New Member, Radiator Leak TC35D

[tmain]

Went out this morning to remove 12" of snow from the driveway, (0 degrees) and while the tractor was warming up I noticed a small leak in the lower right corner, has anyone ever had any luck with that stop leak additive, just to get me thru till spring. we get tooo much snow to be without her for a repair job.

 

[Kubotasrking]

Went out this morning to remove 12" of snow from the driveway, (0 degrees) and while the tractor was warming up I noticed a small leak in the lower right corner, has anyone ever had any luck with that stop leak additive, just to get me thru till spring. we get tooo much snow to be without her for a repair job.

I used it last summer until my new radiator came in. It worked as a stop-gap, but I replaced my radiator within a week.

 

[tmain]

Thanks, I'll try it and will be ordering a new rad. monday.

 

[jones6780]

How old is that radiator? I would get it repaired before I bought a new one! Most A/C shops repair radiators.

Russell

 

[jinman]

Thanks, I'll try it and will be ordering a new rad. monday.

There is a hose (3/8" I think) that runs from the bottom right-hand side of the radiator and up to the engine. At the engine block, it goes into a petcock. At the rediator, it goes into the radiator drainspout (also a petcock). If the connections are not tight, this could be the source of your leak. Where the hose goes into the engine block has been reported to be a slow leak in the past. If you are getting a drip in that area, look at the engine as well as the radiator.

Your stop-leak might be a temporary solution or maybe not. If you can find the leak by looking at the radiator hoses, that's a lot better solution than putting radiator sealer into the system. I would not do that unless I knew the radiator was leaking instead of a hose.

 

[JC-jetro]

I hate to inadvertently seal or cause partial blockage in any water passage in the head or block prelude to more major engine issues. I'd clean things out and bring the pressure up in the system and watch for leaks, hopefully you'll find the leak in a hose or hose connection. I would additionally check the water pump shaft seal for the leak as well. Usually there is a weep hole passed the shaft seal, if you got a leak you might be looking at pump change. You can also do a air or hydro test on the radiator core by capping the lower radiator hose and pressure from where the cap is, a bottle of dish soap and water or sound of air escaping can show where the leak might be. it would not be difficult to solder the leak depending it's location. New or reman radiator are pricey.


JC,

 

[farmacist]

I would NOT do anything until I follow Jinman"s post above, Especially look at the motor drain plug threads on the right side of motor just below the fuel filter. Many of us have a small seap leak at this point. There must be 50 posts on this site on this problem. If it is at this point then you do not need to do anything until spring (this year or in 5 years). good luck, Frank

 

[tmain]

Hey farmacist, I was in Duane, ny yesterday. anyway, I pulled my tractor into the garage to clean up the leaky area, and to make a long story short no more leak (the magical healing power of the garage). Cleaned out the driveway (1 hr run time) and still no leak, the leak WAS DEFINATELY in the fins (lower right). Anyone need to borrow a magic garage let me know.

Mabye it was the temperature change of the aluminum???

 

[JC-jetro]

Mabye it was the temperature change of the aluminum???

Hmm, I wondered if garage can provide any therapeutic radiator effect. Aluminum will expand to where it should based on the operating temp no matter if you start from surface temp of 0 degrees outside or 40 degrees in a cold garage. I just wondered if your radiator was so full and your cap spring could not maintain the pressure causing bleed off. Have you stored the tractor outside where it got rained or snowed on? I wondered if you had any ice build up in the fins that melted off when you ran the tractor for a while appearing to be water leak.

JC,

 

[dqdave1]

I would "snug" all hose clamps.