Anyone repaired a radiator?

[Ford Mechanic]

Hey ya'll, I've got a slight coolant leak from the solder joint on the upper radiator hose nipple. Has anyone tryied to repair their radiators themselfs? I was thinking of just using JB Weld to reseal it, of course after partially draining and cleaning the joint. Do you think it would bond properly to the copper? I've used it before to repair plastic radiator tanks on cars folks didn't want to fix and they are still holding. Or should I just go buy some plumbing solder and borrow a propane torch and attempt to resolder it that way?

Appreciate the advice fella's.

 

[dependable]

Either way should work if you clean it up well first, assuming rest of radiator is sound. The JB weld is a little more forgiving if you are not experienced at soldering.

 

[CGarbee]

I did a JB Weld job on the radiator of my '83 M35A2C one year at Aberdeen in the same location and it held just fine... Truck was sold a few years ago and the current owner hasn't had any problems with the cooling system that I know of...

 

[Ja1904]

JB weld won't do good I've been there and done that, it's a quick fix to get you by for a weekend, there's a place called aluminum brazing company, they make a basic rod you can do in your car, drain your coolant clean with water and wire brush, all you need is a map gas torch you can get at home depot, and the brazing rod, heat it up the spot and add rod to the cracked section,the rod melts between 725* and 800* degreas, I use this on off road trucks and buggys and it has worked great for me, the number for the place Is 951-845-0127 it's in California but the price guide says its only $35 for 1lb of rod and $4.50 for shipping not tobad, good luck!

 

[rosco]

Regular solder is the proper way to fix it. For solder to hold it needs to be a lap joint that is properly cleaned & fluxed when the solder is applied. Depending on the type, and alloy of the particular solder, it melts around 550*F, + or - 100*F. Soldering on a radiator (about anywhere), especially and installed one, takes a very unique set of skills. One usually finds that while soldering/repairing one area on a radiator, it is very easy to be unsoldeering surrounding areas.

 

[doghead]

Rosco speaks the facts.

If you had to ask, you probably are not going to be successful.

It's easy to ruin more than you repair.

I'd learn on something less important( like a junk radiator)

 

[Artisan]

I think I would just pull it and bring it to
a pro shop for a repair and flush and service.

A quick search pulled these guys, I do not know them from Adam...
[h=1]Durham's Radiator Service[/h]Automotive Repair · Car Parts & Accessories

Address 1936 N Road St Elizabeth City, NC 27909-9343 Phone (252) 335-4098

 

[JOateyNV]

I had mine repaired about 4 months ago. Cost $45.00 and took about 15 minutes to pull and the same to re-install, plus a good time to see the condition of the cooling system and replace anything that is in need. Great time to install block heater for you cold weather people. On the lighter side. What was the red necks last words? Hey ya'll, watch this!! Old, but still funny. "Never the time to do it right, but always the time to do it twice".

 

[kurtkds]

I tried to resolder mine but I think standard solder is too soft as it didn't hold. So I took it to a local shop had had it fixed for about $75. I took the time to replace the upper hose as it was getting old and was very stiff which is probably caused the solder joint to fail in the first place.

 

[Dodge man]

Anybody know what alloy they usually use for fixing radiators?

FWIW I repair a LOT of micro-miniature electronics and I use 2% Silver Solder made by Kester. The alloy is 62/36/2 Pb/ Sn/ Ag. The stuff flows like water with no slushing and "wets" very well. It's also very hard when cooled but best of all it melts at about 356 F so it doesn't melt the surrounding and underlying plastic parts. The low melting point and clean, slush free melting and it's wetting ability makes it a pleasure to use! I bought a bunch of this in 1 oz tubes for $5 each a few years ago. Amazon now has it for ~$100/lb roll. If I was going to try to repair a brass radiator this is the stuff that I'd use!

 

[Artisan]

The repair required is similar to a plumbing fitting I believe.

Would you tackle soldering 2" and LARGER copper water pipes?
If so GO FOR IT, if not understand, some guys never get the
nack of it even w/ instruction.

