Radiator leak - replace now?

camel

camel

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Hi
just back from a trip to Venice.
On way, spotted a small drip under motorhome, pink fluid, obviously anti freeze, from bottom right of radiator as viewed from the front.
Temperature gauge never moved and fluid level dropped a very small amount. Each time we stopped, drips from same area.
After a week on a campsite near Venice, no leak next time I stopped and looked!
However, found a Beps store (Italian Halfords), and poured in Wynns 'cooling system stop leak'. Drove 800 miles home and no leak still.
We have a couple of trips coming up shortly, one to a wedding. I've since read that the bottom right of the radiator seems to be the main problem area.
Question is - do I wait and see if leak returns and will I get a warning before all the water pours out or should I just replace the radiator now?
TIA,
Paul
 
Fit a new radiator now, or you maybe luck and find it’s a weep from a hose joint whilst your in there.
 
Check hose clips are tight, if they are check where leak is from, if it’s from any part of the radiator itself then replace without delay. If you’re handy you could probably DIY it. As a minimum I personally would get rid of the old coolant as it’s now contaminated with the stop leak additive, flush through with some fresh water, (refill the empty cooling system with fresh water, run it up to temperature with heater on full, run for 5 minutes then allow to cool and drain and discard that water/coolant too.) refill with brand new coolant of the same type as the old to the recommended mixture rating coolant:water. Job jobbed. I changed the radiator in my avatar car in a nudist beach carpark in northern Spain (it had a really high kerb allowing me to get underneath the car!), took me about 1.5 hours as all the bolts were rusty……

I take no responsibility for any work you attempt on your vehicle as a result of my reply to your post!

Cheers!

Russ
 
RustyRuss said:
Check hose clips are tight, if they are check where leak is from, if it’s from any part of the radiator itself then replace without delay. If you’re handy you could probably DIY it. As a minimum I personally would get rid of the old coolant as it’s now contaminated with the stop leak additive, flush through with some fresh water, (refill the empty cooling system with fresh water, run it up to temperature with heater on full, run for 5 minutes then allow to cool and drain and discard that water/coolant too.) refill with brand new coolant of the same type as the old to the recommended mixture rating coolant:water. Job jobbed. I changed the radiator in my avatar car in a nudist beach carpark in northern Spain (it had a really high kerb allowing me to get underneath the car!), took me about 1.5 hours as all the bolts were rusty……

I take no responsibility for any work you attempt on your vehicle as a result of my reply to your post!

Cheers!

Russ
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Not a job I fancy doing in the nude but everyone to their own. :rofl:
 
Check the bottom hoses to determine there are no hose leaks first,before you decide the next step.

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Get it changed soon as, cos you know it will let go at the worst moment possible and you don't want to blow a head gasket (yours or the van's !)
I replaced mine recently, was quite a fiddle with some corroded bolts through the plastic bumper (can't get the gas axe at those !) and I had to flex the aircon radiator out of the way which was awkward with it's associated pipework.
 
RustyRuss said:
Check hose clips are tight, if they are check where leak is from, if it’s from any part of the radiator itself then replace without delay. If you’re handy you could probably DIY it. As a minimum I personally would get rid of the old coolant as it’s now contaminated with the stop leak additive, flush through with some fresh water, (refill the empty cooling system with fresh water, run it up to temperature with heater on full, run for 5 minutes then allow to cool and drain and discard that water/coolant too.) refill with brand new coolant of the same type as the old to the recommended mixture rating coolant:water. Job jobbed. I changed the radiator in my avatar car in a nudist beach carpark in northern Spain (it had a really high kerb allowing me to get underneath the car!), took me about 1.5 hours as all the bolts were rusty……

I take no responsibility for any work you attempt on your vehicle as a result of my reply to your post!

Cheers!

Russ
Click to expand...
Only 1.5 hrs , it would of took me 1.5 weeks :)
Allowing time to take in the view
 
It wold have been quite good fun watching the nubile young ladies walking past while I had a legitimate reason for lying on the ground, but I was very busy with my radiator!! :X3: ;):ROFLMAO:
 
Might have had a glass of something to keep me cool, but I’m fairly sure it wasn’t tea….. or coolant!! :drink:
 
RustyRuss said:
Check hose clips are tight, if they are check where leak is from, if it’s from any part of the radiator itself then replace without delay. If you’re handy you could probably DIY it. As a minimum I personally would get rid of the old coolant as it’s now contaminated with the stop leak additive, flush through with some fresh water, (refill the empty cooling system with fresh water, run it up to temperature with heater on full, run for 5 minutes then allow to cool and drain and discard that water/coolant too.) refill with brand new coolant of the same type as the old to the recommended mixture rating coolant:water. Job jobbed. I changed the radiator in my avatar car in a nudist beach carpark in northern Spain (it had a really high kerb allowing me to get underneath the car!), took me about 1.5 hours as all the bolts were rusty……

I take no responsibility for any work you attempt on your vehicle as a result of my reply to your post!

