Coolant leak... advise needed

[Tordy3002]

Evening gents !

I have a coolant leak and luckily it was easy to spot.

Halfway up on the rad on the right hand side (as you stare at the front of the car) is a 30mm plastic bolt that goes into the rad and this is the culprit. Looking from under the car it looked like it wasnt in very far at nor straight. I managed to pull it straight and do it up slightly with my hand.

I dug out a socket and started to do it up and it started to piss out.. ! I then went a bit further and it stopped leaking and ive left it as I fear breaking it. It was no where near tight on the socket.

Does anyone know how far this goes? I can see clearly see the o ring between the bolt head and rad but really dont want to break it.. ?

Any help appreciated

 

[DrR]

Has it stopped leaking?

If so I'd probably leave it and keep an eye on it TBH.

 

[Tordy3002]

Yeah thats what I was thinking. If it breaks its game over.

Yeah it appears to have stopped leaking. Ill leave it until the weekend and maybe unscrew it all the way to see if the threads look ok etc

 

[bloke]

aftermarket rad, the bung will screw in to a brass insert.

 

[Tordy3002]

Ahh really? Its not plastic on plastic and doomed to break?

Ill go easy

 

[bloke]

nope.

 

[KitsonRis]

I had the same issue a few years back. Lucky I was on the drive when it happened and managed to get the rad out to have a proper look.
It turned out the plastic bolt thing had failed. So I went up the local scrap yard (GSF, ECP didn't have anything and Renault was shut being a Saturday) and I found a few other similar Renaults each with a different rad! But I found a Megane that had a metal bolt thing and used that and it has been fine ever since. Even the Ph1 172 that was up there was different to mine!!!
If you do have a look manke sure the bolt hasn't failed/cracked/damaged.

 

[Budgie]

I have a couple of good condition 172/182 rads about to go in the bin if they're of use. Free to collect from Chertsey

 

[cs_dave]

Same got a 172 rad here free from dudley west mids