Your not going to be able to heat just part of the joint
and expect a complete bond. To do it right you will
melt the whole fitting, flux it up and apply solder or perhaps
heat, pull it apart, cool and clean all and rebuild anew.

I have solder'd 10's of thousands of joints in my time, mostly
1" and under and certainly 1000's 1.25" thru 2" and
100's of 3" and some 2.5". 4" and in the Anaheim Hilton,
I think I did maybe 30 or so of those, all were 'tinned' prior
to soldering.

There are tricks. Trying to save a few dollars here will
most likely lead to a trip to the radiator repair shop
anyways.

You going to trust your handy work 500 miles
from home w/ the kids?

Go and WATCH the Artisan do the repair. I bet ya he uses
a multi tip torch too if indeed it is a round nipple type repair.

I know what I am doing soldering copper, I doubt even
I would attempt that repair. I cheat, I have watched
those guys repair radiators, they have tricks and tools
I do not...

 

[m16ty]

Here's the problem with repairing a tank or neck, you un-solder the surrounding areas, contaminants get into the seam, and you create a new leak right beside the one you just fixed.

You'll need to take the nipple completely off, clean it good, and then solder it back on. If it's close to the tank seam you may get the seam too hot and create a leak there. If that happens, you'll have to take the tank off, clean it, and put it back on.

If it's not too close to the tank seam, I'd try it. If it is too close to the tank seam I still may would try it but be prepared to take the tank off and re-solder it if you get it too hot. A big soldering iron sometimes works better than a torch because the heat doesn't spread as much.

Any leaking seams is much tougher to repair that say a puncture hole in one of the cores. You can usually fix a core hole without even removing the radiator from the vehicle.

 

[o1951]

I have done it - ONCE- PITA!
Like others have said - gotta be real carefull - while you are working on nipple, heat will get to other areas like tank seam or tube to tank bottom joints. Then maybe that blows or leaks. You have to redo the entire nipple seam, and to get it to flow right takes heat.
I fixed ONE, from then on, I took them to radiator shop. I have them pull the tank top, rod tubes and pressure test it while it is there.
FYI - I am experienced soldering. I have no problem sweating any size copper pipe.

 

[wsucougarx]

I punched a 1/4-1/2 hole in radiator on my deuce. I drained it and used an acid flux solder (plumbing type stuff from Home Depot) and a butane torch. Two years later, no issues

 

[Scarecrow1]

Now this comes from a guy who really hates to have someone do anything he could have done himself . But under this circumstance I would leave it to the pros. It's not much of a secret that the long life of any motor is to keep it well lubricated, good clean fuel and the most important of all cool. I try to save money anyway possible but, when you consider the cost of a new radiator it just makes good sense. It one weld failed it may be a sign that it is need of further inspection from a pro. While he has it out he could inspect the other welds and and even pressure test it to see if everything is holding okay. There is no way to kill an engine faster that to fry it. Like One other mentioned then is the time to inspect your hoses and connections and even throw on a coat of paint to boot . Good luck and let us know how it turns out .........

 

[M35A2-AZ]

I had one repaired and cleaned at a little shop and it cost $75.

 

[Kalashnikov]

I had a large branch/tree stab my radiator right in the middle when I had mu deuce. I heated the top cover off, soldered/JB welded the bent tubes closed and re soldered the top cover back on. It was the first time soldering anything other than small wires. Don't make a big deal out of a simple repair.

 

[Ford Mechanic]

Thanks everyone for the input, I'm going to check the shop that Artisan had looked up (thanks) and see how much their estimate is and go from there. I don't think I'll try to solder the joint myself, worried about unsoldering other areas.

 

[Ford Mechanic]

The place Artisan showed was out of buisness, But my in-law lives close and commutes to Va every day and stopped at Roy's Radiators on 460 and they quoted $85 for a good cleaning and fixing any problems. So it's come out and go to them next weekend!

 

[Flyingvan911]

I am goin to flush my deuce real good then take the radiator to a professional. I can get the leak soldered, radiator cleaned, and pressure checked to be sure there won't be other issues. I fell better about having the work done by a skilled professional.