Radiator Leak: not warming up?

My wife drives a 2008 Aveo5 A/T and I recently noticed that the radiator has a leak on the passenger side (very top; facing engine bay) because A) it's losing coolant and B) I can see the rust from where it's dripping down the radiator and looks like always spraying the block.

The leak has gone from an occasional refill to the coolant overflow tank being empty multiple times a day. Let me say this now: I plan on replacing it in the next week or two (I have not determined if I want to try it myself or not). In the mean time, it's been acting strange though. For example, tonight we took it on a 70 mile round trip for dinner. Before we left I checked the coolant overflow tank and it was at the correct level (the car had been sitting since last night). When I drove off, I noticed that the temperature gauge on the freeway in no traffic was only about 10-15% (if C is 0 and H is 100), even after a good 10 miles. After we hit some traffic I noticed the gauge went up, however. When we resumed no traffic it went back down. Basically, heavy traffic roughly 50% normal operating temps, light traffic 25-35%, and no traffic 10-15%. After dinner (about 35 mile trip) i checked coolant tank and it was pretty much empty. Drove 1/4 mile to gas station, added water and some anti-freeze I had, drove 35 miles home. On way home same temp symptoms: traffic normal temps, no traffic extremely low temps. We arrived home and I immediately opened the coolant cap with a glove. Very little pressure but levels seemed OK but I could see/hear the radiator leak.

Like I said, I plan on replacing the radiator soon, but any thoughts why the car wouldn't stay warm when at highway speeds but would come up to operating temps when in traffic and the back down to cold temps when traffic ceased?

That's a big leak, and it sounds like you may have gotten air in the system during the repeated refilling. If so, that's not a good thing at all (head gasket ...), and you should try to burp it out asap. If that fixes it, you need make sure something is in the tank until you can get the rad replaced. Of course it could also be a bad thermostat, but try the bleed first to see if that corrects the bouncing temps.

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Originally Posted by avguy

That's a big leak, and it sounds like you may have gotten air in the system during the repeated refilling. If so, that's not a good thing at all (head gasket ...), and you should try to burp it out asap. If that fixes it, you need make sure something is in the tank until you can get the rad replaced. Of course it could also be a bad thermostat, but try the bleed first to see if that corrects the bouncing temps.

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Any preferred method to burping it out?

Also, do you or anyone have any experience with any of Bar's Leaks products? I've read conflicting reports on whether they are also damaging to other components in the car. I am willing to try them if that can give me a week of less refilling for my wife to get us to the weekend where I can either get it repair or try it myself.

I didn't have any problem getting the air out when I replaced the coolant on my '05 after doing the timing belt. Just try idling it for a period of time with the coolant jug cap off, and the heater set to full heat, adding more as necessary. If that improves things, but not all the way, then try it again after getting the front end up, or maybe even just idle it parked on an incline. I wouldn't personally ever use Bars or anything like it, unless the next step for the vehicle would be the boneyard (i.e. trying to get X more months out of it). But others have reported success with this stuff, and have a different opinion.

i have had experience with bars leak, it can work, it can also shorten water pump life..

the temp gauge definitely is reading the lack of coolant.. although with current temps etc, it might be only 15-20% as the gauge actually only reads c as 50 and h as 100... so to speak..

just replace the radiator, to a running engine burp of the system, make sure you squeeze all the hoses etc..

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Originally Posted by petrified.rabbit

i have had experience with bars leak, it can work, it can also shorten water pump life..

the temp gauge definitely is reading the lack of coolant.. although with current temps etc, it might be only 15-20% as the gauge actually only reads c as 50 and h as 100... so to speak..

just replace the radiator, to a running engine burp of the system, make sure you squeeze all the hoses etc..

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A 2008 with a bad radiator? Not likely. I would think it to be more likely a leak at a hose...:rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Thymeclock

A 2008 with a bad radiator? Not likely. I would think it to be more likely a leak at a hose...:rolleyes:

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It's the radiator, for sure.

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Originally Posted by daltron

I recently noticed that the radiator has a leak on the passenger side (very top; facing engine bay) because A) it's losing coolant and B) I can see the rust from where it's dripping down the radiator and looks like always spraying the block.

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I'm not just saying it because its what i think.. he "sees" it is leaking.