How to perform an emergency radiator leak repair

Whether you are on the road trying to get home or in your driveway trying to get your car to the garage there are simple tricks you can do yourself to make a temporary repair to a leaking radiator.

Emergency solutions for a leaking radiator:

1. Chewing gum. One of my earliest memories of home car "repair" is standing outside with my parents chewing Zebra Stripe gum because there was a leak in the radiator that needing plugging. Just place the chewed piece of gum over the hole in the radiator and be on your way.

2. A piece of bread. All you need to do is press the piece of bread on the radiator where the leak is and you are done. The flour in the bread will plug the hole and the heat from the radiator will toast the bread keeping it in place.

3. Ground black pepper. Dump a small container of black pepper, picnic sized ones work great, into the radiator. The pepper will not dissolve and will be directed to the leak due to pressure. This will plug most pin hole sized leaks.

4. An egg. Simply crack an egg into the hot water in the radiator. The egg will cook in the heat and like the pepper be forced into the leak by pressure. Eggs will plug larger holes for a short period of time.

I prefer the chewing gum and bread methods since they will not require a flush of the radiator system after the radiator is professionally repaired.

It is important to remember when making an emergency repair to a leaking radiator it is important to let the radiator cool at least 15 minutes before opening the radiator cap. You could be seriously burned from escaping steam if you open the cap before the radiator has cooled down.

These repairs are not meant to be long term solutions, but they should work long enough to get you home or to the nearest garage.

Happy Motoring!