Anyone repaired a radiator?

[jrobinson5093]

Mine leaked around the same spot around a year ago. I used jb to fix it. it lasted a few months, until I pulled the radiator out to have it fixed. I let a man here at the ford dealer im a tech at tell me he could fix it. I let him try. Very bad mistake. He burned all the solder out of the radiator and burn a big hole in the tank. He did this while I was out. I took it to the radiator shop $275 to fix it.

 

[o1951]

The place Artisan showed was out of buisness, But my in-law lives close and commutes to Va every day and stopped at Roy's Radiators on 460 and they quoted $85 for a good cleaning and fixing any problems. So it's come out and go to them next weekend!

Good move - they rod it out and clean air side, so your cooling capacity goes back to 100%. No overheat on long hill in NC summer. AND they PRESSURE test it when done, so you don't wind up draining and taking it out twice, when you find another leak. In my opinion, $85. well spent.

 

[Ford Mechanic]

What kind of hose are you supposed to use for the upper rad. hose? When I did alot of work to it recently I replaced the one that was on it with a very heavy duty, stiff hose. I'm wondering if that's what actually caused my leak, not enough flex for the hot to cold temp change.

 

[doghead]

The original is a stiff straight hose.

 

[Ford Mechanic]

The original is a stiff straight hose.

Well it must have been weak. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[jarhead1086]

I took my M35 radiator to a shop and they said it was too far gone to try fixing. I took it to the recycler and got $75 for it to put toward a new one. My 923 I just picked up said it had a leak on the last maintenance paperwork when I picked it up from GL. I drove it 500 miles, stopping and checking often, before I noticed it starting to leak. Looks like I will have to pull it and get it fixed before I finish the last leg of my trip home because its a good size leak now. I am amazed either leaked so soon, the Deuce only had 9000 miles and the 923 only has 4500.

 

[o1951]

You could put some radiator stopleak in to get you home, and then flush it out. I do not believe in leaving stopleak in the system.