Aluma seal or bars leaks ? ? ? ?

[Will L.]

JB Weld. The old slow cure stuff. Used it dozens of times and never a failure. Couple quick scrubs with a steel brush, rinse with a little water then let it dry.
Mix up the JB 50/50 and put it on so that its about size of a quarter. Dab it in so a bit goes into the hole.

 

[MrMarty51]

I've not seen any sort of hot glue epoxy used, but have seen them solder / aluminum weld them. you have to be very careful heating those areas with a torch. I once attempted to weld up some AC fittings on my own with some low head aluminum rods. it went well until it didn't LOL all was going good and then all of a sudden the whole area just went from a solid to a blob of melted aluminum on my vice!! oopsies!!

I hate that you'd have to remove the coating from the effected area, but I would try cleaning the radiator well with the garden hose and some dish soap, light brushing action not to damage any more of the fins. then after the wash and blow dry with the compressor, spray it off with some brake cleaner and blow if off again so you have it all clean dirt and grease free. get you some rubber bungs to seal off the hose nipples, have a squirt bottle of water and dish soap handy. use the pressure tester to fill with air and get it about 15 or so psi. then look and listen for leaks, bubbles from the soap. see if you can pin point exactly where the leak is.

idk if paint strip will remove the coating where the leak is to get bare clean aluminum to do the repair at or not.

I’ll have to get the proper size expandable bung plugs, get them firmly set in the hose ports, make up a barb to air hose coupler and use hose to connect that to the over flow fitting then use the pressure regulator and air it up, I do already have mixed up a spritzer bottle of dish soap and water.
If fins are in the way of the damaged area then the fins in the affected area will get clipped out.
I did have the cooling system pressurized and it then would not leeeeek.
I’m thinking the heat gun may warm the area enough to create some bubbly stuff.

 

[MrMarty51]

JB Weld. The old slow cure stuff. Used it dozens of times and never a failure. Couple quick scrubs with a steel brush, rinse with a little water then let it dry.
Mix up the JB 50/50 and put it on so that its about size of a quarter. Dab it in so a bit goes into the hole.

I’ll attempt the fix before I unbox that new OE radiator, then it will still be in the original packaging and will be much easier to return to Oriellys.

 

[Will L.]

Air pressure and dish soap… I don’t like the sounds of that. Filling full of water and using a regular pressure tester tool should generate any leak.
Parts stores usually have them available on the free rental program.

For the hose ends- sometimes you can get a hose that just connects the top to the bottom.