Been battling coolant leaks and high temps on my 97 accord for a while, finally decided to take a closer look and found a leak. Does my radiator need to be replaced?

You can see the bubbles in the pic.

 

Occasionally, I have seen "stop-leak" fix a leak like this. It may be worth a try. I have never had success but my father has had several successes w/ "aluminum powder stop leak". There are many brands of stop leak. All work on the principle of fine particles getting caught in the leak and sealing the leak. Success depends on the size of leaks and size of particles. Ideally particles should be small enough to "jam" in the leak opening.

There is a business in the oil field (Brinker Technologies) which make custom size "stop leak" particles for pipelines and other pressure vessels. Check their website for an awesome demo on a pipeline.

good luck

 

TexasHonda,

I've heard good things and bad things about "stop leak" - but is it necessarily a permanent fix? Should I ultimately replace the radiator?

 

the best fix for any damaged part is replacement, although, the cheaper fix may very well hold.

 

Sometimes stop leak will work for quite a while, others only very shortly. No way to be sure.

Replacement is most reliable method in long run, and quality radiators can be had for about $100. Check ebay or other online sources.

regards