Engine: couple radiator questions

[bosshoss61]

Had my radiator checked by a pro at a local shop. I'm not sure if I did this or not One thing about it though, being in the heating and AC trade for so long taught me was how to braze and soldier. But I've never repaired a radiator. I do have a nice oxy/acetylene torch. And no, I'm no fan of stop leak..........
So I have a couple questions.
1. Do the back and forth fins have water inherent to itself or are they just thin metal for heat exchange?

2. The vertical parts--are they flat tubes(so to speak), are they brass or copper?


If copper, I can soldier, If brass I can braze. Any help is appreciated. And the little woman ask why I'm drinking at noon.

[jnormanh]

Had my radiator checked by a pro at a local shop. I'm not sure if I did this or not[ATTACH=CONFIG]29039[/ATTACH] One thing about it though, being in the heating and AC trade for so long taught me was how to braze and soldier. But I've never repaired a radiator. I do have a nice oxy/acetylene torch. And no, I'm no fan of stop leak..........
So I have a couple questions.
1. Do the back and forth fins have water inherent to itself or are they just thin metal for heat exchange?

2. The vertical parts--are they flat tubes(so to speak), are they brass or copper?


If copper, I can soldier, If brass I can braze. Any help is appreciated. And the little woman ask why I'm drinking at noon.

The top and bottom tanks, and the vertical tubes are brass, and they are soldered, not brazed, together. The horizontal fins are thin brass sheet, press fit onto the tubes.

I've never seen anyone braze a brass radiator, and I think you'll find it nearly impossible as the melting temp of the brazing material will be very close to the melting point of brass. Repair a brass radiator with solder.

[52hawk]

The way I've seen those repaired,by most shops-is to cut off the tube from top and bottom tank,and carefully and quickly solder the ends closed. [No need to remove the whole tube,just an inch or so at each end to make room to solder it] Soldering it at the break would endanger the tubes next to it,but I have seen it done that way too.

[bosshoss61]

Thank you, when I cleaned the vertical tube there is a hole about---5-10/1000th diameter, right in front. I can see it. The metal color looks like brass. I've brazed brass on AC units, but the thickness was a heck of a lot thicker than a radiator. I'll use soldier---50/50/with lead to help lower melting point. Right? I have flux, but what do I clean it with, good enough with to get the soldier to stick? There is paint on it. Wire brush with acetone--soap and water---then flux? Am I on the right track? thanks

[bosshoss61]

Is a soldiering gun out of the question?

[jclary]

Well...while you were having the "Pro" to check the radiator out...why didn't you ask him these questions? That is, unless you were to embarrassed to confess you are too much of a CASO to pay him to do the work. Also, too embarrassed to explain what the word "CASO" means.

[jnormanh]

Thank you, when I cleaned the vertical tube there is a hole about---5-10/1000th diameter, right in front. I can see it. The metal color looks like brass. I've brazed brass on AC units, but the thickness was a heck of a lot thicker than a radiator. I'll use soldier---50/50/with lead to help lower melting point. Right? I have flux, but what do I clean it with, good enough with to get the soldier to stick? There is paint on it. Wire brush with acetone--soap and water---then flux? Am I on the right track? thanks

You're talking about a pinhole. If you're lucky, it' the only one.
I'd clean it up with a small wire brush or a bit of sandpaper.

Work like a jeweler or dentist, slowly, carefully, a tiny bit at a time. No power tools.

The metal at that point is very thin and requires little heat. You could solder it up with a tiny torch tip, but much safer to use an electric soldering iron. Sounds like you need only a 100 watts or so.

You can use flux core solder wire, or solid core with a tiny dab of paste flux. Heat itup, melt and flow a drop of solder, then back off.

[bosshoss61]

NOPE---wouldn't have been embarrassed to ask at all. And don't know what a CASO is. When you get to be my age, all those letters that people think stand for something they made up (but really mean absolutely nothing) are gone with the wind. I try to impress no-one. And I can laugh at myself. Retired and truly happy.... Jnormanh-- Thanks for the soldering gun tip. I'll try that. My brother has a pressure pump. Any tips on capping the inlet and outlet? What to use..Thanks

[jclary]

NOPE---wouldn't have been embarrassed to ask at all. And don't know what a CASO is. When you get to be my age, all those letters that people think stand for something they made up (but really mean absolutely nothing) are gone with the wind. I try to impress no-one. And I can laugh at myself. Retired and truly happy.... Jnormanh-- Thanks for the soldering gun tip. I'll try that. My brother has a pressure pump. Any tips on capping the inlet and outlet? What to use..Thanks

Great reply...Boss! Love your attitude, and seems you took my comments in the spirit I hoped for! (CASO stands for Cheap A$$ Studebaker Owner)

As for soldering, there was an old radiator shop in my town where the owner (now passed) used a torch and also, for small delicate work, one of those old heavy soldering irons that required it to be pre-heated by flame. In any skill, there is some art and deftness required. Properly heated by flame or conduction, the repair should be made without harm to your radiator unless it is too corroded to be usable. Getting the area hot enough to allow the solder to "chase" the heat into the pin hole is the trick. Good luck with the repair.

[bosshoss61]

It's a pin hole and I can see it. Don't believe it's from corrosion. So I don't think the brass metal is that thin. The radiator just got bumped going in. I like to blame the radiator guy anyway (makes me feel better about myself somehow). I bought all my fluids yesterday to fill the radiator, tranny, and oil pan. While standing in front of the car and filling the radiator--I felt water ( well, OK--- for you technical people--10 qts. total- 4 antifreeze, 6 distilled water-12 degrees combo) on my pant leg...Darn radiator decided to pee on me. What a drag, if you have ever pulled a radiator from a 50 Champion, , it's not really to bad. But, you do have to pull the fan because of the lower hose hook-up and un-ratcheting the fan is a knuckle scraper. Don't ask how I know. I have some flux core and a good soldering gun---I'm going to try that route this morning