Don't use either one. Have it repaired at a radiator shop or replace it. The patches you refer to will leak since they don't bond strong enough to hold up against the pressure at running temperatures.

Radiators for these cars can be had for around $100-150 and they are easily replaced. Cheaper if you find one in a salvage yard.

And be sure to replace the thermostat and cap when you change the radiator.

 

Don't use either one. Have it repaired at a radiator shop or replace it. The patches you refer to will leak since they don't bond strong enough to hold up against the pressure at running temperatures.

Radiators for these cars can be had for around $100-150 and they are easily replaced. Cheaper if you find one in a salvage yard.

I'd really like to have the radiator replaced or even try to do it myself, but I just have to cut back on expenses at the moment. I should be better off this summer.

I'm coming across suggestions that when applying these fillers, one does so when the radiator is at running temperature and is in the process of cooling off. The filler then seats better in the crack and cures while the radiator plastic is cooling off during which the crack should be receding. Let stand for 24 hours and the crack is mended.

Looking at radiator replacements, I even see this for $42.

If that part of the radiator is plastic, nothing is going to seal it. The crack will just spread from underneath whatever you attempt to seal it with.

I would agree with you. I also would like to think that what is being discussed here has some merit. Maybe it's wishful thinking for those who are desperate.

Silla 7411A Radiator | eBay

Thanks. I didn't mention that it's a 2000 outback and the (particular) Silla is said to be incompatible.

 

If that part of the radiator is plastic, nothing is going to seal it. The crack will just spread from underneath whatever you attempt to seal it with.

 

Silla 7411A Radiator | eBay

I can vouch for their quality. Myself and many others on the Subaru SVX forum have been using them for years. 5 years in my '92 SVX.

P.S. That's the same place the SVX radiators fail.

 

Just an Ebay glitch on their compatibility program. That is the correct radiator for a 2000.
The $42.00 rad you have the link to comes up to $71.34 with shipping and is of unknown quality.

 

radiatorbarn.com has awesome prices shipped to your door. $88 for a 2000 Forester radiator...hardly worth buying epoxies and JB weld for that price.

but...a friend had basically the same crack in his Impreza and he's a structural repair/design engineer for a major airline and is into tinkering and repairing and likes to try things on his car....he tried epoxies and JB weld over and over again last year to no avail...i mean he'd get them to last a few months which is pretty good but gets pretty old and risky overheating the engine to save $60...

 

An issue with running the car to heat up the plastic is that the coolant will not allow the sealer to bond. Once it sets, pops right off, and you back to losing coolant.

I can understand expenses. But it is better to repair it proper the first time than have something else happen that increases out of pocket cost later. Like a head gasket, just for one.

 

Unfortunately this is one of those things you can't get away with even if money is a bit short on supply. A blown HG due to over heat caused by coolant loss during the summer is going to wipe you out totally which case $100 for a new radiator will seem like a cheap fix.

Find a way to get the new radiator money and be happy that your not going to blow up your car and cause repair costs that might be WAY out of your budget.

The patches on plastics especially hot temps are for emergency limp out of the woods to a proper shop. It's not an every day around town use fix. Also do not dump anything into the radiator given you will probably damage the cooling system plug up cooling passages in your engine and could end up costing your self LOTS more money to replace the engine sooner than later.

 

That stuff just clogs everything else up and doesn't work for crap.
Save up the money and do it right.

 

Even if I order a radiator I still have to wait for it to arrive, and in the mean time, I might be getting an interview requiring a total of 80 miles on the road. I don't mind walking back 40 miles but I need to have some assurance that I'll make it there without any impediments.

The risk of using these sealants is that it gets in the radiator and makes things worse for the engine. It's a risk I've taken. I went Mad Max on it. I used this stuff because it has some resistance to oil and fluids and can stand the temperature. It's not a pretty sight, I know.

I'm not proud of myself, especially considering the sound advice everybody has been giving. Fingers crossed.

Thanks

 

Who cares what it looks like as long as it works for a while.

 

If it's not very hot out you could drive with the cap in the 'release pressure' position.

 

It's getting warmer, like 90s or higher.

Quick update: I let the putty cure for about 15 hours and then drove the car for just less than 10 miles. I then noticed that there is still some coolant leaking (notice the small spot of green coolant on the putty in attached picture). I've added some more putty to that particular area and hope that it's now sealed, at least for the time being.

 

If the first putty job was good for 10 miles I'll give odds on the second being good for 5.

 

Keep an eye on the temp gauge now

 

90F I'd drive like a saint, try leaving the cap loose and watch the temp gauge. It might boil over, though.

You could also drive enough to warm it up, let the fluid expand, then release the pressure and put the cap back on tight. Maybe get a cheap 'lever-cap' for the duration.

 

Another short update: I actually had to drive the anticipated 80 miles today. It wasn't that warm, but still in the mid 80s. While driving, I didn't notice any coolant smell and the temperature gauge hovered below the half-way point, much like it always does. After the trip, I inspected the patched area on the radiator and didn't detect any further leaking.

For the time being, it's ok. I hope to order a replacement radiator soon.

I was wondering whether activating my AC affects the temperature or is otherwise separate from the radiator system. In any case, I had the AC (pleasantly) on the entire ride.

 

AC has its own radiator and will run the fans. Only risk is generating heat transfer between AC cooler and engine radiator but thats only a concern when your running hot

 

Ok, thanks. That's good to know.

 

What is the mileage on your Outback? Just wondering what to approximately expect from my '03 Outback's radiator.

 

~ 157,000 miles.

 

Me too dang it. 2003 Outback ~115k mi. Plastic hot iron weld?. I think it's been going some time and just leaks down to where the fluid is below the level and stays about there.

 

Wow. That was 8+ years ago. I'm not sure the filler helped much. Winter driving was doable, even without the filler, just ended up with an engine (bay) covered in coolant. But when summer came, and it was a reasonably hot summer, the engine overheated on the highway. Pulled over and had it towed to a mechanic who replaced the radiator. Didn't have any issues with that afterwards. Not sure the filler helped much, although it (may have) got(ten) me to a job interview and the engine started overheating about a week after landing that job, allowing me to pay for the radiator replacement, so who knows.

 

Thanks for the update to let us know that the repair didn't hold. Congrats on landing that job 8 years ago!

 

for $74

More Information for DENSO 2213604

and an hour's worth of time, it is so much easier to pull the radiator/fan assembly, swap the parts over and return it to the car.

There are only two bolts holding brackets that keep the radiator in place, two ATF hoses that need to be pulled out and plugged to prevent spilling ATF and two power plugs to the fans that need to be disconnected and the upper and lower radiator hoses. Then this whole thing simply lifts out of the car and you swap the parts over to the new radiator.
BTW, pulling this out makes a timing belt job much easier too. Lots of room in front of the engine when the radiator is out.

 

my 03 has the same issue, going for a replacement rad arriving next week. Car's new to me, but the leak is new based on the condition of the engine compartment. Going for Upper-lower hoses as a precaution, maybe the thermostat, Temps have been normal but my fix-in-a-bottle only made the coolant more visible.