34 Radiator Leak - JB Weld

dbtenner

dbtenner

Member
Well in the process of bolting on the water pump it fell backwards and apparently ruptured the radiator.... what do I do??

Should I use jb weld or something. This sucks, fix one thing and other problem.


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Looks like your going to have to remove the radiator and get the broken tube soldered.
If you have the space you might be able to solder it in your car. Must be super clean.I believe acid core solder is used or a mild acid flux.
 
To answer the JB Weld issue, I'm a big fan of the stuff for some applications, but don't think this is one of them.
 
I have had a similar hole ( from deer antler though)that I glued over 20 years ago on a chevy truck, still no leak, you have to drain and clean the area, push some into the holes--- soldering is better if you can--- if the fins are carefully moved away it can be soldered and fins moved back and the repair will disappear---- with the epoxy there's a big blob and it will be hard to remove when you want to do a proper job
 
Thanks. Bought the acid core flux and a soldering gun, it can’t even cut through the gauge wire.

I’ll bring it by a radiator shop this week and see what needs to be done. What a costly mistake, at least the water pump is good now it’s the radiator.


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Just the way it is sometimes . . . 2 steps forward . . . 3 back . . . regroup . . . try it again. Very rarely do I finish any substantial project without some sort of "gotchas" along the way. In the end, I think we continue to learn by these issues - even though they are painful at times!

Good luck, shouldn't be a very expensive fix.

B&S
 
Correct me if I’m wrong, but when the water pump hit the radiator baffle, it ruptured the tube it is connected to?

That’s what it looks like in the picture. The long strands are the tubes.


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That is what it looks like. Hint for the future, it is a good idea to place some heavy cardboard in front of the radiator when working near it.
 
Thanks. I’ll be sure to do that next time.

I had it hanging from the outlet hose but as I turned around to pick up the bolts, it had slipped out and back towards the radiator :(


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dbtenner said:
Thanks. Bought the acid core flux and a soldering gun, it can’t even cut through the gauge wire.

I’ll bring it by a radiator shop this week and see what needs to be done. What a costly mistake, at least the water pump is good now it’s the radiator.


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Click to expand...

Please explain what you mean by the highlighted red wording.
 
The solder gun may not be hot enough for some reason or the bwg wire was too thick.


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I don't recall soldering irons cutting wire.

I've soldered these things up before, soda blasting should make it nice & clean but if you have a radiator shop available, use it.
 
Is it a blowtorch type or an electrical resistance type? Any blowtorch type should be hot enough.

What is bwg wire?

Did you watch the video?

Mart.
 
Did that once, dropped a screwdriver while tightening a hose clamp, put a hole in one of the tubes. I removed the radiator and with a lot of flux and acid core solder I was able to fix it with my Propane torch.
 
Before you try soldering the radiator I would try "Alumaseal" stop leak. I have used that product for years with great success. Alumaseal is an aluminum looking powder that is pored into the radiator with the warm coolant still in the radiator. As the Alumaseal moves through the radiator, when it hits the leak and comes into contact with air, magic the leak is stopped.
When I had my company we had a large fleet of trucks, we used Alumaseal in every vehicle.
If you can find "egg keep/liquid glass" . Use to be available from farm stores, you can use the tried and true Model T method to stop a radiator leak.
 
Thanks for the help. I’m trying to take the radiator off today and I’ve removed all side and top bolts that connect with grille but I’m flustered taking the grille off is difficult.

There is a bottom bolt that’s at the point of the inside part of the grille near splash pan. It’s inaccessible, any ideas?
 
Kind of weird. I can tig and mig with some efficiency. But never learned to braze. Guess I should read up and add some tools and rods.
 
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