Radiator repair?

[LBailey]

My son has a small crack in his radiator near the filler neck. It is in a
curved section but does not include the filler neck joint. The truck is
about ten years old. I'm wondering if this radiator should be replaced or
repaired. If it should be repaired, should I braze a patch over it or drill
the ends of the crack, grind the crack to a narrow slot and TIG-braze filler
into it. I am familiar with brazing, etc., but the material is pretty thin,
and I am wondering why this failure would occur in a non-stressed area.

[Ecnerwal]

Post by LBailey
My son has a small crack in his radiator near the filler neck. It is in a
curved section but does not include the filler neck joint. The truck is
about ten years old. I'm wondering if this radiator should be replaced or
repaired. If it should be repaired, should I braze a patch over it or drill
the ends of the crack, grind the crack to a narrow slot and TIG-braze filler
into it. I am familiar with brazing, etc., but the material is pretty thin,
and I am wondering why this failure would occur in a non-stressed area.

Repair/replace has a lot to do with funds available.

If money is no object or dealing with radiator failure/towing is a dire
fate your son does not want to face, then replacement probably offers a
bit more peace of mind - but a good repair will hold up for years. Of
course, if the radiator has not frozen or had something dropped on it
(or hit it - like a stone off the road?) failure after only 10 years is
a pretty poor sign - has the antifreeze been changed every couple of
years?

I've soldered radiators back together (solder is the repair method I'd
suggest, and at that you have to be pretty meticulious). Brazing sounds
like a good recipe for a much bigger hole in the radiator - but you
might be better at brazing really thin brass than I am.

[lihtbulb]

i am 72 worked on all kind of rads don't know if you still need help bu any time you have a crack or hole in top tank if you can get to it put small copper patch make sure it is very clean if you can use tineall compound to clean solder on patch will outlast rad this is a lot of work for small repair or just use JB weld again must be xtra clea

[Ernie Leimkuhler]

Post by LBailey
My son has a small crack in his radiator near the filler neck. It is in a
curved section but does not include the filler neck joint. The truck is
about ten years old. I'm wondering if this radiator should be replaced or
repaired. If it should be repaired, should I braze a patch over it or drill
the ends of the crack, grind the crack to a narrow slot and TIG-braze filler
into it. I am familiar with brazing, etc., but the material is pretty thin,
and I am wondering why this failure would occur in a non-stressed area.

Low temperature solder and a propane torch are your best bets.
Scrub the area clean with some steel wool and use low heat to flow
solder into the crack.

[Roy]

If the tank and cores are copper, low temp solder with a good
acid based flux will do it up easily. But beware, there are a lot
of late model vehicles with plastic end caps and/or aluminum
cores that are essentially non repairable.

For a copper radiator, my local radiator shop charges about $50
to remove the tanks, run a rod though the tubes, solder it back
together, leak test, and paint it black for best heat transfer.
Hard to even think about doing it yourself.

cheers.

Post by LBailey
My son has a small crack in his radiator near the filler neck. It is in a
curved section but does not include the filler neck joint. The truck is
about ten years old. I'm wondering if this radiator should be replaced or
repaired. If it should be repaired, should I braze a patch over it or drill
the ends of the crack, grind the crack to a narrow slot and TIG-braze filler
into it. I am familiar with brazing, etc., but the material is pretty thin,
and I am wondering why this failure would occur in a non-stressed area.

[Bob Paulin]

Post by Roy
If the tank and cores are copper, low temp solder with a good
acid based flux will do it up easily. But beware, there are a lot
of late model vehicles with plastic end caps and/or aluminum
cores that are essentially non repairable.
For a copper radiator, my local radiator shop charges about $50
to remove the tanks, run a rod though the tubes, solder it back
together, leak test, and paint it black for best heat transfer.
Hard to even think about doing it yourself.
cheers.

Painting a radiator actually adds a layer of insulation between the heated
water and the air.

