Crack in Bottom of Radiator

1. Rislone radiator sealant, around USD 20.00 at Auto-zone.
2. Epoxy plaster, look for your application in the back of the package.
3. If it is just the binding frame that joins the cover to the core, tighten it with vise-grips.
4. Add a TFT powder seal and/or a raw egg with the engine running iddle.
5. Carry one or two Gals. of water daily, 'till you save enough to buy a new one.

Car problems suck !! It's the equivalent to a sick horse in the 1800's

Good luck

There are a myriad of products out there to stop radiator leaks. Bar's Leak is one that comes to mind (no affiliation).

I don't think any of them will fix your leak, at least not for long. Once auto makers went to plastic entry/exit pans, IMHO its pretty much a given that they are going to develop a leak at some point. At that point the difference in plastic and metal's flexing ability is going to insure that the leak never gets closed permanently.

But one of the off the shelf products will slow it down for a while.

Heat is the main enemy of your engine, don't fool around or you'll be looking for a new car....radiators are cheap.....you can probably get one from the junkyard for $20.....

New, the're only about $75...

http://www.carparts.com/saturn/sl/radiator

The one from the junk yard may well have exactly the same leak but at leat you'll have had some practice at swapping out the radiator

Del

Id avoid any type of Stop leak in a can. pull the rad, flush it and epoxy the seam.....thats a TEMP patch, NOT a perm repair........the junk yard is a good choice if they pressure test it first for you

You could loosen the radiator cap - turn it about 1/4 turn till it hits the stops if it's the usual type of cap. It won't fall off, but pressure won't build up to force the water out so you'll go further between fill-ups. But keep an eye on it and don't thrash the car.

That technique would also vent the radiator, encouraging the leak to persist when the car is at rest.

OK he could close the cap again when he stops for any length of time. Head of water with cap loose, ~ 2ft is much less than typical pressure setting 15 psig ~ 30ft. But it's very much a stop-gap measure.

Agreed, stop gap measure that would probably help a little bit, get you home.

The advice of the forum seems to be 'Replace the leaky radiator'. There is no good substitute for a proper repair of any mechanical problem.

Years ago I was in the Montana woods in my pickup, blew out the frost plug. Now, there's an engine coolant problem without a temp fix! Drive a few hundred yards, shut 'er off and wait to cool off, drive another couple of hundred yards, shut 'er down... sometimes ya just gotta do what ya gotta do.

Glad the bears didn't attack!

The radiator leak repairs in a can and the opening of the pressure cap are temporary fixes that will get you home. They will not fix the problem. Get a new radiator.

This stuff is good. I had a leak in my radiator (all brass) and used it. It lasted for years. In Arizona, with the AC always on. And, it's cheap!

1. ALUMASEAL Radiator Stop Leak

(not an endorsement)(They make you say that)

"brass radiator" I believe Lyn is showing his age! Although, I must confess, I used the same product with the same results on my brass radiator(s).

Well, I do own one vehicle with an aluminum radiator.
But, none with plastic radiators. That's just not proper.

but typical these days

Here is a link to a new radiator for around $65.On the same page is a link to a you tube video showing how to install it.

If you cannot afford it,and use the stop leak, be sure to flush your system completely before installing the new radiator,' cause the stop leak really clogs up the whole system.

Be aware that some engines require special procedures when refilling the engine block because the radiator is lower than the top of the engine and an air lock can occur if not done right.

Good luck!

https://www.google.com/search?q=saturn+year+2000+sl&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=rcs#channel=rcs&q=saturn+year+2000+sl+radiator&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official

The problem is that the two materials tend not to expand and contract at the same rate due to the different properties i.e. plastic and metal.

This is why most fixes do not last.

The great thing here in the Philippines is that we have excellent radiator shops and they just fabricate either the top or bottom cover and simply swap out the plastic part! I have a Honda Civic that had a leak at the seam on the top. The guy had a partly built unit that he just hammered to fit, welded a neck for the cover and viola! I was back on the road in 2 to 3 hours and never went back since. This was some 4 years ago.

Oh and I even got a thorough cleaning of the cells to boot for no extra charge. They can do it in brass too but more costly and I wanted the same material so they expand and cool down at the same rate.

Your radiator is an aluminum core with plastic tanks. There is a seal between the aluminum and plastic tank. If it leaks, your seal has gone bad and cannot be repaired at a reasonable cost.

Best bet, just bite the bullet and get a new radiator. They're very inexpensive and you'll know you've done the right thing.

1-800-RADIATOR delivered a new radiator to my house in an oversized pizza box in the time it took me to pull the old one. (Less than an hour)

I think I paid $85 or there about.

Most radiator sealants (the aluminum/copper sludge types that I am familiar with) do not work well for plastic end-tanks. (eggs, I have not tried)

Permanent repairs can be made (plastic welding and new clamps/brackets) but at a start-up cost that exceeds most new radiators. Might be a good idea to buy the tools required and open a small business (selling services to broke people does not sound like a good idea to me, but your mileage may vary)

Save your money and get a new radiator. They may be cheaper than you think.

-A-