Help with coolant leak… (1 Viewer)

[UTREDROK]

I’ve developed a coolant leak, but can’t find/see the source. Somewhere on radiator,
US passenger side, top, and front (just below where the horn is mounted). Under the cross support.
There are no fittings that I am aware of. Any suggestions before I tear apart looking for it?
‘97 lx450
180K mkles
Trad radiator about 5 years old.

 

[LongDuck]

Things to look at; pinhole leaks in your overflow tubing between the radiator cap bung and the reservoir, the top of the radiator where the tank is crimped to the fin section, and the overflow reservoir itself. There's not much else in that area, and a pinhole leak in anything will spray to where you've circled. Best bet; get it up to temp and then take a good look around.

Fixes range from 1 banana to 3 bananas depending on what you find,

 

[DSRTRDR]

TYC radiator from Amazon doesn't kill the pocket - likely cheaper than all the time you spend hunting a potential leak, just sayin'

 

[leonard_nemoy]

You need a radiator pressure tester....... That is the proper way to find a leak.

 

[Dusten]

You need a radiator pressure tester....... That is the proper way to find a leak.

This. Build pressure in the system and look for the leak.

 

[robnicko]

you can build a pressure tester quite easily.

cut a schader valve off an old bike tube, unplug overflow hose from the overflow bottle cap and insert the schrader valve into it. Secure with a clamp over it and also where the hose connects to the radiator. use a bike pump with gauge (preferably a MTB shock pump with gauge) and slowly pump up till you reach about 15psi. any external leak will be found. Do not over pressureise

i used this method to track down a miniscule crack years ago that was a real pain to locate

 

[lp2k]

Get the adapter for the radiator and test the cap also

 

[Dusten]

Get the adapter for the radiator and test the cap also

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Same kit I have

 

[HardyDanger]

you can build a pressure tester quite easily.

cut a schader valve off an old bike tube, unplug overflow hose from the overflow bottle cap and insert the schrader valve into it. Secure with a clamp over it and also where the hose connects to the radiator. use a bike pump with gauge (preferably a MTB shock pump with gauge) and slowly pump up till you reach about 15psi. any external leak will be found. Do not over pressureise

i used this method to track down a miniscule crack years ago that was a real pain to locate

Awesome tip. You saved the Christmas Road trip. Found a little green dot where it shouldn’t be this morning…I thought #%$# 2021, you vengeful year. Then read this post.

Leak was super obvious. The

overflow hose was leaking around the nipple to the filler cap. Welp. A $5 hose later and was back on the road.