All racing radiators come un-painted for maximum heat transfer.

Radiator shops paint radiators to make them look nice after being worked
on. it gives the customer that little glow to know that something shiny has
taken the place of a malfunctioning component.

Whenever I have a radiator worked on - for myself or a customer - I always
specify "no paint", and the radiator shop is happy to comply.

Bob Paulin - R.A.C.E.
Chassis Analysis Services

[lihtbulb]

50 BUCKS THAT IS CHEAP I REPAIRED RADS FOR OVER 45 - 50 YEARS AND TO ROD OUT A RAD TAKE IT OUT PULL TANKS AND TO SOLDER TANK BACK ON IS WELL OVER 150.00 AT MOST SHOPS THE MATERIALS ALONE ARE OVER 50 BUCKS
AND THE RAD BETTER BE IN GREAT SHAPE FLAT STEEL ROD IS PUSHED THROUGH
EACH AND EVERY TUBE TO PUSH CRAP OUT THE OTHER EN

[billh]

Assuming the radiator is repairable by you I would first make sure that the
rest of it is not ready to fall apart. Radiators are much thinner than they
used to be to ensure better heat transfer (I read a big dissertation on that
somewhere) and I think the use of aluminum was tied into the scientific
argument which surprised me since I thought it was so the @#$%#$# could do
it cheaper.

Also, with aluminum heads etc if the radiator lets go and severely overheats
the engine the rad replacement cost will look pretty cheap in comparison.

Billh

Post by LBailey
My son has a small crack in his radiator near the filler neck. It is in a
curved section but does not include the filler neck joint. The truck is
about ten years old. I'm wondering if this radiator should be replaced or
repaired. If it should be repaired, should I braze a patch over it or drill
the ends of the crack, grind the crack to a narrow slot and TIG-braze filler
into it. I am familiar with brazing, etc., but the material is pretty thin,
and I am wondering why this failure would occur in a non-stressed area.
--
Larry Bailey
Illegitimi non carborundum

[LBailey]

Thanks for your replies. I made the small crack into a couple of bigger
holes (grin) and then soldered a patch over that which held for the ten mile
drive to buy beer for the admiration phase of the project. After that my
wife told me that the cooling system was covered under the extended warranty
that she had purchased with the vehicle. I was glad I had the beer.
--
Larry Bailey
Illegitimi non carborundum

Post by LBailey
My son has a small crack in his radiator near the filler neck. It is in a
curved section but does not include the filler neck joint. The truck is
about ten years old. I'm wondering if this radiator should be replaced or
repaired. If it should be repaired, should I braze a patch over it or drill
the ends of the crack, grind the crack to a narrow slot and TIG-braze filler
into it. I am familiar with brazing, etc., but the material is pretty thin,
and I am wondering why this failure would occur in a non-stressed area.
--
Larry Bailey
Illegitimi non carborundum

[Ben]

Check out SilFos rods for the solder repair I have done it with great sucess
using this silver solder

Ben

Post by LBailey
My son has a small crack in his radiator near the filler neck. It is in a
curved section but does not include the filler neck joint. The truck is
about ten years old. I'm wondering if this radiator should be replaced or
repaired. If it should be repaired, should I braze a patch over it or drill
the ends of the crack, grind the crack to a narrow slot and TIG-braze filler
into it. I am familiar with brazing, etc., but the material is pretty thin,
and I am wondering why this failure would occur in a non-stressed area.
--
Larry Bailey
Illegitimi non carborundum

[Zorro]

I know the job is a done deed but I got a chance to talk to the radiator man in
the family today so I thought I'd pass on his advice. He said there are a couple
of easy choices. First "he" would, since he works in a well stocked shop, walk
over and get a new filler neck and solder it in with regular solder. He tells me
that radiator shops stock and sell them to the public but auto parts stores
won't (at least around here in Los Angeles). If number one is not an option,
second he would silver solder it with no patch.
That's it.