Cheers!

Russ
Click to expand...
Rusty nuts are a problem. Clothed or not. 🤭
 
Stealaway said:
I have developed a severe case of Betty Swallocks at the moment and that's only in Ireland :Eeek:
Although my radiator seems fine :drinks:
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Oversharing. But thanks for the good news on your leak-free radiator. 😃
 
busby said:
Trouble with using stop leak stuff is that it eventually blocks the heater metrix, BUSBY.
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Rad weld, stop leaks etc etc are not good for the cooling system unles in an absolute emergency.
Can gunge the whole cooling system up over time.
Fit a new Rad asap.
 
I’m not sure about the Ducato but most coolant systems run at about 20psi and go above this immediately after an engine is stopped due to residual heat - hence your drips when you stop.
The stop leaks stuff basically weeps out through the ‘hole’ then sets to form a patch, it’s basically like a blood clot stuck on the outside of a wound.
All this basically amounts to a ‘get me home’ solution and no more.
So, if it’s the rad leaking - change it.
Best of luck
 
On my Chrysler Sunbeam back in the 80's I received a punctured radiator from a stone of the car in front of me whilst following the Circuit of Ireland Rally. Well not wanting to miss the rest of the weekends rally looking for a radiator and replacing it so i improvised ,I found a local car care shop , bought some Isopon fiberglass paste , mixed a small teaspoon amount and pressed it into said whole using my thumb , let it harden for like 30mins , refilled radiator and it just had a small seep of water coming from it , so I then broke open an egg , mixed it up and poured it into said radiator , started up car , once warmed up leak 100% stopped and we continued to follow rally for the rest of the weekend, ofc driving like Colin McCrae myself ( in my head & dreams ) , the car temps were 100% fine , infact I kept the car for another 3 years and the repair lasted great.
Ofc this was with an old car from the 70's and I don't think I'd be as quick to do that sort of thing in my modern car / motorhome :)
 
Check for a hose leak and if it isn't a hose issue change the radiator as soon as.

Also good advice to flush out the system fully as the leak fix stuff isn't the best to have sloshing around.
 
It will be the radiator, mine went in the same place. Wasn’t that expensive and didn’t take me all that long to change, the drip got worse until I wasn’t confident it would hold under pressure. No issues since. Think it was about £90 for the radiator.

8D764395-2A86-42D8-87AF-114C3BFADB7A.jpeg
 
Thanks everyone, decided on a new radiator, booked in for Monday, cheers

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You can often get your old radiator re-cored, can work out cheaper and retain s the original shell.
 
Googlebot said:
It will be the radiator, mine went in the same place. Wasn’t that expensive and didn’t take me all that long to change, the drip got worse until I wasn’t confident it would hold under pressure. No issues since. Think it was about £90 for the radiator.

View attachment 640321
Click to expand...
Googlebot
I have a 2015 Hymer Exsis i504 looks to be the same engine bay setup as yours. My radiator now has a small leak and I am looking to replace in the near future.
Can I ask? did you manage to remove and replace your radiator without disturbing the air conditioning radiator and pipework? I also presume you managed to remove the radiator from the top.
Thanks
 
Scotchbonnet said:
Googlebot
I have a 2015 Hymer Exsis i504 looks to be the same engine bay setup as yours. My radiator now has a small leak and I am looking to replace in the near future.
Can I ask? did you manage to remove and replace your radiator without disturbing the air conditioning radiator and pipework? I also presume you managed to remove the radiator from the top.
Thanks
Click to expand...
The air conditioner radiator just unbolted from the front and was tied up. The bottom is the intercooler and again unbolted from the radiator. It only carries air.

I didn’t have to remove any air conditioning lines.

I am not 100% sure but I think it was easier to drop it out. It wasn’t a difficult job, there were however a few things like under trays and cross members to unbolt to get access.

Hope that helps. 👍
 

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