Help, but not urgent ! Rad and rad support (wj)

OFFRDWJ · 10-15-2009, 02:01 PM

So I hit the jeep a while back and my rad support is twisted / bent. moving along,

So I went offroading recently at a thick muddy sandy place (gopherdunes.com) and noticed a small leak got home and spotted the broken rad a week later.

So I need some advice. Its not leaking to bad but I do need a new one. Im prob going to get a new one...

I think that both of these cause my rad to burst??

My question is should I wait for kevinsoffroad rad support(which cuts out the original one, good!) and I just keep pouring in rad fluid as it leaks or replace the bent one I have with a stock one? I have no idea how I would replace it does it weld in??? the factory one looks like its part of the whole jeep...

I am wondering if anyone else popped their rad / broke it when offroading in thick mud?

(EDITED)

Thanks in advance

**GraKee99** · 10-15-2009, 02:06 PM

First, no need for the bold.

You should replace the radiator if it is leaking. Could email Kevin and see if they have a date when it is going to be released and add the support with the new radiator.

**the88thpianoman** · 10-15-2009, 02:08 PM

Crawled. Personally, I'm opting for waiting for the KOR support, granted a don't have any leaks, just a bent up rad and condenser. The KOR support is supposed to be out more or less now. I talked to Bryant like three or four weeks ago, at which point the ETA was three weeks.

I say waste a few bucks on coolant, don't waste money on welding up another stock support, and spend the money on the upgraded support with recovery as soon as it's available.

OFFRDWJ · 10-19-2009, 12:35 PM

alright thanks, hope it comes out soon

gbauer · 10-19-2009, 12:50 PM

If you can see where it's leaking, you can patch it temporarily with some JB weld.

I did that with an S-10 in college and the patch held up for 80k miles. Easy fix.

JamesLouis · 10-19-2009, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbauer

If you can see where it's leaking, you can patch it temporarily with some JB weld.

I did that with an S-10 in college and the patch held up for 80k miles. Easy fix.

I just used Alumaseal from Autozone to fix a pretty serious leak in my WJ. I used it back in the day on 2 other vehicles I've owned and it held up for the 2 years I owned both of the vehicles. It costs $3 so if it doesn't work you're no worse off than when you started. Some people swear by Bars Leak. Either way, it's cheaper and faster than any other option and might hold up for you as well as a new rad would. Good luck.

P.S.- Replacing the rad involves removing the bumper, headlights, the hood latch; pretty much everything you see in front of the rad has to come off.

**xJoshxx** · 10-19-2009, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesLouis

I just used Alumaseal from Autozone to fix a pretty serious leak in my WJ. I used it back in the day on 2 other vehicles I've owned and it held up for the 2 years I owned both of the vehicles. It costs $3 so if it doesn't work you're no worse off than when you started. Some people swear by Bars Leak. Either way, it's cheaper and faster than any other option and might hold up for you as well as a new rad would. Good luck.

P.S.- Replacing the rad involves removing the bumper, headlights, the hood latch; pretty much everything you see in front of the rad has to come off.

that **** eats your water pumps!

**patrick983** · 10-19-2009, 10:39 PM

i just put a brand new radiator from radiatorbarn.com in my WJ. 5th car ive put one in, all others were european cars (including a boxster) and this was by far the most complicated of them all. My brand new radiator is leaking (defective?) and im NOT taking it out again, it took 10hrs the first time. JB weld seems to be holding for now, and some thread sealer on the leaking trans cooler fitting is working well too. id definitely say wait and do it all at once, it would be alot easier w/ the support temporarily out of the way

dougy147 · 10-19-2009, 11:41 PM

When I did my heads, the rad was one of the first things I pulled and I did not take off the front fascia, etc.

I know there were a few bolts that were not exactly easy to get to, but far from impossible. Is all of that really required?

If you're going to use a stop leak, at least use one that you can drain the coolant (save it), fill systemm with water and sealer, then drain and replace coolant. At least you won't have goo floating around in your cooling system long enough to fill every crevace it can find....

gbauer · 10-20-2009, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesLouis

I just used Alumaseal from Autozone to fix a pretty serious leak in my WJ. I used it back in the day on 2 other vehicles I've owned and it held up for the 2 years I owned both of the vehicles. It costs $3 so if it doesn't work you're no worse off than when you started. Some people swear by Bars Leak. Either way, it's cheaper and faster than any other option and might hold up for you as well as a new rad would. Good luck.

P.S.- Replacing the rad involves removing the bumper, headlights, the hood latch; pretty much everything you see in front of the rad has to come off.

Preferably DON'T use stop-leak!

Patch it from the outside if you can get to it. Stopleak will just clog up other vital ports in the engine.

**patrick983** · 10-20-2009, 09:37 AM

stop leak clogged my heater core and started a leak at the heater core. Luckily back flushing and a coolant change fixed it. DEFINITELY dont use any type of stop leak product. These rad's arent too hard to patch from the outside once u find where the leak is. Both mine leak where the plastic endtanks connect.

JamesLouis · 10-20-2009, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrick983

stop leak clogged my heater core and started a leak at the heater core. Luckily back flushing and a coolant change fixed it. DEFINITELY dont use any type of stop leak product. These rad's arent too hard to patch from the outside once u find where the leak is. Both mine leak where the plastic endtanks connect.

Usually the heater core gets clogged if you don't turn the heat on when you put the stop leak in, which the directions explicitly direct you to do. And I'm very curious as to how a sealant would CAUSE a leak in your heater core

Are you sure it wasn't the same leak that everyone with a WJ has has with their heater core that happens regardless of stop leak or not?

Like I said, I've used it in 2 vehicles prior to the Jeep with no detrimental effects. I will say that I drained the coolant after the leak stopped so I didn't have crap floating around my engine looking for a home. Clearly, replacing the rad would be the best of choices if time and money wasn't an issue for anyone but sometimes it is and I thought I'd help out. Use it or don't, I won't be offended.

OFFRDWJ · 10-21-2009, 03:35 PM

i was told the rad support from KOR is a month or so awaay