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Aluma seal or bars leaks ? ? ? ?

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.
 
dbrannon79 said:
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.
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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. 🤷😹😹😹
 
Will L. said:
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.
Click to expand...
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. 🤷😹
 
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.
 
Regulated air pressure at about 10PSI
IMG_6842.jpeg

And the leakage. Same end as what I thought was damaged but on the opposite, top side, not the bottom.
This area has no damage and there is no leaks in the areas that I thought was suspect of leakage.
IDK how well the JB weld will hold as there is flexability between the tank and the tubes.
I’d think that something that would allow some movement without breaking loose would hold better.
@Will L.
Have You ever JB-Weld repaired aluminum tubes to aluminum end plates ?
 

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Appears that the top three tubes had began to separate from the tank. This is the area that I was not suspecting of having a leak. This is where all the foamy was located.
IMG_6843.jpeg
And this is the area that I had suspected of leaking.
IMG_6844.jpeg
With the radiator still in place I seen the fins that had been somewhat distorted and figured thats where the leak was at, there was even some green coolant hanging in the fins so upon closer inspection it looks like the thermal coating has washed away from the tank where that tube also connects.
The tubes themselves has sustained no damage, just minor distortion on the fins.
And so for now, I’m going to install that OE radiator because I am really needing this truck to transport some heavy loads and then try and decide what to do with this too good to be true radiator.
I’m a tad bit disappointed in all of this.
Should just say fuggit and go back to the house, lay on the couch, maybe watch some elmer fudd or road runner, see if that’ll switch my attitude.
 
My first thought was since it's at the first few tubes, check the welding at the bracing that goes across between the tanks. wondering if that has also cracked allowing the core to flex.

where it's fins are damaged, I know it's real easy to damage them where it looks worse than it really is. the fins are very thin and flimsy and made that way for shedding heat better. it's also too easy to do that when removing or installing the fan blade and clutch. I've done that way too many times in the past!
 
Yeah… that is 100% a solder joint issue.
They should swap it and cover a few bucks towards labor- that could go towards new coating.

Yes, I have had success with it where the core ties into the tank- but it requires a mangle job on the fins around it because you have to get a lot of it on the tank and the core, about 1/4” onto each one. It ends up making the tanks NOT REUSABLE when it comes time to recore.

I am at the point where I hate aluminum radiators. I see 1000 fold failed aluminum to copper. Go check the age of that radiator on the dozer…copper and still reliable. Any modern US military “go to war” vehicle REQUIRES copper. It’s a ‘buy once, cry once’ scenario that is always more reliable.

On aluminum cores- as much as everyone makes fun of them, plastic tanks on aluminum cores seem to be far more reliable than aluminum tanks on aluminum cores.

Seems to me, you must have asked God for more patience because He is giving you a few ways to get better at it.
 
I have to make a trip over to Sheridan Wyoming this coming Friday.
On the return I want to make an attempt at getting into the cabin, if the snow is not too deep, take a couple of nights in there.
I’m needing the truck so the OE type radiator will be getting installed.
If Chris can get the aluminum unit warranted then I will pay and have it thermal coated then leave it in the box and run it for a spare.
I have a big disliking for draining coolant, for some reason. Dont know why, maybe its due to the fact that no matter how much a person thinks they have the system quite well drained, it aint over until that lower radiator hose is pulled from its nipple, no matter how well the pan is placed under that hose there is at least a quart of coolant on the floor. I have got into the habit of placing the pan then loading the floor around with floor dry. That helps.
The big galvanized drain pan, no matter how careful, the liquid always flows down the side of the pan and misses the large opening in the pour spout container. That operation too is always performed on a bed of floor dry.
Between the front of the truck aand the working bench and tool box the space is very limited so that adds some to the difficulty. But, I am mighty grateful that I do have a heated space that the truck fits into so there is a mighty big form of gratitude to what I have been granted to use while I am here.
 
dbrannon79 said:
My first thought was since it's at the first few tubes, check the welding at the bracing that goes across between the tanks. wondering if that has also cracked allowing the core to flex.

where it's fins are damaged, I know it's real easy to damage them where it looks worse than it really is. the fins are very thin and flimsy and made that way for shedding heat better. it's also too easy to do that when removing or installing the fan blade and clutch. I've done that way too many times in the past!
Click to expand...
I've used cardboard to try and avoid that
 
BIGR said:
Yelp, cardboard is very nice to put down on concrete or dirt and be able to crawl around under the truck. Plus it catches fluid drips and spills. Once it gets too bad oil soaked I toss it in the wood boiler and burn it.
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I also use cardboard on the floor. Mostly because I'm too fat for a creeper!

I was referring to putting a piece of cardboard between the fan and the radiator, to avoid munging up fins.

I also started using the bottom of a large pet carrier. I don't know where it came from. We had it in the back of a Suburban for years. It took up the whole area behind the 3rd seat
Fit like it was made for it.

After the Suburban was gone it was sitting in the shop and I needed a drip catcher
 
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