• Roll of two-inch duct tape
• Utility knife outfitted with a new blade
• Screwdriver
• Upper radiator hose repair kit (available from auto supply stores)
• Two plastic one-gallon containers filled with water
• Flashlight outfitted with fresh batteries to be used if a hose fails at night
• Heavy work gloves
• Eye protection

1. The moment you get a whiff of the strong, pungent odor that char­acterizes escaping coolant, pull off the road and turn off the en­gine.

2. Put on work gloves and eye protection, and open the hood.

3. Wrap several layers of duct tape around the tear in the hose to stem the loss. You will have no problem finding the split in the hose. You will see coolant coming out of it.

4. If you are again forced off the road, wait about 30 minutes for the cooling system temperature to get low enough so you can work without being burned. Use the utility knife to splice the hose at the split. Cut away enough so you can slip the coupling in the repair kit onto the hose.

5. Place the clamps in the repair kit on the coupling.

6. Attach the coupling to the two parts of the hose.

7. Position and tighten the clamps to lock the coupling and hose to­gether.

8. Remove the radiator cap by pressing it down and turning until the cap hits the stop. Wait a few seconds for any pressure still in the cooling system to relieve itself before pressing down on the cap and turning it again to take it off.

9. Pour water from the plastic containers into the radiator until it reaches the top of the radiator filler neck.

It is now safe to continue your trip. However, at the first opportunity replace the hose and fill the radiator with antifreeze.

If you encounter such a situation when on the road, immediately pull over, pop the hood and wait for the whole set up to cool down somewhat so that you don’t burn yourself. This takes about 15 minutes and that time can be used to calm you down and observe where the problem stems from.

Most of the time, the coolant evaporates through a leak in the radiator, which will be evident when you check it. Some suggestions on how to repair a radiator involve adding pepper or an egg directly into the radiator, which allows the leak to be plugged, albeit temporarily. However, this may adversely affect the entire coolant system of the car and is not advisable except under the most desperate circumstances.

A more plausible ad hoc emergency response is to temporarily seal or plug the leak from the outside. A nickel sized piece of epoxy or amazingly, chewing gum, if you’re desperate, can help to do this, but must be given adequate time to set. With the leak in your radiator thus plugged, it is then possible to refill it with coolant and continue towards the nearest workshop.

Care must be taken not to fasten the radiator cap too tightly as the temporary plug isn’t strong enough to withstand the full pressure of a sealed cooling system. There are also commercial “stop-leaks” formulated just for this purpose. If the problem appears to stem from the hose, it is possible to seal it with duct tape or self-curing silicone tape once it is cool enough to touch.

These are only temporary solutions and any damage to your radiator or cooling system should be attended to immediately by professionals. However, if you still consider professional repair to be too costly, it’s possible to re-seal a plastic radiation tank with a plastic welder. This involves melting a groove in the area to be sealed, and heating it, such as with a heat gun. A nylon welding rod is melted into the groove with an airless plastic welder and mixed until it takes on the color of the radiator. The nylon is added until the groove is filled, following which it is smoothened with the tip of the welder.

Without a functional cooling system, the engine may experience overheating issues which will damage the engine. If that happens, repair will be very costly. By following this DIY on how to fix a radiator leak, it will save u a lot of money in the long run.

First, look for any signs of coolant leakage on the ground. It is best to check after parking your car overnight at your porch. To reconfirm, fill up your radiator to the brim and then leave overnight. Check the water level next morning. Any significant decrease of water level is a clear indication that your radiator is busted.

Use a car jack to bring up your car’s front end. Leave it on the jack stand and secure the hind wheel. Remove all radiator hoses, bolts and nuts which hold the radiator in place.

Then, inspect the external radiator body visually. Look for any indication of cracks, corrosion or any form of discoloration which may be significant visually. Else, use a radiator repair kit to fill in air into the radiator and then submerge the radiator completely into the water. Observe for any air bubble which may emerge from cracks.

Once the exact crack location has been identified, buy a stop leak additive to cure minute crack. Fill the additive into radiator and top up with distilled water only. Normal tap water contains minerals and contaminant which causes internal corrosion leading to radiator failure.

If the crack is severe, welding work is required to patch the crack. Determine the exact material before contemplating on the welding specifications and electrodes types to ensure perfect weld.

By following the given tips, I am sure you will appreciate your car better and save up labor cost.