Leaking car radiator

eyemay

I took my car to be looked at as it was leaking. Mechanic said it was the radiator and he had a 2nd hand Picasso on the forecourt. My car is12 yrs old so I said what about sealing fluid. He said no as it can block the heater matrix (whatever that is). So I agreed to the replacement radiator. He went about removing mine then I sat reading in my car. I noticed after fitting the "new" rad he poured some fluid in out of a bottle. The next morning I checked the water level only to find my own rad installed. When I rang he said the other wouldn't fit. When I mentioned his dislike of Radwell type fluid and that I paid for a replacement rad he said the fluid was different that he used, it welds the metal together not blocks the hole. It cost over £20 for a tiny bottle. I have searched the internet for this magic very expensive fluid . I think I have been conned any thoughts. Am female with very little understanding of mechanics in fact make that no understanding.

oldagetraveller

Did he use this? Radweld not Radwell. https://www.holtsauto.com/holts/radweld-work/
If that is what he used then it's only a termporary "fix".

arcon5

He poured radweld or equivalent by sounds of it.
He's right it's not ideal but many have used it successfully. It is though a bodge which may or may not last very long

tykesi

If you've actually paid an invoice which states radiator replaced then I'd agree you've been conned, if it says fix radiator and it isn't leaking any more then I'm not sure what you can do (especially if the price is appropriate for the fix rather than replacement).

Not sure the relevance of a random Citroen on his forecourt?!

Robisere

There are companies which carry out radiator "Recores" if a new one is unavailable or too expensive. The Rad is taken out and sent to the recore shop, which strips away most of the exterior and fits a new core (all the 'wrinkly' bits) then repaints the radiator, usually black. It is as good as a new radiator when done right. The mechanic could not have been a very good one: he should have either costed a new radiator and quoted you the price, or offered to send the rad away for a recore, as a cheaper but perfectly reliable option.

I suspect that he did not want the work involved in either option, followed by filling the cooling system with antifreeze and water, then bleeding the air from the system. My advice is to never use this cowboy again.

shaun_from_Africa

tykesi wrote: »

Not sure the relevance of a random Citroen on his forecourt?!

It might be the case that the mechanic wanted to remove the rad from the car on the forecourt and fit this into the OP's car.

System

£20 for a tiny bottle or he charged £20 for the job? Time is not free, labour is typically north of £40 an hour in a garage so £20 for parts and labour to look at a vehicle, pour some radweld or whatever in, top up the coolant and run the car up to temperature and check for leaks is a cheap deal.