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Aluminum radiator leaking when cold.

eodcoduto

eodcoduto

We could have been closer.
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I’m tired of my lower radiator hose dripping when it gets cold so I’d like to try out some spring ring clamps and see what happens. The radiator is aluminum with new hoses and clean connections.
I can’t find anything online in the right size, anyone have a source?
 
hate them things .

and mopar had a problem with them on jeep v6 engines for a bit . lower rad hose would pop off after the clamp snapped in half . almost every time = dead engine .
 
I would normally agree but all newer vehicles use them and they don’t leak, and I’m not talking about the cylindrical wire clamps like on my ‘63 Impala but the flat spring steel style. The only plus now is when it snows there is a snow-free spot where the burb was!
 
Clean and dry radiator hose and nipple, apply Gaskacinch to inside of hose, assemble with regular hose clamp, and let dry. Once dry it won't leak, period.
 
Indian Head Gasket Shellac will bond the hose permanently too!.

I had a persistent leak at the upper hose to thermostat housing on an old Impala I had,and I took off the hose,wire buffed the housing nipple good and put some of that stuff on the inside of the hose after drying it off--two years later when the hose failed,I had to use a mallet and wood chisel to get the hose off in chunks!..

"High Tack" in the bottle with a brush works as well too..
 
diesel4me said:
Indian Head Gasket Shellac will bond the hose permanently too!.
Click to expand...
I use shellac or permatex aviation goop (basically the same) on water pump, thermostat, and intake gaskets. Also use it on t-case gaskets and bolt threads that lead into oil cavities.
 
and not all clamps are created equal... double band, where the worm-grooves aren't exposed are an improvement.. T-bolt band clamps are even better...
 
I like to put the hose on clean fitting, let it sit overnight in the cold, the hose shrinks and gets tight then I put the hose clamp and tighten.
Never had a problem
 
The leak is back, the temps hit 40 and the antifreeze puddle was there. So I drained it, cleaned everything, used black RTV and a spring clamp. Then I let it sit dry for 30 hours, and it is still leaking. I am getting some Indian Head tomorrow and do it all again. This is with a new Banks lower hose too, so I hope the RTV didn't jack it up.
 
Is there any chance it's not round?

These were the type of clamp you were thinking of?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-T-BOLT-C...573301?hash=item3d81f8d4b5:g:YAAAAOSwKwhcU4iM

Havent had much in the way of problems with the standard old school hose clamps on radiator fittings, but on the smaller stuff often I have. I've got a selection of the fuel injection style clamps to try next time it comes up, those t-bolt ones are a similar concept.
 
I think if you cant seal it with all you've done, something else is wrong. Have you changed the hose just for the hell of it?
 
I changed the hose a few months back to a new Banks lower since I am putting a Banks turbo on it this month. Being out of round is all I can think of, I hope I can tell and fix it in, I really don't want to take it all the way out, but that's the right way to check.
 
Aluminum radiators have been out for decades with few issues. I run them in everything and don't have leaks any time of year using a single hose clamp. Are you sure the hose is the right size and like everyone else said is the radiator round?
 
Its the stock hose, maybe the radiator outlet is smaller? I’ll measure it all tomorrow and see what the deal is. This radiator was in when I bought the Suburban, its a direct fit replacement with the engine oil cooler and probably wasn’t cheap but it could have the wrong outlet.
 
one time along while ago I had a persistent leak from a rad hose at the rad. the hose was made with nylon mess between two layers of hose material. turns out there was a small rub through on the inside of the hose, coolant was using the nylon thread as a passage. may not be your issue easy to check while you clean off the rtv
 
Also make sure it’s really the hose leaking and not coolant leaking from the header joints down to the hose. Had a bunch of problems with that until I realized the radiator was the problem and not the hose.
 
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