MDchanic

So I was driving along innocently today, enjoying the first signs of sun in about a week, and the first 70° temperature this year, when I noticed that my temperature gauge was reading a bit high.
Back home, I opened the hood and saw antifreeze in places other than the cooling system.

I waited for it to cool, then filled it up and put my pressure tester on it.
I found small leaks in two tank seams up high, and a big leak in a tank seam down low, that I had fixed over 20 years ago (I don't recall where I first got this radiator, but it's an original 1960s Harrison B-body 3-core).

I recall that when I fixed that seam, it was very stubborn, would not take solder well, and I ended up JB-Welding it and settling for a slight ooze.

Now, 20 years later, I'd like to fix it properly, if at all possible, rather than waste money on a new radiator that I don't really need.

When I fixed it before, I used a propane torch, 50/50 Pb/Sn solder (I think), and a fairly aggressive (ate through the paint can it had come in) flux, before resorting to the JB-Weld.
I've fixed radiators successfully in the past, and have done plenty of soldering, brazing, and welding, but since I recall that this was a problem area, and since I couldn't fix it right before (back before the internet), I thought I would ask for any suggestions that may have worked for any of you out there in TV Land.

Thanks,

- Eric

oldcutlass

If it were me. I'd take it to a radiator shop so they can basically rod it and then resolder it. It probably has other issues also.

For a quick fix, a propane torch, solder and flux would work. I've used plain old plumbing solder after removing the old solder. I cleaned the joint by basically heating it up with it laying on plywood, lifting it up about 3 inches and letting it drop on the plywood, then the solder just plops off.

2blu442

Yeah, I'm with oldcutlass. But my plan B would be to purchase a used aftermarket but made in USA radiator. I'm pretty sure I pulled this out of a 1971 Delta 88. It has the large 4 row tank on the passengers side and the smaller 3 row tank on the drivers side. That's what make me sure it came out of a full sized car. Core looks nice and clean, exterior could use some fresh black paint to protect the copper/brass. Shipping would be a pain (so when are you moving to the salt free Pacific Northwest?) but I'd take $50 plus shipping for it. If your not sure I could get approximate shipping costs without taking the time to fully package it up. John

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MDchanic

That's a tempting offer, John, but it looks like that's a 2-core, which doesn't provide me with enough of a "crazy-obsessive" margin for my comfort.

I will keep it in mind, though, as I attack the radiator I have, and may take you up on it if I can't get this fixed myself.

I'm looking at 12 hours of work on each of the next eight days (with an hour drive and the usual delays, that's 14-15 hours per day), so I won't get near it until next week.

My plan now is to burn off all the epoxy, then hit it with acid (I've got plenty of phosphoric, which I think should be fine) several times, with lots of water in between to rinse out any traces of antifreeze, then flux and solder, and with any luck I'll seal it up.

The radiator is otherwise good, so I'd hate to dump it just for a stupid tank seam.
I've had radiators with paper-thin tubes from corrosion or whatever, that kept forming new tiny leaks, and this ain't one of those.
I still think of my original Chevelle radiator, with part of the tank worn away where it rubbed against the battery, which I had fixed with a penny. It was a 4-core with no A/T fittings, original to the car. It had developed a small leak, so I didn't bother to throw it in the truck when I moved.
I had no idea that the little metal tag on it identified it as an LS6 radiator, and that it was worth more than I had paid for the car.

- Eric

2blu442

Bad camera angle, it is a 3 row core. Its been in the garage for a few years now so a few more months won't make any difference. If you are unable to fix yours let me know.

John

MDchanic

Well, you're convincing me a little bit more, there, John.

I haven't pulled mine out yet, but I swear it was thicker (though not as thick as I remembered a 4-core being) - I'll have to go out and look to be sure mine's not a 4-core. It's not like I ever counted or anything.

Nope, it's a 3-core. My memory must be going.

- Eric

oddball

Maybe just need more heat? Got some MAPP or Acetylene?

MDchanic

I'm going to try MAPP.

Used to strip radiators with propane / oxygen when I worked in a junkyard as a kid, so I know how much heat it takes to pull them apart (and release the icky "burning antifreeze" fumes ).

- Eric

m371961

Mapp gas, or actylene. I know you know to get it very clean. I have not done it for a while, but I believe I used acid core solder on rads., don't know about solder ratio used, but most stuff for plumbing has been changed with the lead scares.
If you find the tank ahead of your soldering spreading open, use a wet rag to keep the seam ahead of where you are cool.
I even would close off and solder tube ends when needed.
Just bought a Vista-Pro rad from RockA. Made in Mex. Not bad quality, but no Harrison.
Don't like rodding tubes, easy to mess this up, but saw it done a few times.

oddball

FWIW, Spectra does their manufacturing in Canada and generally has good stuff.

MDchanic

Just an update:

I did pull the radiator, gave it a really thorough flush with the hose, spent a good long time heating up the leaking seams till they fizzled, then letting them cool a bit, then heating them again, to burn off the last traces of water, got into them deeply with a little Dremel wire brush, opened up a couple a bit more with a screwdriver so I could really clean the facing edges, then gave 'em a good flux treatment and soldered 'em up.

I used propane, 60/40 solder (used up a roll I've been carrying around in my toolbox for almost 30 years), and some flux that I've had since the '70s.

So far, no leaks (knock wood).

I hate to throw out anything that can be fixed.

- Eric