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Radiator welding

Hossbaby50

Hossbaby50

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I need to have a pin hole in my radiator welded up and have a small crack on the filler neck welded. Is there a special kind of welding that radiator shops do on radiators or do they just use normal welders? I am guessing the braze them or use oxy/ace on them. Can your successfully weld radiators with a mig welder?

Harley
 
if its a copper/brass rad you can solder it(how they are put together in the first place) with silver solder or something like that ill find out when i get back to work. or, you can brazeit. if its aluminum you can tig it.
 
My dad cleaned up the area around the hole I punched (drilled whoops) in mine, took a propane torch, and solder, and melted it on. Been that way for months, no problems. Real simple fix, I'm confident that anyone can do it.

Crack on the fill neck I MIGHT be more concerned with though. Is it where it is joined to the tank or is it just "there"? If it's where it is attached to the tank, I suspect brazing is the right way to fix it...I imagine that twisting the cap on and off puts a fair amount of load on that joint and brazing would be a better idea.
 
If its a copper/brass style radiator,you can solder it with 50/50 lead/tin solder,or the same stuff you use on house plumbing copper tubing--you cant really braze it,because the radiator will melt long before the brazing rod will--and you cant weld copper or brass that I know of,only solder it...
If your radiator is aluminum,I've used a product called "Rub-On" you can get at welding shops--it looks like strips of aluminum,they have been advertising a similar product on a infomercial on TV lately,the TV ad gets 45 bucks for 2 lbs worth of rods,I got mine for much less at the welding place.It works great on radiators,heater cores,aluminum window frames,canoes,gutters,anything aluminum,zinc,or galvanized steel..they show a bellhousing being repaired with it on the TV infomercial--the stuff is very strong,and it only requires a propane torch,and no flux--I've seen it advertised in the Northern Tool catolog also...I'd use that on an aluminum radiator over epoxy or stop leak--the best stop leak I've used is powdered Aluma-Seal,comes in a clear plastic tube.....
 
diesel4me said:
If its a copper/brass style radiator,you can solder it with 50/50 lead/tin solder,or the same stuff you use on house plumbing copper tubing--you cant really braze it,because the radiator will melt long before the brazing rod will--and you cant weld copper or brass that I know of,only solder it...
Click to expand...

Why would a brass brazing rod (for instance) not work on the tanks? Aren't they brass? I thought that was what they are made of, and how things like the fill neck and tranny cooler are attached, while the tank to core is soldered?

I'm no pro, so I'm open to learning here! :)
 
the trans and oil coolers are screwed on. most of them any way. if you look closely around the threaded hole youl see a rather large hex nut type deal. ive seen the come loose and leak a few times but usually they stay tight. on aftermarket aluminum radiators like griffin and be-cool there welded on. solder will work fine on the fill neck. thats how its attached in the first place.
 
dyeager535 said:
Why would a brass brazing rod (for instance) not work on the tanks? Aren't they brass? I thought that was what they are made of, and how things like the fill neck and tranny cooler are attached, while the tank to core is soldered?

I'm no pro, so I'm open to learning here! :)
Click to expand...
because the tanks are so thin, the tank would melt before th rod would
 
when we break them down to re-core them we use a big bell torch and it getts pretty hot. we use it to melt the solder holding the headers to the core. never tried to braze them together since its easier and faster to solder.
 
couldn't you heat the brazing rod before the radiator? Hold the flame on the rod then slowly move to the radiator heating both at the sametime? I need to do this to my Burb's radiator. Damn heatercore barb broke off.
 
you could prolly do it. just gotta be carefull. the tanks arent that thin, just get some braze on there let it sit for a sec then do alittle more.

edit:re-read your post and if your talking about holding the flame on the rod then moving it to the filler tube you would burn the flux off. anything is possible.
 
So the best way to fix this is to solder it with a torch and plumbing solder?

I have some practice welding with oxy/acetylene, soldering isn't much different correct?

Will a propane torch get the radiator hot enough or should I go get some MAPP gas? Thanks

Harley
 
Here is what I did. I had a rock hit my rad and it was sending coolant up onto the windshield. I went to walmart and bought some quicksteel followed the instructions and molded all around the hole. Its been good for like 6 months Az summer included.Its cheap and has a temp rating of 500 degrees it is also sandable and paintable. .02
 
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