Radiator: repair or replace

[Anirudh]

Hello,

We are looking at the possibility of repairing and reusing the radiator from the previous car.

These are some of the photos of our old radiator. These illustrate some of the defects that we observed.

http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv281/anirudh_raut/DSC00058.jpg
patches formed along the radiator

http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv281/anirudh_raut/25042009097.jpg

When we passed water through the radiator we found it dripping from this point

http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv281/anirudh_raut/leak.jpg

Also during welding some of the top fins were damaged.

Looking at the above:
Is the radiator repairable?.

If yes I was wondering if a whole row of fins could be replaced by a new set?.

Also, for sealing the leak is it advisable to use soldering?.

Thanks a lot

Anirudh

[Anirudh]

Hello,

We are looking at the possibility of repairing and reusing the radiator from the previous car.

These are some of the photos of our old radiator. These illustrate some of the defects that we observed.

http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv281/anirudh_raut/DSC00058.jpg
patches formed along the radiator

http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv281/anirudh_raut/25042009097.jpg

When we passed water through the radiator we found it dripping from this point

http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv281/anirudh_raut/leak.jpg

Also during welding some of the top fins were damaged.

Looking at the above:
Is the radiator repairable?.

If yes I was wondering if a whole row of fins could be replaced by a new set?.

Also, for sealing the leak is it advisable to use soldering?.

Thanks a lot

Anirudh

[Anirudh]

This photo shows the damage to the top of the fins

http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv281/anirudh_raut/DSC00057.jpg
Anirudh

[Drew Price]

Soldering or brazing should do it, make sure you find a solder and flux that will wick into and stick to the aluminum though, sorry I don't have much experience with that.

As long as that top row is not leaking like the end tanks are I wouldn't worry too much about it, especially if you're tight on money.

As for the bent fins, put a 1st year to work on it with a sharp knife or a dental pick or something similar to bend all the fins straight again.

When our radiator is in the shop getting handled we have some heavy cardboard guards to protect the fins so they don't get smashed like that, always a good idea.

Best,
Drew

[Mikey Antonakakis]

We actually had a rock or two put some holes in the middle of our radiator, we used clay epoxy to patch it up, haven't had any leaks since (although that car has hardly been driven since then).

[Discretely elite]

In addition, we now put a mesh screen wrapped around or in front of our radiators. It doesn't take too long for rocks and debris to screw up the bare fins.

[Drew Price]

Depending on how bad the leak is, there are a few commercially available clay epoxies like Mikey suggested (Billy Mayes style) or epoxy adhesives / fillers like JB Weld that might work too.

The other thing is there are some common radiator leak stoppers you can get at auto parts stores. A lot of them are kind of like a paste or thick gel, and you put it in the system with the engine cold, start it and let it warm up. It's liquid or gel when cold and flows through the system and collects at the leak site and the goop kind of stops up the hole from the inside, then as the coolant comes up to temp the goop cures around the hole and makes a solid seal. I can't remember the name of the one I have used, but there were 4-6 different ones at our big auto parts store last time I went.

You might even be able to get JB Weld or similar packed into the flange around where the end-tank is crimped on to seal it off too, but the different thermal expansion rates might make the leak resurface pretty quickly.

Best,
Drew

[Anirudh]

Thanks a lot guys for your help.

I tried to check for leaks and apart from that one leak in the end tank there are no leaks that I could locate. I will test it once again though just to check. I am planning to either use soldering or brazing to seal the leak.

Regards
Anirudh