I've got a new to me problem child in the driveway. A 2003 D2 SE7. My 3rd D2. I swore I would never own one again...............but I apparently cannot resist the siren song of the Disco. What lovely Heaps they are!

Anyway,......back to my question. The vertical screw on top of the radiator on the driver's side, right next to the coolant recovery line, is seeping. I remember that my last D2 did this also. I think I ended up putting either pipe dope or thread sealant on my last one.

Any suggestions?

Brian in Austin

 

* http://www.carparts.com/details/Land...ganlid=&ganpid=

 

The radiator has to be replaced, there is no permanent fix. Some people have tried products like epoxey but they don't last and if it fail, you can have severe overheat issues that are not worth the risk.

 

Mine started leaking on the passenger side so I pulled the screw, mopped up the coolant and squeezed in a bunch of RTV then reinstalled the screw. I replaced the radiator not too long after that but from the looks of it the patch likely would have lasted for a while. The main concern is that the thermal cycling of the plastic tank will make the crack grow and just when it will be big enough to blow out all of your coolant is an unknown.

 

Happened to my 2003 as well and I opted to replace it. Too much to loose when the coolant blows out. Funny how we all had visions of the Land Rover driving through the Kalahari Desert when we purchased our vehicles. I wonder where one gets a new radiator there?

 

You carry spares... in your team UNIMOG...

 

I have the same problem. Put a blob of marine Epoxy and holding for a week now. Ordered a new radiator its here. I see those two no good screw holes on top. Any ide what to do with them? Are those holes go through? Do I use old screws?

 

Don't use any screws. I just wrapped some cable ties around the radiator and the shroud. It works awesome and I don't have to worry about the tank failing at the screws. I posted some pictures on here last year. I'll see of I can find the thread.

Found it: https://landroverforums.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=59523

 

Same thing happened to me and I took it as a good time to replace the 12 year old radiator. I did ask the mechanic up at British4x4 in San Antonio about those screws because they looked like wood screws and I didn't think they belonged, but he assured me they did and he told me that they are a common problem. He said the screws are long and if you just barely over tighten them, it will puncture the top of the core. He told me that when I install my new radiator to use 2 or 3 washers one each screw to prevent this problem in the future.

FYI: I just used Teflon tape on the tread of the screw to stop the leak until the new radiator arrived. Start the car after you have the screw snug and let it warm for a second. Then look for any leak and tighten until the leak stops or slows to a drip. If you can not get the leak to slow down to a very slow drip or stop then I would not drive the car at all or you are going to have much bigger problems then a new radiator.

 

So wha'd you plug the screw holes with?