car radiator oxidation

[the middle]

That's it, it's better
We scrape these fins a little, and it falls to dust, and it infects the entire radiator little by little.

[Christophe]

Well done for the image, it's good! Less blurred it would have been perfect ...

Mmmm against that I do not know much as a method ... if it is not the change of the radiator (the fitting of a new fin I do not believe too much) ... opinions?

The whole width is puffed or is that what is apparent?

In other words: can we see through?

[the middle]

The whole width is puffed or is that what is apparent?

In other words: can we see through?

This is a very well-known phenomenon on old radiators.
Only this part is puffed for now.
Yep, we see through; it's a radiator
The blur is because of the camera; he doesn't like macro photos

[Flytox]

Hello lejustemilieu

This problem is known on certain type of copper radiator (On Ford Fiesta in particular). The fins that join the water passages are so fine that when corrosion starts, simply passing your finger over them is enough to twist, break, make the material go to dust. In fact for some fins, it is the paint that holds the fin !!!

What are not able to do to save 3 sous in production, .... and bring you back to the garage to change the radiator after 5 or 6 years .... Such stupid constructions, this should be part of the manufacturer's warranty.

It is very ugly, but as long as it does not leak, the lost operating efficiency does not justify changing the radiator.
For my part, I made it last 3 more years. (The car died for something else ...)

A+

[the middle]

Uh, no desire to slam 300 euros!
I'm going to put a coat of paint on then

[Flytox]

Choose your brush well ... you can get through ...
Spray it, it's less risky.

In any case, once corrosion has started, the paint will slow it down but not stop it. Especially do not put a blow of Karcher, you will have everything that goes away ....
A+

[Other]

Hello

If you lived in a country or for 5 months winter, the roads are flooded with calcium (Salt) you would quickly understand that the radiators need care
A simple method when the radiator is drinkable (not the accordions which are detached from the tubes) you wash it with a jet of low pressure water you let it dry, then you paint it with a black aerosol can, once a year autonme, you're going to triple his life for him ..

Andre

[the middle]

Ha! there it is, the salt that ate it;
Seen well André

[Matt113]

Uh, no desire to slam 300 euros!
I'm going to put a coat of paint on then

If the car is no longer very young you can do it yourself and the radiator will cost you around 100 € or a little more depending on the model. I just changed it on my wife's car, it was completely blocked.

[the middle]

Hello Matt.

If the car is no longer very young you can do it yourself and the radiator will cost you around 100 € or a little more depending on the model. I just changed it on my wife's car, it was completely blocked

.
My radiator is not dead yet ; I wanted to keep it alive for a few more years.
I was talking about 300 euros just for the radiator.
I have the impression that Belgium is more expensive than France for mechanical parts.
Anyway, now every spring I will apply André's advice, namely a light stroke of Karcher, and a small coat of paint.
Now I know that there is an acid to put on rust stains, which eats rust, and forms a protective layer.
But this acid is made for iron; I don't know what it would look like on my copper heater.
I believe the color "emerite" does this too, but again it's for iron "