AT Garage, on a scale from 1-10 how ghetto is this repair?

[jana519]

I was driving my 1991 Volvo 940 Turbo when I heard a loud pop and steam starts blowing from under the hood. The radiator "spout" (if that's what you call it) which connects to the upper radiator hose is plastic and it fatigued from vibration and heat enough to break into pieces. I had to pay the tow truck $200 to get it towed 50 miles to my house.

I really do not want to pay another $120 for a new radiator for one piece of broken plastic. I can't really glue it back together, but I was thinking of doing a plumbing style fix and using JB Weld to cold weld a 2" steel extension tube to the interior surface which the upper hose could clamp onto. Right now, there's less than half an inch of flat surface remaining on the spout exterior.

Seriously, from 1-10 how ghetto would this be? Also, are there any materials which could reinforce the plastic around the pipe so it doesn't shatter from vibration? The steel won't break, it's the plastic vibrating and becoming brittle with heat is what I'm concerned with.

 

[ViviTheMage]

On a '91? I would do it too, why waste the money. It'll fit right in.

 

[marincounty]

I'd call it a 5 out of 10 on the ghetto repair scale. I once wrapped a hard to find coolant hose with cotton tape and silicone sealant on my old Datsun pickup, it lasted for years although it looked ugly. My mechanic wasn't impressed, though.

 

[jana519]

OK, glad you guys don't think I'm crazy.

 

[sontakke]

$120 is 1/5 of a monthly payment on a typical new car. I think you can afford to buy new radiator.

 

[eng2d2]

not ghetto if you can make it work. Since there is water pressure involve it would be a temporary fix with jb weld. Hope you are not somewhere far from home if JB weld failed. I jb onced and it lasted 2 years

 

[NutBucket]

It's not going to work. The rest of that tank is brittle plastic too and will fail sooner rather than later. Just buy a new radiator you cheapskate.

 

[jana519]

not ghetto if you can make it work. Since there is water pressure involve it would be a temporary fix with jb weld. Hope you are not somewhere far from home if JB weld failed. I jb onced and it lasted 2 years

Which JB Weld type should I use? I know I don't want the "quick" curing variety but there are so many. It would have to bond metal to plastic, get wet, and stand up to 140 C temps.

It's not going to work. The rest of that tank is brittle plastic too and will fail sooner rather than later. Just buy a new radiator you cheapskate.

I am a cheapskate. I was thinking about how I could limp it home so I wouldn't have to pay the tow truck $200.

 

[Squisher]

https://www.amazon.com/J-B-Weld-8297-HighHeat-Degree/dp/B007PP26RI

 

[tweakmonkey]

5/10 if it lasts more than a few days. I think it wouldn't last (I wouldn't trust it) and may leave you stranded at some point. I'd buy a new radiator.

I think a better ghetto fix would be to use an epoxy to attach an ABS sleeve inside the other tube and seal that in there. Even then, if this tube cracked, I think the rest of the plastic may fail soon anyway.

 

[NutBucket]

I am a cheapskate. I was thinking about how I could limp it home so I wouldn't have to pay the tow truck $200.

But you already paid the $200. Why not spend $120 so you don't need to worry about it breaking for another decade?

Plus, JB Weld usually requires 24 hours to fully cure at normal temps. What if it happens in the dead of winter? I just saw the product above required 8 hours for full cure. What are you going to do, walk 50 miles or sleep in the car?

EDIT: If that's the original radiator I'm shocked it lasted that long. Typical lifespan for a plastic tank radiator is definitely under a decade.

 

[skyking]

it's a high stress area. I think your repair is good to go. New hose will be more limber and not yank on the repair too.

 

[Jimzz]

If that part broke the rest of the tank ends are not to far behind either. Just order a new one from www.rockauto.com, amazon, or eBay and do it right.

You spent more on the tow than a new radiator will cost. Do you want to pay for another tow like that and still have a bad radiator?

 

[RLGL]

Just like an old employer, spend $50.00 trying to save $.05.
After you are done screwing around what will the real cost be over a proper repair , replacing the radiator?

 

[jana519]

Alright guys, I hear you. I'm taking the cheap route and the radiator is going to fail eventually anyway. But for under $20 I want to try it anyway because that's a lot of savings. If it doesn't work or springs a leak, well at least I gave it a try. And if it manages to hold up for even 2 months, I'll be happy.

Going to get the supplies this week, I'll post pics after repair is complete.

 

[lxskllr]

I'm with you in spirit, but I wouldn't want to have the repair fail, or something else break 50 miles from home. If it was a ~10 mile commuter, no problem. I can walk that far, but 50 miles? If that $120 figure for a new radiator is accurate, that's cheap insurance.

 

[tortillasoup]

I just don't see that JB weld lasting but if you're willing to try it out and let us know how well it worked, please do! Curious to see how it turns out.

 

[NutBucket]

When you're stranded again you'll get no sympathy from me. If you're that cheap take public transit.

 

[tweakmonkey]

I didn't realize you're actually going to shop and spend money to buy the parts to try this. I wouldn't even do this if I had the JB Weld and pipe in my hand. I mean you're going to have to replace the radiator soon anyway, and it'll last 10+ years or something. Why not just do that now considering what a pain in the ass this job will be? You'll probably have to replace a bunch of coolant and make a huge mess a second time as well.

 

[HarryLui]

Get a junkyard radiator if you need to be ghetto. J/B is not going to work.

 

[ISAslot]

If you do it... I'd let it fully warm up at your home. I'm willing to bet it pops then. I wouldn't do the repair, see that it's holding, then drive off and have it build pressure. Being stranded sucks more that $150 IMO.

 

[michal1980]

it'll be 200 bucks more when you have to get a tow when it fails.

So how are you saving money?

 

[dtgoodwin]

it'll be 200 bucks more when you have to get a tow when it fails.

So how are you saving money?

This. If you are only staying local then I'd try it. If you are not, then fix it right. It's really a ticking time bomb even if you get it to hold pressure initially.

 

[cbrsurfr]

$74 bucks on Rock Auto... Seems like a no brainer to me.

 

[SKORPI0]

$74 bucks on Rock Auto... Seems like a no brainer to me.

Volvo 1991 940 2.3L L4 Turbocharged Cooling System Radiator