radiator way plugged

I thought about taking off the bottom tank but my baffle was lose. So went in the top but took off the side of the top tank. Ran soft wire then 3/16 plastic tubing.
 
Hi Guys

Rodding out a radiator is fairly easy. But...... the tubes are very thin from the begining 5/32". So after years of being used they are VERY thin. In the old days (before EPA) we use to "Boil Out" the radiator in the hot tank with a caustic solution. This would loosen the rust in the radiator. Then thoroughly flush out radiator. Then you begin by pulling the top tank, keep your heat low and away from tubes. Once you get the tank off. CAREFULLY put your rod down each tube. DO NOT FORCE IT!! or you will split the tube If you have quite a few tubes that won't unplug, boil it out again and flush. Now.... tin your header (being careful not to heat tubes) wire brush inside and outside of tank and then tinning it. Make sure it's clean and tinned good. Then reset tank. Check for leaks. If you have a little of seeping warm up engine and add about 4oz of Sodium Silicate (water glass) in radiator, put cap on and drive. Good Luck
 
I just got a call from the radiator shop, telling me the only way to repair mine was to recore it. He said he pressured it up and it leaked in several places. I told him it wasn't a pressurized system, he said that was the only way to check it ??? This is on a 28 Tudor with 6 fins per inch. He said the new core would be 11 fins and 2 1/4 inches wide. What do you recommend
 
Is he saying 2 leaks make a junk radiator? For $20 he will give you the solder, tinning paste and flux. Cut a bicycle tube in halve, clamp 1 on inlet,1 on outlet,put cap on and jam a pencil in overflow pipe. pump in a couple of pounds and squirt soapy water all over. Now you know where the leaks are. Clean the area, flux it, tin it. Use propane torch and heat it gently and solder it. Fill it with water and drive back and forth in front of his shop pressing the horn button, vigorously!
 
Thanks. I'm going to try something before I shell out for a new radiator. Is this the same solder and paste you would use to solder copper plumbing?
 
radiators are usually repaired with silver solder, its stronger, but with a non pressured rad, regular solder will work just fine, plumbing solder has no lead in it so it wont contaminate the drinking water in your house, don't use acid core solder for rad repair, use the solder for electrical connections
 
I don't have much luck when I try to use no lead solder, or 5% lead solder. I always use the same 60/40 solder that I use for electrical work. You can gently get the area clean for solder by using an Exacto knife with a narrow blade.
 
tim54889 said:
Sorry Mr WestCoast, Silver solder is way to high temp for radiators. 60/40 is what the radiator shop uses.
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TIM,
I think you're RIGHT about the silver solder, Danny, my radumator genius, just scoops waste solder bits from the bottom of his radumator repair tank, melts it & pours in a piece of angle iron & uses the "sticks" for general soldering. Sometimes he uses NEW solder from a roll. By the way, MURIATIC acid Is used extensively on radiators. I HAVE seen silver solder used on radiators, like joining framework together, where a high strength joint is needed.
On ANY soldering job, complete TINNING, is a MUST & makes the job EASY!
TIP: Years ago we had MANY leaks on NEW Datsun Radiators, as they DIDN'T put enough solder in the flanged area, where the top tank sat in the header plate. With the radiator still in the car, we'd drain a little water, until the header plate & top ends of the tubes were just covered with water. Then, with a soft flame, & a wire brush, clean out the JAP solder, making sure the area was completely tinned, & fill the flanged area with acid core solder & with a "POOF" of BLACK Rustoleum, it looked like NEW, from the factory. AND, we weren't even radumator guys, just GRUBBY OLD MECHANICS!!!
Sometimes, we'd even wash our hands & replace cheap, & falling apart Datsun seat covers, with NEW ones!! One FAT guy kept breakin' the seat back tubing framework, poked a piece of REBAR inside it, welded it back together, put the padding & the cover back on & PROBLEM SOLVED!
On Volvos, the metal headliner bows would RUST & stain the headliner, we didn't need NO STINKIN' upholstery shop, us mechanics would install the factory headliners ourselves!! I TOLE YOU WE WERE GOOD!!!
Glass shop WOULDN'T tackle changing a Jaguar XKE Roadster windshield, I did it myself:D (sorry I "STOLE THE THREAD:() Chief always sed, "Yep, I'm SORRY,TOO, but I've lurned to live with it"!
Bill W.
 
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Silver solder should be used for repairing "Tanks" only, as it requires more heat that solder. The solder we use in the industry is 60/40 solder. Now the OEM solder is 97/3. "Just my two cents worth"
 
I seen a rad builder years ago ...he would take a piece of copper tubing .. loop a piece of wire and push it through the tube .....put a piece of steel wool through the loop....pull it into the tube and trim it off and he had a soldering brush.....then he just pulled it out and cut it off when he needed a new brush resourceful those old guys
 
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