radiator leak test

[tsi_daggie]

i have a radiator leak and i cannot seem to find it any where. i know there is one because everything underneath has a fresh green coat :thumbdown . is there a way to do a leak test on the radiator without taking the radiator out of the car? thanks

 

[RossY]

i really don't know of a way without taking the radiator out. However, i wouldn't jump to the conclusion that it is the radiator. The rubber hose on my water line for the turbo has a small leak and it coated almost the entire front half of the engine bay with coolant. Whenever i stopped at a light i could see small amounts of white smoke coming up from around my headlights.

I dont know how much you've worked on cars but if it is the radiator, it won't be much of a hassle getting it out at all. Or you could try some of that stop leak stuff, but i don't know if that really works or not.

Good luck

 

[tsi_daggie]

i dont know a ton about cars considering i am only 17. but i know a fair share. i have used that bahrs stop leak before in other cars and had some success. but does that stuff just stay in the radiator, or could it possibly make it's way to the turbo and harm it? i know that the radiator isnt all that hard to take out. i just didnt know if there was an easier way to do it that take it to a shop and have it pressure tested. but i will deffinatly go out and check my turbo water line. thanks

 

[tsi_daggie]

i took the radiator out and checked everything out. the problem was the water sensor that is on the bottom of the raroator was loose. a nice quick simple fix ! since it has an o-ring at the top of the threads there is no nead to put any teflon tape on it right.
thanks guys
Joey