Coolant leak

[dbrannon79]

an old welder trick looking for cracks in metal and in a weld was to pass a torch over the area, don't heat it too much, but as it heats and cools quickly, if there is a crack, it becomes visible and with the weight of coolant behind it might tell you exactly where the leak is.

coolant likes to travel in unseen places where the actual leak might not be at the fitting but somewhere up on the core or at a hose connection. in that senario, you might end up pulling the complete fan shroud exposing it all to watch it

 

[Big T]

imo resetting the fitting would only fix a tranny fluid leak at the threads. I would clean the area off real good and watch for a bead of coolant in that area if no access to a pressure tester, do you have a camera to put there on a close up and live record if for a while, when it begins to leak look for where the first coolant droplet forms at.

I’ve done the wipe down thing, but will do it again.

Remind me what I need to do the pressure test? Some cap on the coolant reservoir? Do they rent them free at Oreilly’s?

 

[dbrannon79]

I’ve done the wipe down thing, but will do it again.

Remind me what I need to do the pressure test? Some cap on the coolant reservoir? Do they rent them free at Oreilly’s?

the pressure tester is a modified radiator cap attached to a hand air pump. not sure if the auto parts rent them, but I think harbor freight sells them fairly cheap

 

[dbrannon79]

looking online harbor freight is about $100. if you have a air compressure regulator that you can adjust down to a max of 13-14 psi. maybe a large rubber stopper on the end of an air blow gun holding it on the cap hole for a couple of minutes then look below for the leak.

 

[Big T]

looking online harbor freight is about $100. if you have a air compressure regulator that you can adjust down to a max of 13-14 psi. maybe a large rubber stopper on the end of an air blow gun holding it on the cap hole for a couple of minutes then look below for the leak.

I bought that $100 kit from Harbor Freight and it does not work. It’s designed to draw a vacuum, not pressurize the system. I have it here in the garage.

Reading the instructions:

When the gauge reading stabilizes, continue to draw a vacuum for 30 seconds to obtain maximum vacuum, typically 24 to 26 inHg depending on coolant system size.

Close the Air Inlet Valve an monitor Gauge reading for 1-2 minutes:

A. If the vacuum drops, the cooling system has a leak and is not sealed. Disconnect the tool and make necessary repairs.

Well I know I have a leak. The question is precisely where is the leak. Drawing a vacuum on the system is of no help with this. This Harbor Freight tool was a complete waste of money.

 

[dbrannon79]

@Big T bad pump or doesn't have the right adapter?

 

[Will L.]

Post pic of the one you bought. Should be able to pressurize with most types as well as vacuum

 

[Big T]

@Big T bad pump or doesn't have the right adapter?

It draws a vaccuum on the system. That will show that a leak exists, but not where it exists.

I went out and checked. Noted slight wetness below the heater hose. I will change to a screw clamp on the hose. Need my wife here to hold finger over radiator pipe while I do it.

 

[Will L.]

some Autoparts store rent the pressure tester. But it is basically a small hand pump witha gauge, a hose and the radiator cap adapter.
Your harbor freight unit already has the adapter and hose- and depending onngauge if it is only vacuum or if it does pressure also- you could literally hook a bicycle pump to it. I am VERY LEARY of using a regular air compressor. Just a few pounds too much will do descent damage.

putting system under pressure then spray with soapy water for bubbles. No guessing. Be 100% before pulling a radiator and shipping under warranty.

 

[MrMarty51]

Oriellys here has a wide selection of tools that they loan. When meeding a tool that I dont have, I call them and ask.
If You cant find their number, do a oriellys search then the zip code.

 

[Big T]

During breaks from writing work, I first wiped the area clean, then checked it later and it looked like some weepage from the heater hose at the top. I am always suspect of those squeeze hose clamps, especially here where this Champion Radiator appears to have smaller ODs on the pipes you’re clamping the hose to. So I pulled the hose and changed to a screw hose clamp and torqued that MF’er down. We’ll see how it goes. Ain’t doing anything here until I get back toward the latter part of March. Hopefully by then this rig will have a new transmission and transfer case in it.

