small coolant leak

[mystery]

I have a small coolant leak where the coolant reservoir "hose" connects to the radiator/cap.

How can I seal this myself?

'94 Continental

[Steve Moran]

First there is no real permanent fix for plastic tanks on radiators. It could very well be time to change the radiator. Age and use as well as stress take their toll on radiators. Also contributing factors are corrosion and lack of maintenance. A radiator is much like a battery as soon as you put the coolant in it a reaction although it is very small, it is just like a battery your radiator eats its self up and when your engine runs and the flow of coolant rushes thru the radiator it actually builds a current almost immeasurable but it is there and it eats away at hoses and the radiator and it will cause failure. As a rule of thumb do a drain and fill every two years at a maximum and you can delay cooling system problems by years. Some Auto parts stores sell litmus paper to test the PH in a cooling system to high a PH level degrades hoses and eats head gaskets and aluminum. To low PH level and the cooling system loses its effectiveness. There is a "voluntary" recall from GM to remove the Dexcool from there vehicles, It will never become a regular recall because they still have a contract with Texico for quite a few more years to keep purchasing it. Even the green coolant is better then Dexcool. The new G05 coolant is compatible with Dexcool but not the green stuff it will turn slimy and dose not have the harmful chemical Dexcool dose. G05 is yellow in color and can be added to Dexcool but the orange Dexcool cannot be added to G05. If you where like me and put Dexcool in your vehicle as I did to all mine then I suggest flushing it out and replacing it totally with the old style green or the much better Yellow.
P.S. I know most of my answers are long winded but I don't just like to say, "Do it this way or that way just because I said so!" I feel you should know why it is that way.

[ November 01, 2003: Message edited by: Steve Moran ]

[mystery]

Currently my radiator is not leaking (knock wood).

It looks like coolant is leaking at the juncture where the tube FROM the coolant reservoir mates with the part of the radiator right below the cap.

[franco]

I'd remove the hose at the connection and inspect for any linear crack on the neck of the tube from radiator.
If that looks good, then I'd re-attach and tighten clamp that hold the hose on. If you can't tighten clamp since it's a spring loaded one, replace it..those are sh#t.
If the hose is bulbous and soft at the point of connection, then snip the soft area(after checking that you have the slack to do so) and re-attach.
Or just buy a new hose of the same diameter.

[mystery]

Thanks!