Komeuppance Posted July 21, 2011 Report Share Posted July 21, 2011 Been trying to get a radiator for my van, and it's a stupid odd size. I bought one off of ebay for a Montero after measuring the size of mine. Just pulled it out now and the bottom end tank is a different shape allowing it to sit lower in the bay... so new radiator doesn't fit, fail. The old one is leaking out of the top end tank, looks like it can be brazed. I've tried brazing a bracket onto a radiator before and failed. Anyone got any tips?? More importantly, anyone want to buy a brand new aluminum core 2.6 Montero radiator for $50... LOL... -Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ucw458 Posted July 21, 2011 Report Share Posted July 21, 2011 It needs to be very clean. Heat a little with a torch to burn the paint then wire brush vigorously till it's shiny. Use normal plumbing solder and paste flux. Brush some flux on then heat the area to be fixed. Just before applying solder brush some more flux on then dab the solder on. Let it cool then be sure to clean off all the flux or it will corrode. Done that several times and when the metal is clean it works really well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby Posted July 21, 2011 Report Share Posted July 21, 2011 you solder on a rad not brazz , too much heat require'd for brazzing and there are many types of solder,, people forget that the first melt and the remelt temps require'd veary a great deal from one type solder to another what you use to build an electrical circirt is not what you want to use for repairing your radiator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ironside Posted July 21, 2011 Report Share Posted July 21, 2011 I'm not 100% sure but I think you need a higher tin content in the solder. Maybe 70-30.Have you called a radiator shop? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy larry Posted July 21, 2011 Report Share Posted July 21, 2011 Bring it over I'll fix it for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edde Posted July 22, 2011 Report Share Posted July 22, 2011 I've had some success and some fail with 50/50 solder on a radiator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Komeuppance Posted July 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2011 I did call a radiator shop, lady on the phone said $40-75 estimate but they gotta look at it. I take it in today and there's a guy there that said it needed a complete overhaul, "if it could even be fixed", $150 to $200 (probably $200 from that guy). It's just the end tank leaking, not a whole radiator fail. Right after that debacle, I went to the store and got a brazing/soldering kit with flux and 50/50 lead free solder. Last time I tried, I did not have the flux, but now I know. Knowing is half the battle. How hard can it be... lol... -Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby Posted July 23, 2011 Report Share Posted July 23, 2011 propane tourch is better then a soldering iron for a rad repair Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Komeuppance Posted July 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2011 Thanks Shelby. I'm gonna see if I can borrow one from my homeslice, I bet my MAPP torch is too hot. -Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby Posted July 23, 2011 Report Share Posted July 23, 2011 you won't want a big flame at all, and pay attention to the solder , what you do depends on are you just refilling a split solder joint or removeing the entire tank, eather way clean , clean, clean and do not over heat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ucw458 Posted July 23, 2011 Report Share Posted July 23, 2011 If you have a self igniting torch that makes things waaaaay easier. too much heat and you burn the solder near where you are trying to fix it. With a self ingniting torch heat the repair section for 5-10 seconds. Then do short 1-2 second bursts with the flame to finish heating and soldering. The 1-2 second bursts make things much safer and you can even use mapp gas if you want. Just holding the flame on even with propane melts everything. I've repaired broken tubes in the radiator with this method. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edde Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 I used propane on mine a few times and some held, some didn't. Thankfully my extension on the lower rad pipe was one that worked. I'd try mapp on it just do like a plumber and heat away from the solder and make it run on the metal. Like is suggested in bursts - especially with hot gas. And flux yeah you got nothing going without it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 (edited) most deff time for one of them fine wire wire brushes , brass wire is good , just make darn sure the brush is clean and NO grease or oil haveing an old rad to pratice on helps a bunch also , and as said never hold flame still on one spot for reattatching the side suport bars , JB weld will work just fine if you use the JBweld 'quick set' , drill a couple more holes in the suport so the JB weld will push out,,then do a second coat on top of the holes but same as with solder it must not have any grease or oil on the surface to hold Edited July 24, 2011 by Shelby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Komeuppance Posted July 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 It's got some (a lot) JB weld on it already, lol... but it's trying to seal the end tank. It's seeping through. I'm gonna try soldering before I bust out the JB Welder. I got a prop and MAPP torch ready to burn up stuff, going to clean it up with a wire wheel on my drill, then spray some brake cleaner to clean any oil off, then if I find my new brushes I'll bust em out for a final go. -Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edde Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 I'm having to wonder whether mapp gas might be too hot for small pipes on a rad. Aren't they pretty thin? I was thinking more about mounting brackets and such. Don't want to melt your parts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joey_crandall Posted July 25, 2011 Report Share Posted July 25, 2011 do they never have these in junkyards near you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Komeuppance Posted July 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2011 They're hard to find up here I guess. I went to a yard last Fri, and all the parts I wanted were gone. Radiator, left front turn signal. Is there a yard near you that has one?? I need those parts!! -Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby Posted July 25, 2011 Report Share Posted July 25, 2011 I did call a radiator shop, lady on the phone said $40-75 estimate but they gotta look at it. I take it in today and there's a guy there that said it needed a complete overhaul, "if it could even be fixed", $150 to $200 (probably $200 from that guy). It's just the end tank leaking, not a whole radiator fail. Right after that debacle, I went to the store and got a brazing/soldering kit with flux and 50/50 lead free solder. Last time I tried, I did not have the flux, but now I know. Knowing is half the battle. How hard can it be... lol... -Robert sadly this is what most shops will say to you these days,, actualy most want to sell you a new radiator, less trouble for them , people just plain don't want to wrok any more ,, rad shops that do work for trucking co's seem to be more work able , soldering that end cap is a 15 min job for any one that realy wants to do it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Komeuppance Posted July 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2011 Aright, I took my drill and a wire wheel to it and it wasn't JB weld, but a bunch of grease... interesting. I used a propane torch and followed your guys' tips, and it was pretty easy. Thanks SQ Homies!! I have gained a new skill that will save me money, and probably my friends too. I wonder now, I did have to get it just hot enough for the new solder to melt/flow properly... but... the original solder melted a bit?? Sort of like reflowing a solder joint. Think that was too hot?? It was just for short bursts. Waiting for it to cool at the moment. Also, what else can I solder like this... fittings in hard pipes perhaps?? -Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ucw458 Posted July 29, 2011 Report Share Posted July 29, 2011 Nah the old solder should be fine. It will still seal 99% of the time. You would know if you burned it. The solder would look a little like pumice instead of being smooth. Yes you could braze aluminum hard pipes but aluminum brazing is more expensive and alot harder. Basically when aluminum brazing it's hard to get the exact temp and very easy to overheat the base metal and melt it away. I've tried several times with 50/50 results. Best to have it tig welded. Steel pipes are easy to braze with brass rod and flux but steel is also the easiest and cheapest metal to weld. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby Posted July 29, 2011 Report Share Posted July 29, 2011 ok to do some thing like ic pipes that are alum, use Silver solder , much stronger then reg solder , will work on steel also Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Komeuppance Posted August 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2011 Well, finally got the radiator back in... and it's holding where I soldered, but I should have gone out 1/4" more as it's seeping just a little bit. I can resolder this part without taking the rad out, haha. I modified a stock SQ primary fan to fit the radiator, and got rid of the old clutch fan with broken blade. Got an aftermarket adjustable fan controller and it's working good. Probably take it for a spin later. Thanks again brodies. -Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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