As above, had my car in the dealer to change the water pump today and they advised the bottom corner of the rad was wet so may have a small leak. Anyone got any experience with the above two products and is it worth a shot or just get the rad changed?

 

I understand from other briskoda forums that VAG rads have a tendency to go in the corners after about 6 years or so, so would any additive merely be robbing peter to pay paul or could it do the job for another x years, potentially??

 

Also not sure how good it is to have the stuff floating round the system, but I'm guessing it's designed to do that so shouldn't be concerned.

 

EDIT: where would people go for a new rad if I went down that route? Went dealer for the pump, but had pattern rads in golfs... just can't see Hella ones for my car on ECP or GSF so not sure what the quality is like nowadays??

Edited 18 November, 20169 yr by blackspaven

I had a similar leak on my old octavia. I did chuck a bottle of K seal in as it happened a,few days before I was due to go away on holiday. It worked, it stopped the leak. I didn't have any resulting problems but I got rid of the car before it was due a cambelt change.

I had a hole develop in the radiator of my old Renaultsport Twingo - on the way to the channel on my honeymoon (the wife wasn't too impressed)!!

 

The AA guy who attended popped some rad-weld in, which helped to stem the flow of fluid, but didn't stop it completely - it was a fairly sizeable hole!

 

He also popped a blob of Quiksteel over the hole, which completely solved the problem - it was a temporary fix that has lasted 10 000 miles/year and a half and is still going strong (my dad has the car now).

 

If you can't identify where the leak is coming from, then Rad-Weld may be a 'temporary' solution - just watch that it doesn't gunk up the thermostat.

 

If you can identify where the leak is coming from, then Quiksteel may be your best bet.

 

Good luck!!

Hmm, can't say I like the idea of putting anything like that in the system to seal holes - I'd be wary of it blocking small water channels inside the engine. As far as I'm concerned, sorry, but if something needs repairing, don't skimp and bodge it up - do the job right and put a new radiator in. It might cost more initially, but you replace it now, you'll know the job's right, and it won't let you down in the future or do any other damage elsewhere.

 

New radiators are at Euro Car Parts for £55.99 and if you use the promotion code WEEKEND30, there's 30% off this weekend. For that money, it's not worth messing about trying to repair yours

 

Mike

 

 

Agree completely - unless there are other factors involved of course, such as no time to get one and get it fitted before going somewhere, skint until payday etc in which case I would go with the K seal as a temporary repair. If it is due a campbelt/water pump, then use the K seal, but make sure you use a cooling system flush before it's refilled with the correct coolant, I have known of radiator repair products blocking heater matrix before now.

If you are changing the rad, then you may as well flush and change the coolant whilst it's in bits anyway.

Cheers guys. Went to my local indie, stuck it over their pit... and neither of us can see what the dealer is talking about!! I'm guessing it's up there with their well intentioned messages to inform. They also said the control bushes were worn/split, but it's like a 1-2mm crack in the rubber at most and easily good enough for a year or more.

 

Anyhoo, it's got a new pump and brand new VAG coolant (took enough Triple QX pre-mix from ECP but when I collected they said it wasn't VAG spec... which they backpeddled on fairly rapidly when told them where it was from and the obvious G13 sign on the front of the bottle: "no charge for the coolant then sir", thank you very much. ) so hopefully that's solved my leak issue.

 

Mike, where did you see the Hella rad cos I put in my reg on the ECP website and it only came up with the EIS one?? Haven't a clue who that is so was wary of getting it.

ECP are out of stock of Hella and won't have any for 3-4 months! Amazon are showing two for my car, 8MK 376 774-031 & 8MK 376 774-031. Any idea what the difference ACTUALLY is, apart from sixty quid?! And is there anywhere else I can part check to work out which I need?

Cheers Mike, I thought they were the same for octys across the board, but I'm not sure now. Your link does exactly the same, just shows the EIS one.

 

Hmmm, wondering why there's such a large price difference if they're the same. The blurb only has on line difference, something about heavy duty usage, but no idea what that refers to.

 

Might try TPS as well, forgot about them. Fingers crossed it's not knacked, just the dealer doing a usual a little.

Edited 18 November, 20169 yr by blackspaven

It may be worth getting the garage to add some UV dye to the cooling system, then run it for a few days/week, then get it back on the ramp again before buying a radiator - if there is a leak the UV dye will find it.

Good call.

I used Rad weld as a temporary fix on my renault.  Turned out to be a bit more than temporary 4 years on.  Once it had stopped the leak I had a coolant change as most of what was left in the system was just plain water anyway so I guess any extra Rad Weld would have drained out to.

About 5 year ago my rad developed a small leak which was hard to find. Dealer tested it and said they could not find the leak. How ever few days later it really went so they fitted a new rad , think it came to about £144.At the time I thought it is really ott but asking around it was that Skoda thing. To think when I had a transit the rad went and bought one for £75 brand new and fitted on road side .Having now had two Skoda Octy I have got use to these prices.