 

[dbrannon79]

I've had hose connections seep like that to the point I would have no other choice but to smear a thin film of silicone sealant on the inside to make it quit seeping

 

[Will L.]

As ridiculous as it sounds- hair spray is a common trick for coolant and turbo hoses.

you spray enough auqa-net to get it wet and hoses slip on. When that stuff dries it os tacky and seals up well. It is annoying to remove later. I learned that trick from bicycle handle grips

 

[ak diesel driver]

A spring clamp in good condition actually works better than a screw clamp

 

[Big T]

A spring clamp in good condition actually works better than a screw clamp

Not with the smaller pipe ODs of this Champion radiator. I’ve had to replace the spring clamp on the coolant overflow hose as that pipe is smaller. I have suspicions on the lower hose to the water pump an replaced the hose. We’ll see on this hose.

 

[Will L.]

Spring clamp is smaller in surface area- so when they fit they do good, but you can tighten a screw clamp to the same force if it is a quality one. Problem is most are junk.
The t-bolt clamps are better than either of those but are pricey. And now because they have become more popular there are companies making junk versions of those and people buy them and have bad results.
The really good hose clamps are the aircraft rated ones but those are stupid expensive.


The thing that is a bit more annoying to use but does really good and low cost after the tool is bought is that clamptite (safety wire). A single roll of wire lasts forever, but the 3 drawbacks- hard to use in some places, need needle nose to lift ends for removing, have to have that tool and the wire to do new one for an in the field repair.

Now, anyone that has ever had a hose clamp fail while doing repair in the field- this becomes the advantage again because, who carries a couple of every size hose clamps with them all the time? Almost No one.

 

[Big T]

Initial overnight view of the replaced clamp is dry and no new leakage, but I wait until full daylight to do a full check.

 

[Will L.]

So it was not a bad weld on the radiator- excellent. That would have sucked to have to pull and ship it- and never heard of champion having bad welds on their stuff, they are known to be good quality.

On the safety wire clamp method- there is YouTube videos how to diy the tool for under $10.
Also I got messaged by a guy that won’t say for liability reasons, and is an aircraft mechanic,that doing this method with wire on aircraft is approved by faa if the wire is approved stainless steel wlock/safety wire and you do the double pass method. He said he uses the diy turnbuckle tools all the time and keeps one in his pickup, one in his hummer, and one in garage at home. But working on aircraft he has to use one of the professional made tools. He has the one in the video and pointed me to this video- he has one of these style at work for tight areas- but said dont do the final twist like this guy does. Just cut 1/8” long and tuck down ends. He also made fun of me saying if I made videos it would be like this guys: too long and slow! Haha

 

[Big T]

So it was not a bad weld on the radiator- excellent. That would have sucked to have to pull and ship it- and never heard of champion having bad welds on their stuff, they are known to be good quality.

On the safety wire clamp method- there is YouTube videos how to diy the tool for under $10.
Also I got messaged by a guy that won’t say for liability reasons, and is an aircraft mechanic,that doing this method with wire on aircraft is approved by faa if the wire is approved stainless steel wlock/safety wire and you do the double pass method. He said he uses the diy turnbuckle tools all the time and keeps one in his pickup, one in his hummer, and one in garage at home. But working on aircraft he has to use one of the professional made tools. He has the one in the video and pointed me to this video- he has one of these style at work for tight areas- but said dont do the final twist like this guy does. Just cut 1/8” long and tuck down ends. He also made fun of me saying if I made videos it would be like this guys: too long and slow! Haha

I would say preliminary results, especially with my experience with these trucks. Probably need to top up the coolant reservoir and take it for a spin to get it up to operating temps.

P.S. I have feed and return lines to fuel tank of the '94 Suburban going south with us. If things go well, the fuel tank arrives today per the Fedex tracking and that goes down with us too.

 

[Big T]

Alright took it for a spin to get it to operating temp. The river below us has slush going down it from the cold weather. Parked and inspected and no leaks so far, but I will wait until it sits overnight and inspect in the dark before we leave for SoCal before I declare success.