If you don't want to pull it out, try some Bars Leak and cross your fingers.

 

Clean off the bottom good and try some JB Weld on the spot as well. Ideally, replace/repair is the preferred choice.

 

Get a new radiator. Whatever you do won't "fix" it and it's easier to do the job in the driveway than on the side of the road[emoji57] When that seam goes between the plastic/core it could go at any time and be very large-lol. The leak is just a friendly jeep heads up to fix it now properly.[emoji106]

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They all eventually leak there. IMO replace, don't fix.

The OMIX replacement has held up well for me. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0046LSZJW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Ok. So it looks like replacing it is the best option. I definitely would rather be stuck and do the job in my driveway than the side of the road as mentioned. Thanks everyone!!!!!

 

Not repairable. If you have a manual transmission, the Mishimoto is a great option and has a lifetime warranty. I installed the Mishimoto in mine last year. Also put a Mishimoto with lifetime warranty in the Honda minivan.

Amazon.com: Mishimoto R2957-MT Plastic End-Tank Radiator Compatible With Jeep Wrangler 2007-2018 : Automotive

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Get the proper antifreeze full strength and dilute with distilled water. That will save u some $ also. Not a horrible diy.[emoji482]

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You should replace the radiator and get new coolant. Don't use sealants or any kind of stuff you can by to put in the radiator to gum it up as you will end up with bigger problems.

 

If you change coolants be very, very careful. You will need to clear out ALL the old coolant because mixing OAT and HOAT (5 yr and 10 yr) coolants is bad. When mixed they turn to gel.

 

Tammy must get tired of not being able to defend her shit without all the purple knights scurrying around
....

 

I am kinda partial to old fashioned white knights who let me know it's time to replace my batteries! Ah.... the good ole' days of getting burned at the stake.

 

Back to radiator leaks.

I was told that the possible leak issue is due to the change in the coolant. something in the new 10 year coolant which I believe is supposed to be more environmentally friendly is causing some sort of erosion to those aluminum cores. I believe, correct me if I am wrong. (like I need to tell anyone that. LOL!) the leak issue didn't start until the coolant change.

 

Back to radiator leaks.

I was told that the possible leak issue is due to the change in the coolant. something in the new 10 year coolant which I believe is supposed to be more environmentally friendly is causing some sort of erosion to those aluminum cores. I believe, correct me if I am wrong. (like I need to tell anyone that. LOL!) the leak issue didn't start until the coolant change.

That could possibly exacerbate the issue. Leaking at the seam between the plastic tank and the aluminum radiator is common on all brands and pre-dates 10-year coolant. Its not the aluminum that goes bad. It's the seal between the aluminum and the plastic from what I have seen.

In the bad old days with the old fashioned coolant, if it wasn't changed often enough, the coolant would turn acidic and eat away at the old fashioned head gaskets and cause them to leak. I've replaced plenty of head gaskets because of this. The service interval back then was 15k-30k miles. A lot of the cars that came in for a 60k service that had never been serviced before would have blown headgaskets. The coolant would become so acidic that you could connect the negative lead of a volt meter to ground and dip the positive lead into the radiator water and measure a voltage. This was with cast iron blocks and aluminum heads.

 

Ahem... excuse me for the diversion from farting to coolants, I find it really hard to believe a major manufacturer would use a coolant that corrodes alumin(i)um. Given that many, if not most metal parts in a modern engine are that... imagine the havoc 😳

 

What!?! Fart talk is fun!

Well... A Jeep mechanic of mine from the East Coast (not my ex CO mechanic - for those following my life) shared his, along with some other mechanic friends, theory.

I should of said, corrodes seam points or "welds" of the aluminum core radiator not the actual aluminum itself.

He had seen several Jeeps in his shop with the same leak I had. All the Jeeps were newer than 2013. That's the year they switched coolant from the 5 year to the 10 year.

If you find it hard that a major manufacturer would continue to use something that causes major damage to an engine you live in lala land. The oil filter adapter housing is ONE good example.

Just my personal opinion.

 

Weld seams failing seems somewhat plausible, but for the coolant to corrode Al, not so much.

I'm not familiar with the oil filter adapter housing problem, how does that cause major damage to engines?

Opinions are like... well, you know 😂

 

Opinions are like... well, you know 😂

around here, they’re like cold sores.

 

I'm running a Mitsmoto myself. The stocker was leaking in the same area. I replaced the hoses with silicone ones and put in a new TStat housing. I live in AZ and the last thing I wanted to do is lose cooling. I would run a flush through the system before you dismantle it. I was lucky and didn't have the sludge/casting crap in my system.

 

Hello, I am literally on my 4th radiator replacement due to a small leak on my 2013 JKU. The casting sand would make sense except for the fact I keep having the entire system flushed each time the radiator is replaced. I am considering going with the coolant filter kit but getting frustrated. Also being told to specify a KOYO brand replacement. Any additional advice? Thanks!
i

 

Two in a row could be bad luck, but four 🤯

What coolant do you use?

 

Crazy, I know! I have been using the OEM brand of OAT that the manual recommends. (See below) You bring up a good point though as I heard Jeep changed mid year to this from the HOAT so I wonder if the shop is refilling with the wrong stuff.

 

I still have the original 2013 OEM Radiator in mine. never had a leak or issues with it. Do yours all leak in the same area?

 

They tend to seperate at the plastic "weld" to the metal on the majority of the failures. I blew one up running too straight a water mixture. The pressure from the steam just took out the whole upper left corner-[emoji849][emoji16]

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There is thread somewhere and a post from goodysgotcudda who installed some isoltaors on the radiator mounts to reduce the vibration the stock plastic welds dont seem to enjoy[emoji482][emoji106]

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