Hi Graeme
If it were I who was stuck, if I knew my aeroplane and surrounding
flying
area and it was landing friendly, I wouldn't have a problem cleaning
it as best you can, then applying some JB KWIK Epoxy (which IMHO should
be in every repair kit for every vehicle you own). It used to be touted
as 4 minute, now it's touted as 6 minute, I would wait at room
temperature for at least 2 hours before filling with coolant and warming
it up. Temperature rating is well above spit (and coolant) sizzle temp. I
would then go taxi around and get things real hot and see if it's
working. If it holds under the very hot temp you just tested to. Then I
would launch at dawn or when it's the lowest temp you can find and
keep things as cool as you can. I'm not familiar enough with Rotax
operation on your aeroplane, but on automobiles if you can not heat up
coolant too much, leave the radiator cap loose where it isn't under
any pressure. Then if you test with pressure and fly with none chance of
success is increased greatly. Look for a reason, any good reason to not
do as I mention, If you can't find a good reason to not do
it............
Over the years I have done roadway repairs on quite a few radiators for
cars and motorcycles. Even what seems like impossible situations can be
overcome if you have some JB KWIK. A few months I rescued a friend with a
high end Jap car with aluminium radiator and plastic radiator hose
nipple. The top nipple pretty much disintegrated, just touch it and it
cracked into pieces. Late at night nothing opened. I garbage picked a
coke can, cut it with my Swiss Army knife into a sheet, scuffed where
Epoxy was going to go, poked some strategic holes here and there, sewed
up as needed with safety wire (another thing you want in tool kit) if you
don't have, paperclips work OK as would bailing wire, even copper
wire). Anyway went after it with JB KWIK, left radiator cap loose and he
used the car a week like that!
Good luck
Ron Parigoris
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