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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - radiator leaking

just filled up radiator after refitting engine and it now leaks like a sieve, it has just been sat on a shelf for 5 months .Took it to get a new core fitted and was told that storing it empty has probably caused it, that they should be kept with antifreeze in them once they have been used for a lenght of time never heard of this before .
mark 1500 on the road Preston Lancs

Sounds like a load of tosh to me. So what's he saying then? Thin air corrodes empty radiator cores?

Name and shame the supplier, if he won't refund you.

Ah. Or maybe you are saying that your USED rad was dry stored and once refitted, it leaked?

Yup, that may make sense. All the bits clogging the small holes, have disloged, and now let water out. Shove in some bars leaks.
Lawrence Slater

yes it had been fitted for 7 years i know of ,not knowing full history of it so could have had radweld or anything in it.He was also telling me that any new rads he has in stock for three years, he retests them before selling as he has known them to fail as the new ones are built to price no quality.
mark 1500 on the road Preston Lancs

Mark, I had a similar experience but my rad was kept full while it was off.

I recently had my radiator out for a few weeks while I dealt with various matters. I don't think it was entirely watertight before I took it out but, while it was out I flushed it through thoroughly and then, as suggested in other threads on BBS, I filled it with Coca Cola in an attempt to shift any remaining crud. I only intended to leave the Coke in for 24 hours but it ended up being a couple of weeks with no sign of leakage whatsoever.

With a fresh coat of paint on it, the radiator was re-fitted and I started to fill the system but didn't get half way before water started pouring out from several different places in the core. Far too many big leaks for Barrs Leaks to cope with!

My attempts at soldering were a total waste of time so I ended up buying a new radiator. For the first time since I bought the car, the coolant level in the rad has remained constant for several months with no topping up required at all.

I believe this new rad is completely new as I had to wait a couple of days for it to come into stock at the supplier.
Colin Mee

Ditto here.
Bought a secondhand rad (from midget Gems in Manchester), stored it dry for several years, eventually painted and installed it and when filled it leaked like a sieve, literally poured out.
Glad to know I'm not alone. Question is why, does brass corrode?
Jeremy Tickle

Brass corrodes like all metals when you have oxygen and water present. The ethylene glycol in the coolant inhibits the flow of electrons and minimises free oxygen. Even on a dry day the air has water in it (relative humidity) and of course 20% oxygen. HTH
Cheers
Rod
R W Bowers

Just got re-cored radiator back had to fit new ends new core and top/bottom so basicaly a new radiator only thing that seems to be from old one is temp switch boss , thought it was a good price £75.00 + vat cheaper than a new one.
mark 1500 on the road Preston Lancs

Mark...

Thats one way to skin a live cat... a new rad at rebuilt pricing, very creative !

Reminds me.of the guy with a Ferrari in new york city.... he had to make an emergancy trip out of the usa, and was visiting NYC ... the cost to specially store his car in a climate controlled unit was atrocious. So he went to a payday type of high interest lender and borrowed $5,000 for 30 days agianst his car, the lender said they needed the collaterol of his Ferrari but dont worry there storage is climate controled and has high tech security

High interest for 30 days on $5000... is way cheaper then the cost to rent the space out right....haha

Im not sure if that story is true... but I always liked it and is similar to your situation

Smiles

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

This thread was discussed between 30/05/2015 and 04/06/2015

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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