[Reaper71]

You guys have been a great help the short time I've been on this site and I'm in need of some more advice.

Went for a cruise today, noticed some spray coming through my hood ...see my photo gallery and you'll see why my hood is cut open I was literally playing with the winshield wiper fluid cap a few minutes before and figured I must not have tightened it and lost it on the road. I get home pop the hood and notice it is rad fluid. Upon closer inspection my chrome fan shroud's ends have obviously punctured it. I pull the shroud out a little from the rad and it starts pissing .

It's a Champion Radiator. Is this solder-able? Fixable? Only fixable by a rad shop? I'm kind of learning as I go with this car so any help is appreciated.

 

[woody31]

:dontknow:well if ya had a few pictures it would help ,,,,, based on your own ability,,,,,,i cant find any pics of your album,,,,

 

[elkper1771]

Whoa, Sounds like you've a lot of cut tubes. Mostly a radiator shop can fix anything on it, but do you want it soldered up? I'd say remove it, see exactly how bad it's cut. If it can't be patched, try to get a 'Modine' radiator. Also why would the shroud ends be cutting into the fins? They should be overlapping each radiator side. - George :yell:

 

[JJLT1]

put a link to your gallery in your signature..

 

[Reaper71]

put a link to your gallery in your signature..

Okay, is it not visible when you click my username? I have added to my signature...

Back to my issue, the comment about why they would even be touching was exactly what I thought, picture on it's way. I asked if it was soder-able because a friend told me they can be. I clearly have no idea so I'm hoping something can be done without having to drop a few hundred $ on a new rad.

I'm going to get the picture now, will post it, then hit the beer store, and check back later.

Thanks guys.

 

[elkper1771]

Reaper, I recently replaced the radiator on my '87 and the price was $139.00 Brought my old radiator to the scrap cash-metal place and got back $22.00 for the copper & aluminum content. Not too shabby,..::: except that now, anti-freeze is thru the ceiling. - George :???:

 

[Reaper71]

Okay, here's a picture, previous owner installed the shroud, I'm sure it shifted/loosened but I never foresaw this happening...

 

[darbysan]

Reaper, to get your signature to show up in your posts, you may have to change one option. Go to the User CP at the top left of the screen, then go to Options. About 2/3 down the page you will see a check box for Show Signature. Make sure that box is checked.

HTH

Also, it's a good idea to protect the edge of your shroud. You can use a piece of vacuum hose that is split. Yuu could even use the clear Door Edge guards. I used an old Cowl Seal, but it is much thicker, and not as nice looking. You've got a very nice ride

 

[Reaper71]

Overhead if the first pic wasn't clear...

 

[69 SS396]

An alum. rad can be fixed but you may be better off buying new.

Also to be effective the shroud needs to cover the whole rad., otherwise it just sucks underhood air.

 

[LOCKJAW]

I wanted to add this true story even if I take some heat from doubters.

I mounted my 12V cooling fan very carefully with the four supplied plastic mounting fasteners.I snugged them up real well so the fan would be solid.I started getting small whiffs of anti-freeze. I kept looking for leaks or coolant loss ,but found none. Finally, about a week later I got mad enough about the smell that I took a real good look.
Those plastic fasteners loosened up just enough that one of them finally chafed a tiny little hole. Not wanting to replace my new aluminum radiator I bought a bottle of aluminum "silver solder". I have never believed in using any kind of "goop" to patch anything. Well, guess what.
I used only half the bottle and it has been a year now.15lb. Cap.
I remounted the fan with 8x32 machine screws and oversize washers. No more problems! Btw, the silver solder did not crud up everything. Made a believer out of me.

 

[Reaper71]

An alum. rad can be fixed but you may be better off buying new.

Also to be effective the shroud needs to cover the whole rad., otherwise it just sucks underhood air.

Yeah, I was just looking at my set up and there's no way the shroud ever extended past the sides (or even was close to the sides), it's probably 4 inches short ON EACH SIDE.

 

[Reaper71]

When I was digging through a tool box looking for a tape measure I found a package of Permatex Pit Crew Gas tank and Rad puddy, I'm pretty sure this was the stuff I used on a wet (spraying) gas tank and it was a awesome fix until I swapped my rotten F150 gas tank for a new one. Would this be worth a shot on my alum. rad?

If I did buy a new rad would I see any performance lift in a 2 row vs. a 4 row if I'm putting out about 450-500 HP?

 

[Reaper71]

Oops, meant to say would a 4 row (1000hp capability) radiator work better than a 2 row if I'm only using 450-500 hp?

 

[Reaper71]

Okay, so I noticed I had a small hole on the other side where the shroud cut into it as well as the area where it was spraying from. Long story short I cleaned up the fins, put a bottle of liquid aluminum (rad leak stuff), and it worked... completely. The parts place literally had a dozen versions/varieties of rad leak stops but I though the liquid aluminum would be the best for my application (some others touted they would seal large holes but I felt like mine didn't quality as large). I ran it like it stated (idle 20 minutes) and took my beast for a few spins. No leaks. Later in the evening I used a Permatex two part aluminum cold weld and covered the hole liberally, did the same to the smaller hole on the other side of the rad. I really don't think it was necessary but I wanted it closed up and felt like the vacuum pressure from completing the treatment of the other product was enough to secure it. You can't even really tell the repair was done and car works without issues. I'm going to replace the plastic bolts with stainless and rubber and fender washers as well.

Thanks LOCKJAW for the testimonial, I probably wouldn't have tried it without knowing your experience.

 

[mrblanche]

On my T, the ties for the electric radiator fan seemed to wear a little hole in the tubes. I put in StopLeak, figured it couldn't hurt. The radiator has a lifetime warranty from O'Reilly and only cost about $135 bucks, so I figured it couldn't hurt.

That was about 7 years ago. Still holding!