently leaked antifreeze on its body. You need to turn off the engine, wait until it cools down a little, then turn it on again and warm it up to operating temperature. What's in the open hole? During normal operation of the thermostat, antifreeze should flow inside. An empty radiator means that a stuck closed thermostat must be replaced.

You can also check the thermostat with a completely cooled motor. To do this, you need to remove the plug from the radiator and look into it. Antifreeze flowing inside means a stuck open thermostat. In addition, it is because of a faulty radiator that the motor constantly overheats. Diagnostics of the radiator condition is carried out as follows. The coolant levels are checked and should be normal. A "cold" start of the motor is carried out. When the engine warms up, the temperature of the pipes supplying the radiator becomes slightly higher. The radiator pipes must be cold. If the outlet pipes become warm, then the thermostat is out of order. If the lower branch pipe becomes warmer, then everything is in order with the thermostat, with poor cooling, we can say that the thermostat needs to be replaced (repaired).

Radiators made of brass. Holes, cracks, gaps in this kind of radiators are eliminated. Before starting work, you need to stock up on a powerful soldering iron (an electric one with a power of at least 500 W is fine); drill, flux or soldering acid (zinc chloride additive); solder; sandpaper and a metal brush.

First, the faulty radiator is removed from the car and cleaned. Further, all damage is inspected on it. Holes or small cracks, for example on the surfaces of the radiator tanks, as well as other damage can be cleaned with a brush. Then it is necessary to sand the soldering points to those. until a uniform metallic sheen appears. This is done in order to remove oxides and so that the solder and metal adhere perfectly.After that, on the brass surface (in the place of the proposed soldering), soldering acid, a drill with flux is applied, due to which the spreading of the solder along the damage will be excellent. When soldering damage, you need to look at the condition of the factory welded seams, which, when heated with a soldering iron on a highly conductive brass material, can also begin to "float". When damage is found near the places where factory seams are located, they are cooled or methods of restoring radiators from aluminum material are used.

Radiators made of aluminum material. To repair damage in this kind of cooling elements, it is worth taking various sealants and adhesives.

Holes with damage 1 cm deep are sealed using "cold welding", produced in the form of small bars and includes a pair of components with an adhesive base and a catalyst. Holes are repaired using the same method as repairs with epoxy and polyester adhesives. Before starting the process called "cold welding", its components are kneaded until they become a homogeneous mass and take the form of a conical shape, the sharp angle of which is pressed into the damage.

Cracks that form at the base of any of the tubes are sealed with epoxy adhesives or its components. The best results with this restoration method can be achieved by adding fillers (for example, aluminum powders) to the glue. A solution of the prepared glue is applied to the places ready for work, after which a certain number of layers of glass fabrics soaked in an adhesive solution are wound in the places of gluing (to increase the rigidity). After the completion of the repair work, the epoxy glue must be dried (at least one day), after which the radiator element can be operated.

Note that the restoration of radiators with huge holes is carried out using epoxy glue and glass fabrics. In this case, the damage is sealed with a certain number of fiberglass pieces, the size of each of which increases (ascending). Each layer is dried after gluing.

If the radiator plastic tank is damaged (such structures are quite common), you can use either the method described above, or soldering the plastics. For the process, it is necessary to use materials identical to those used in the construction. The sequence of soldering is identical to the connection of elements made of metallic material.

You will learn even more details about the repair of radiators from this video: