Do-it-yourself radiator repair

In detail: do-it-yourself radiator repair from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

If the car's radiator is leaking, then most of us resort to replacing it. However, in most cases, you can not change, but repair the radiator. Sometimes no skills are required, but it happens that knowledge in the field of welding or soldering is indispensable. We learn to determine the condition and try to restore the radiator with our own hands.

The most common problem is when a radiator leak appears due to old age. Coolant (coolant) runs out of the junction of metal and plastic, which automatically leads to engine overheating. It is not always possible to find a replacement radiator, and repairs will cost at least 2 times cheaper than a new one.

Further discussion will be about automotive radiators in general, and it does not matter whether it is a repair of a heater radiator, an air conditioner radiator or an engine cooling system radiator.

Chemistry radiator repair. Minor damage can be repaired with special products, which are called on the market as radiator repair fluid, radiator sealant, or powder restorers. The principle of operation is approximately the same: pour the radiator reductant into the engine cooling system (SOD). The resulting mixture seals cracks when exposed to air.

Chemistry - chemistry is different, so it is impossible to answer for the quality of such a method as a whole. For example, a low-quality reducing agent may not help, but on the contrary, it may harm, clogging the entire SOD. For example, the stove will stop heating and you will need to flush the SOD or change the stove radiator. Higher-quality chemistry can eliminate a radiator leak only for a while (from several days to several months). Thus, radiator repair chemicals are only a temporary solution to the problem.

There is a popular method for repairing radiators. It consists in patching holes with the help of cold welding (a material similar to plasticine, which hardens after use). It is better to close up a small hole in the radiator after degreasing the work surface well. If the hole in the radiator is large, then you can use a piece of tin as a patch, which we again glue by cold welding.

We repair the radiator honeycombs with a mixture of epoxy resin and hardener. Degrease and pour the substance into the damaged honeycombs and level with a spatula. Now the holes in the radiator are 100% sealed.
In general, the folk method involves the use of many materials for sealing, I just showed the main ones. Whether this approach can be called a quality radiator repair, decide for yourself.

The following instructions assume knowledge of basic welding and soldering skills.
To repair the radiator permanently, it must be removed, but before that, the coolant must be drained from it (described in detail in the article on cleaning the radiator). Now that the radiator has been dismantled, we can determine its condition, whether the radiator can be repaired or replaced with a new one.

Repair the radiator by soldering. We clean the place that we will restore well and solder a piece of sheet brass (brass radiators). Here you need to resort to the help of a gas burner and a soldering iron.

If the radiator tubes are cracked, then it is better to replace them with new ones. We heat the solder until it becomes soft and pull the tube out of the tank. We solder a new one in its place. The disadvantage of this method is the impact of high temperatures on the elements of the radiator, which leads to its internal deformation.Therefore, it is better to use argon arc welding (argon welding).

Radiator repair by argon welding. The filler material here is a special welded aluminum wire. You can't do without special equipment. It is worth noting that places treated with argon will be protected from oxidation.
Radiator repair using gas-dynamic spraying. When a special powder is accelerated through the inside of the radiator at a very high speed, a coating 1-1.5 mm thick is formed on the damaged surface. It makes no sense to describe these two methods, because this cannot be done at home.

Video (click to play).

You can repair a car radiator in various ways, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages. In one case, there will be a short-term repair of the radiator, and in the other for a long time. If you doubt your abilities, then it is better to entrust the radiator restoration mission to specialists and argon welding. They will not only repair, but immediately clean the radiator and, if desired, install a brass tank.

If the radiator is damaged after a frontal collision of a car, then the repair will cost a pretty penny. It is more correct in this case to buy a new high-quality radiator.

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

The content of the article:

Causes of malfunctions of the cooling radiator
Typical malfunctions
How to accurately determine the location of a radiator leak
Repair methods
Video about professional radiator repair

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

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

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, the malfunction of the heat exchanger 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 they can be conditionally divided into three types:

mechanical damage;
incorrect operation;
natural wear and tear during operation.

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 flow.

But there is another “result” of a breakdown, which can rather be attributed to improper operation - contamination of heat exchanger plates. Simply put, the radiator becomes so dirty that it stops exchanging heat with the environment, since the adhering and dried layer of dirt (dust, insects, poplar fluff) prevents the heat from being separated 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.

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

Read also: DIY drain pump float repair

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

The low quality of the liquid can lead to its freezing and “defrosting” of the radiator even with a slight frost, with subsequent leakage. Or the composition of a low-quality liquid may be so aggressive that it corrodes the metal. And this over time leads to the same defect - depressurization and leaks.

In the car, as in other technology, there is nothing eternal. And the cooling radiator is no exception. It and its related 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 tubes for delivering coolant to the radiator tanks;
the formation of cracks on the radiator tubes for the supply / removal of coolant;
violation of the tightness of rubber seals.

Internal:

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

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

The intensity of fluid leakage from the radiator can be different, and at the initial stage it is visually imperceptible, but a rapid decrease in the fluid level 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.

To accurately determine the location of a fluid leak, two methods can be used. In this case, it will be necessary to completely drain the coolant from the radiator, and disconnect the radiator itself, pull it out of the car and rinse thoroughly.

It is necessary to muffle (close) all the radiator inlets and leave only one. Pour water into the radiator through the hole left. Through the same open hole, use a pump or compressor to pressurize the radiator. A trickle of water will begin to come out of the hole in the damaged area.

Also removed, empty and clean radiator, but with all inlets plugged, completely immerse in a suitable container with water. Air bubbles will come out of the holes in the damaged areas. If air does not come out, create excess pressure in the radiator with a pump or compressor.

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

For external repair of 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 sale, 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 an external adhesive 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 carefully degreased and lightly processed with a needle file or emery cloth until a slightly rough surface is formed;
for sealing large holes (more than 2 mm), metal patches with a degreased and treated surface can also be used.

Sealant is applied around the hole (crack). Initial hardening occurs within 2-3 minutes, and complete - within a day. After 24 hours, the product can be used.

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

"Chemical sealants" are sometimes also referred to as "radiator rebuild fluid" or "powder rebuilder". Accordingly, such sealants are powder and liquid.

Fixing a leak with a sealant (from the inside) is not a complicated process. The sealant is poured into the cooling system, after which it comes into contact with air and creates a polymer plug that 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 the air conditioner with the stove, too) is required. Therefore, the internal use of sealant is advisable only in an emergency, when it is urgent to fix the leak. You can ride 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. Such radiators are better, easier and faster to seal with metal sealant. Brass devices are considered the most suitable for repair with a soldering iron at home.

To solder a brass radiator, you will need:

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

The surface for applying the solder layer must be previously cleaned of dirt and dust. A metal brush removes signs of corrosion and oxidation. The working surface is processed with an emery cloth (or file) to a shine, to improve the adhesion (coupling) of the metal with solder. The tip of the soldering iron must be clean and free of old solder residue and scale. Immediately before soldering, the work surface must be warmed up.

Important! Soldering can only be carried out at some 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 simple 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 it is localized (that is, located in one place), then the problem can be solved by plugging the damaged pipes.

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

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

The latest car models are increasingly equipped with plastic barrel cooling radiators and an aluminum alloy core. It should be remembered that it is not necessary to waste time on repairing such radiators, since they cannot be repaired at all - they must be changed immediately.

Video about professional radiator repair:

Repair of aluminum radiators has always caused a stir, both from the owners of cars and from the masters. The former constantly wanted to eliminate all malfunctions, the latter to earn money. In this article we will try to consider all aspects of the repair of aluminum radiators. All of the following applies equally to both cooling radiators and furnace radiators.

Most common radiator malfunctions:

the appearance of cracks in the area of \u200b\u200bthe discharge and supply pipes of radiators;
violation of the tightness of the tubes;
violation of the tightness of the seals;
the appearance of holes and cracks as a result of mechanical damage;
weak passage of liquid, as a result of clogging of the tubes.

First, let's look at the design of aluminum radiators and what composite materials are used during their production. The first type is a traditional aluminum radiator with plastic containers, it may differ depending on the model in the type of clamping of the tanks and the manufacture of the core. As a rule, tanks are clamped by wave rolling or cloves.

Sometimes it may seem that the difference is only in the method of rolling, but this is not true. Without going into details, we note that the type of gasket used between the bottom of the radiator and the tank imposes certain restrictions, or, in other words, entails the use of a specific type of rolling. Now consider the types of cores.

Type-setting cores are divided into:

soldered;
typesetting (or prefabricated).

Solid soldered

These radiators are more difficult to manufacture, and, accordingly, they cost much more than prefabricated ones. The meaning of the core is that it is collected, like copper, but then sent to a special furnace, with an inert gas environment and a strictly defined temperature for sintering. Then, when the core is ready, plastic tanks are connected to it using wave rolling. Naturally, in nature there are combinations of the above methods.

As a rule, prefabricated models are based on round tubes with a cross section of 7-11 millimeters, and type-setting heat sink plates, they are not welded to the tubes, but simply put on them tightly. The advantage of this design is its low cost, since almost all work is done mechanically, without the help of welding. But still, there is one type of prefabricated radiators, where the tubes are not rolled through silicone gaskets to the metal mesh, but are soldered to the aluminum one. To these radiators, in 99 percent of cases, tanks are connected using a gear rolling of a certain type.

A little apart are all-aluminum radiators, in which both cores and tanks are made of aluminum. The cores of these radiators are always made by soldered technology.

But, surprisingly, no major manufacturer's cooling radiator uses this technology, since the tanks can require as much material as directly to the core. Only exclusive American radiators have an exception, they are made to order by the capricious owner of the "dredge" or the restored "classic".

In our country, this technology is found either in stove radiators from some manufacturers (for example, Daewoo Nubira, Lanos), or in models from a frankly Chinese or domestic manufacturer. But these two described options, although cheaper than a copper-brass radiator, but the quality of their assembly and design is completely copied from brass models, and inherits all the "innate" shortcomings.In addition to the above, it must be said about aluminum stoves, their tanks are not welded to the grid, as it should be, but glued, and even with glue, which is dangerous to use even on a garden watering can, not to mention a heating radiator.

That is, in order to make a high-quality aluminum radiator, which, in addition to a good heat sink, can still withstand mechanical and hydrodynamic loads long time, careful design is required, and the use of sophisticated equipment during production. And this increases the cost of the final product, which will immediately transfer it from the category of leaders, in comparison with the "copper" product, to the level of expensive outsiders.

Since, for example, at a GAZelle, on our roads, a brass radiator rarely drives off 40,000 km without breakdowns, and this is about a year with a daily load of 100 km. After a major overhaul of the radiator with our own hands, we can increase its life time, unlike the factory one, by 2 times, but it is quite difficult to do this with an aluminum counterpart, and most importantly, it is not very profitable financially. There is reason to think about whether you need to save money when buying between an aluminum and brass radiator?

As a rule, craftsmen call stoves and radiators exotic, which are very rare to find. An example is a heater Opel Omega 1992, it is made of a completely plastic mesh (doni) and tanks made in one piece, and connected to a type-setting core, which has oval tubes, with a welded turbulator. In addition to this example, there are also a number of rare varieties, but this, again, is rare.

It should be noted that the more exotic the radiator is on your car, the more difficult it is for car mechanics to repair it, and not only because of the complexity of combining different materials, but also because the experience of many craftsmen simply does not make it possible to apply the proven and correct one the first time. repair option. That is, an inexperienced master will perform repairs at random, while learning the subtleties, so to speak, practicing with his own hands on your radiator, gaining experience.

As already mentioned above, plastic tanks make it easierwith and reduce the cost of construction. But you need to make a reservation, the term "plastic", considering the tanks, is not very correct, since they are based on polypropylene, and no one will disclose the rest of the additives and impurities, survival in a competitive environment depends on this. Here there are fiberglass reinforcement, and fillers, and other tricks.

After a certain time, the plastic tanks dry out, the base of the plastic changes under the influence of a constant temperature difference and, becoming brittle, they form a leak. In this case, the best option would be to replace the radiator with a new one, because replacing the tank is not always cost-effective. But sometimes, if we consider exclusive models, you can’t do anything, how to repair cracks in the tank with your own hands, but here the second question arises - which repair option is better?

There is There are three main repair options:

replacing the tank with a metal one, which is welded or soldered in place of the plastic one;
soldering the tank with plastic;
use of special polymers.

The first method is the most reliable, but also the most expensive, and the problem with the second tank remains (since there are two of them in the radiator). If you replace two tanks, the cost will be such that it is easier to order a new, original radiator, and all the assurances of the masters, such as the radiator will last forever, should be ignored, since the aluminum part also has a certain resource, and it decreases simultaneously with the resource of plastic tanks. The expensive price of these tanks is explained by the fact that they are not made by the master himself, but by an industrial plant, like an aviation plant (Antonov Design Bureau or KhAZ), and the master only welds it with his own hands using argon welding.

The next two methods are more accessible, since use of polymers and plastic soldering is both cheaper and faster, and when using a very old radiator, it will make it possible to “turn over” before acquiring a new one, without large investments.But I must say that soldering a complex composition of polypropylene is sometimes even dangerous, you can make it even more fragile in the soldering area.

The repair of the aluminum honeycombs themselves has always caused a severe headache, both for car owners and craftsmen. The main reason is both the sometimes very complex and almost unrepairable design, and the rather thin metal of radiators that do not have “weak points” in the design, so to speak. But let's consider everything in order.

The first type that we will describe is a prefabricated car radiator, which, as already mentioned above, is inexpensive, but its high-quality repair requires quite large material investments, but at the same time it is quite possible by the hands of professionals. Design consists of a cell, which, by the way, if it breaks, then not often, as a rule, rubber seals are the first to fail. Round honeycombs are fixed to the grid with the help of rolling, through a rubber seal, which is plastic at the beginning of its life.

But this is only at first, and only when high-quality antifreeze is poured, then the gasket turns into just a terrible sight. For example, the resource of a German radiator, which is operated on high-quality antifreeze, is approximately 11-16 years, a Soviet one is 7-11 years, a resource of a modern and Chinese one can sometimes be from 20 minutes to several years.

If the soldering of the central part of this radiator (well, rubbed it, or pierced it with a screwdriver) is possible with the help of special solders, then it is profitable and high-quality for both parties, it is almost impossible to repair the “sinister connection”. Some workshops, at one time, developed a composition that makes it possible to solder aluminum honeycombs to a steel mesh, but, of course, it is not advisable to use it to repair, for example, products for the VAZ-2107, this option is well suited only when repairing "foreign cars".

This is already a more advanced product, which requires advanced and expensive intervention during the repair. Since a soldered unit is almost never found in budget cars (for example, Daewoo Lanos installs a soldered version, while Daewoo Sens is type-setting), a slightly more expensive repair cost justifies itself almost all the time.

Soldering complication, for example, corner packs of honeycombs is explained by the fact that different thicknesses of the metal will not allow the master, even professionally handling the burner, to melt the solder, the temperature of which often reaches 500-650 degrees, and at the same time not damage the plastic tank.

It is also impractical to remove it for this, and the factory connection can be damaged, an alternative is a high-quality photopolymer or polymer.

As a result, I would like to say that although aluminum car radiators with their plastic tanks are quite difficult to repair, with a competent approach and high-quality materials, they make it possible to achieve excellent results.

The normal operation of the motor is influenced by many factors, including the correct operation of the cooling radiator. For example, a car is in a traffic jam, the engine is running evenly, 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. The cause of these two phenomena is a faulty radiator. For this reason, it is necessary to try to timely identify its malfunctions and carry out high-quality repairs.Among the options for a radiator breakdown, there are those that can only be fixed at a service stationWhat can happen to the cooling radiator? So, the generator fails due to the fact that:

The tightness of the tubes through which the coolant enters the radiator tanks is broken;

Cracks form on the radiator tubes (for supplying and draining fluid);

After a car has been in an accident, cracks and holes appear on the radiator itself due to corrosion;

Rubber seals of steel are not airtight;

The conductive tubes were clogged, as a result of which the liquid could not be cooled sufficiently.

In order to repair the radiator with your own hands, you must first identify malfunctions in its operation. Image - Do-it-yourself radiator repair

Find out in this material how to make the correct backlighting of the number and whether it is needed.

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

If there are coolant leaks, then the radiator is faulty. It is not difficult to identify a radiator leak, it is enough just to carefully examine the parking lot.

Looking for leaks. With problems with the radiator, this is the first action of any motorist. To do this, you need to slightly open the hood, in which you then search for pipes going to the radiator. It is necessary to check the condition of the upper and lower nozzles of the motor and two nozzles of the stove. It is necessary to carefully inspect the pipes and sealing clamps. Hoses must be free of cracks or breaks and clamps must be free of leaks.

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

You can also check the thermostat with the engine completely cold. To do this, remove the plug from the radiator and look into it. Antifreeze flowing inside means a stuck open thermostat. In addition, it is precisely because of a faulty radiator that the engine constantly overheats. Diagnosis of the state of the radiator is carried out as follows. The coolant levels are checked and should be normal. The "cold" start of the engine is carried out. When the engine warms up, the temperature of the pipes supplying the radiator becomes slightly higher. Radiator outlet pipes must be cold. If the outlet pipes become warm, then the thermostat is not in order. If the lower 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 quite suitable); 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. Next, all damage is examined on it. Holes or small cracks, for example, on the surfaces of radiator tanks, as well as other damage, are 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, soldering acid, a drill with flux are applied to the brass surface (in the place of the intended soldering), due to which the spreadability of the solder over the damage will be excellent. When soldering damage, you need to look at the state of the factory soldered seams, which, when heated with a soldering iron on a highly conductive brass material, can also begin to “float”. If damage is found near the places where the 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 centimeter deep are repaired using “cold welding”, which is produced in the form of small bars and includes a pair of components with an adhesive base and a catalyst. Sealing holes is done using the same method as repairing with epoxy and polyester adhesives. Before starting a process called "cold welding", its components are kneaded until they become a homogeneous mass and take the form of a conical shape, the sharp corner 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 result with this restoration technique can be achieved if fillers (for example, aluminum powders) are added to the adhesive. A solution of the prepared glue is applied to the places ready for work, after which a certain number of layers of fiberglass soaked in the adhesive solution are wound in the places of gluing (to increase rigidity). After the completion of the repair work, the epoxy adhesive 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 fiberglass. In this case, the damage is sealed with a certain number of glass fabric pieces, the size of each of which increases (increasingly). Each layer is dried after gluing.

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

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

At the end of the article, how to repair a car radiator with your own hands, we remind you that after self-repair, the radiator can last a long time if:

fix it securely;

the outer radiator surface must be periodically cleaned with autochemical agents;

fill the cooling system only with high-quality antifreeze;

the cooler should be periodically (when changing its qualities) changed.

You can also, in order not to suffer, buy a new radiator or send it in for repair at a service station. As for the cost of repairs in specialized workshops, the price will depend on the service station itself, on how popular it is. For example, in workshops belonging to branded manufacturing enterprises, repairs will cost more. In the service stations located outside the city, repairs will cost less. In cities closer to the center, repairs will be more expensive, further away - cheaper. Image - Do-it-yourself radiator repair

When an internal combustion engine is running, a fairly large amount of heat is released. In order to exclude the possibility of overheating of the main elements, a cooling system is being installed, an important part of which can be called a radiator. A decrease in the efficiency of the cooling system or its complete failure is not allowed, since in this case the engine will overheat and fail. That is why the repair of car cooling radiators should be carried out immediately when the first signs of a malfunction appear.

The radiator is a combination of thin tubes, between which thin plates are located. The principle of operation of the entire cooling system is quite simple:

The engine has a cooling jacket into which water or antifreeze is supplied. Due to the high thermal conductivity of the materials used in the creation of the entire system, heat is transferred to the liquid, after which it is discharged to the radiator.
The radiator has a fairly high capacity, consists of a large number of tubes. Dividing the structure into many small sections can significantly increase the contact area of the tubes with the plates. In the manufacture of this element of the cooling system, aluminum of small thickness is used, due to which the degree of heat transfer also significantly increases.
When the car is moving, the radiator is cooled by a powerful air flow. And additional fans are also installed, which can significantly increase the cooling efficiency of the structure.

After the temperature of the working fluid has been reduced, it is fed back into the engine cooling jacket.

The use of aluminum and other similar alloys in the manufacture of a radiator determines that even an insignificant mechanical impact can cause a leak or other defect. The cost of the repair service at the service station is very high, which is associated with certain complexities of the process. That is why many decide to repair the cooling radiator with their own hands.

Soldering an aluminum radiator should be carried out immediately after a malfunction is detected. This is due to the fact that leaks are dangerous for others and engine design:

If the coolant level is too low, the internal combustion engine will overheat.

By heating the liquid in the system, its pressure increases. At a critical pressure value, a sharp release of antifreeze heated to a high temperature can occur. Contact with liquid on exposed skin will cause injury.

Do-it-yourself radiator repair is possible only if you have a certain set of tools. This is due to the fact that it is possible to eliminate a mechanical defect only by sealing the hole.

Clogged conductive tubes. When using poor quality antifreeze or dirty fluid, there is a chance that the pipes will become clogged and stop passing fluid. To solve this problem, you will have to disassemble the structure and clean it.

Violation of the tightness of rubber seals also leads to the problem under consideration. In some cases, seals can be glued, in others, it will have to be completely replaced.

Violation of the tightness of the tubes that conduct fluid to the radiator tank. Metal damage can only be soldered. It should be borne in mind that not all defects can be repaired, in some cases it will be necessary to carry out a complete replacement of the element.

The formation of cracks may be due to improper operation of the vehicle in the winter. An example is the case of using ordinary water or mixing it with antifreeze. When freezing, the usual liquid increases in volume, due to which the metal is deformed, and a leak may appear.

Most often, the structure is damaged as a result of mechanical stress. An example is a light blow during an accident, as well as a large stone hit when driving at high speed. You can fix small defects, which will require a repair kit.

At home, you can eliminate a fairly large number of various malfunctions, since the required equipment is often found among motorists.

It is important to identify the problem in a timely manner and begin to fix it. In case of mechanical damage to the structure, it is often possible to identify a defect during a visual inspection, in case of system clogging, everything is somewhat more complicated.The engine temperature may also rise due to a malfunction of other elements of the cooling system, such as a fan or thermostat. Only after disassembling the structure, we can conclude what is the reason for the malfunction of the cooling system, and why the engine temperature rises sharply.

To make sure that the problem is a malfunction of the radiator, you can do the following:

When the structure is depressurized, traces of coolant should remain under the hood. At the moment of movement, high pressure is created in the system, which will push the liquid out even through a small hole.
Conduct a visual inspection. As a rule, even minor damage is clearly visible and can be identified by visual inspection.

Before making repairs, you should make sure that the cause of the engine overheating is not a faulty thermostat. This device is responsible for redirecting the coolant: if the engine is cold, then it does not enter the radiator. This element is also required to increase heating efficiency in winter, since the stove only supplies warm air after the engine has warmed up.

In order to significantly increase the cooling efficiency in the manufacture of the radiator, a very thin metal is used. This moment determines just a huge number of problems associated with its repair.

Before carrying out work, you should take into account the fact that radiators can be made of the following materials:As practice shows, the easiest way to restore at home is the brass version, since such a metal lends itself well to processing.If the plastic can be quickly replaced and all rubber seals sealed, then repairing the radiator is much more difficult: mechanical damage can be corrected only when the metal is heated strongly, after which the holes are sealed. As previously noted, not all defects can be eliminated.Having decided on exactly where the leak appeared, you can begin to work. This will require:

Soldering iron with a power of at least 500 watts.

Soldering acid.

Bura.

Skin for cleaning the surface.

Solder.

Metal brush for surface cleaning.

Work instructions:

To begin with, the radiator is removed from the car.
The surface is cleaned of possible contamination of various types.
Small cracks and other defects must be pre-cleaned. To remove oxide, stripping is carried out until the metal begins to shine and the surface is uniform.
After preparing the surface, borax, soldering acid is applied to it.
The solder used must be evenly distributed over the surface to be treated, for which the soldering iron is preheated to the desired temperature.

You can restore the radiator of almost any car, for example, the Lanos model. When carrying out work, it should be borne in mind that all defects must be located at a great distance from the factory seams. This is due to the high degree of ductility of brass - too high a temperature can deform factory seams, making them less resistant to pressure.

Soldering aluminum radiators is almost impossible at home. For this reason, the possibility of repairing minor damage by using various adhesives and sealants is being considered.

The choice of glue and sealants should be carried out if the defect is not more than 1 cm. The features of the compositions used include the following points:

Special adhesive is available in the form of two components.
Before using "cold welding", it is recommended to thoroughly mix the two components until a homogeneous mass is obtained.
Immediately after obtaining a homogeneous mass, it is given a conical shape, after which the substance is pressed into the formed crack.

In case of damage to the supply pipes, a special glue is used, which has an aluminum pond as an additional filler. Recommendations for its use are as follows:

A thorough cleaning and degreasing of the surface is carried out.

Fiberglass can be additionally used to increase rigidity.

It takes at least 24 hours for the glue to dry, during which the treated area should not be exposed to any impact.The radiator is an expensive element of the cooling system, which can not always be restored. Compliance with some recommendations for the operation of the car will eliminate the possibility of damage to it:

All elements of the system must be securely fastened during operation, as strong vibrations may occur during vehicle movement.

Only high quality antifreeze should be used as a coolant. This is due to the fact that water can cause corrosion and clogged pipes. In addition, ordinary liquid boils at a lower temperature, crystallizes in winter: in both cases, serious pressure affects the design of the radiator and supply pipes.

If the antifreeze used has expired, it should be replaced. This recommendation is due to the fact that over time the substance used may lose its performance.

It is recommended to periodically clean the outer surface of the radiator, flush the cells.

In many cases, minor damage can be repaired by hand, but too serious damage causes a service station visit or a complete replacement of the device. It should be borne in mind that a sealed hole may again leak over time. Therefore, it is recommended to eventually replace the repaired radiator.