Restoring Rusty

[Gregski]

So this $273 Northern aluminum radiator I bought on Amazon exactly 1 year ago just made it one year and sprung a leak. So a leak after 10,000 miles, lame

leaks about 1/2 a gallon a day

[Ratman74]

Sorry to see that, but I feel your pain. I bought one from LMC a couple years ago for my '78 and had the same thing happen. I returned it and bought one from NAPA (not aluminum). That was 7 or 8 years ago and no problems.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by Ratman74

Sorry to see that, but I feel your pain. I bought one from LMC a couple years ago for my '78 and had the same thing happen. I returned it and bought one from NAPA (not aluminum). That was 7 or 8 years ago and no problems.

thank you for your feedback, that is great news, can you share more info, did you buy one of them plastic/aluminum ones, or a full metal one? how many rows? do you drive a V8 etc.

[Gregski]

so took the original brass/copper radiator for a drive the other day to Sacramento Radiator Service shop, they said it would cost more money to get it re cored than to just buy a new one for $369 bucks, they also offered a cheap new replacement for $139

man that was too rich for my blood especially around this time of year (ie Christmas) so I drove over to another shop for a second opinion and just for the heck of it, at Ideal Radiator (the owner is 90 years old by the way and has done this for a long time) so the younger lady running the front office was super nice and explained everything that was wrong with my old rad and also confirmed a rebuild would be over $400 so I ended up buying a cheap plastic and aluminum one from her for $114 a RadCool brand?, I figured at that price I can take my chances and or buy myself some time, she convinced me if I change the radiator cap once a year this one will last me a long time, we shall see....

we will be installing this one tomorrow on Saturday, pics to follow

[SkinnyG]

I had my original rad re-cored locally with a high-density 4-row core a couple years ago. It was as pricey as your quotes, but it's holding dandy.

As an aside - I fabricated an all-aluminum radiator using a good core that had a cracked plastic tank, and I made my own tanks and spigots and all that. Careful TIG welding, pressure-tested, and it's holding up fine so far (not for my truck - for my V8 Chevy Sprint).

If you can find the leak, and know someone with TIG, you could probably repair the rad. The cheap rad will at least get you going.

[Matt Man]

I had the same dilemma when I did my motor swap. I took my old harrison radiator to a couple of shops to have it re cored 450$ no thank you... I bought a cheapo aluminum one off summit and it has been fine no leaks and holds up in 110+ heat out here.

[Ratman74]

I will have to give some specs when I get back home. I know it is a 4 core has plastic end tanks.

[Gregski]

man I gotta admit it was difficult getting motivated to work on the truck today, first of all it was the windiest day of the year, second, you all know how much we all love having to redo things we have already done, but hey it's Hot Roddin

so lets get acquainted with our new cheap radiator aka Mr. Cool, ... Rad Cool.

[Gregski]

and a bit closer and personal

well in all fairness the fitment was spot on, everything lined up, and installation was a breeze, only single knuckle damage!

[Gregski]

I did pressure test the bad aluminum one first before yanking it out, and I could not pump it up beyond 10 PSI (I was shootin' for 15 PSI as that's what the caps be rated at) anyway as soon as I would stop pumpin' the needle would head south, so in other words it would not hold pressure worth beans

[Gregski]

and the mandatory Stare & Compare

1. Original (lasted over 40 years, we think) I liked this one because it came without automatic transmission nipples ~ Smooth!

2. Aluminum $275 (lasted a year) I had to make sure they shipped me one without the automatic transmission nipples - Sa Mooth!

3. Cheap $114 (what do you expect, came with the ugly automatic transmission nipples, lol)

[Gregski]

just wanted to share some valuable follow up on the radiator leak issue with you all, so the next day after installing the new plastic radiator and driving it around for a bit I go to do a pressure test, and as soon as I reach 10 PSI I hear a hissing sound and see a tiny drizzle from the upper radiator hose at the filler on the radiator (driver side), ok, time to tighten my fancy shmancy T-bolt style clamp, I didn't Gorilla it originally as the rad has a plastic filler tube, didn't wanna crack it, so now I tighten it a bit more and repeat the pressure test, and it still leaks - gosh darn it I think, here we go again where I fall for the Form Over Function look, and it bites me as always

So I replace the fancy T-bolt style clamp with the cheap Hand Slicer type, and tighten it just a tiny bit snug, and start the pressure test again, 5 PSI... good, 10 PSI... good, and then all of a sudden I hear another hiss and hear coolant hitting the ground, what in the world is going on?

Well now the bottom fancy T-bolt on the passenger side Outlet is leaking, so I try and tighten that one a bit more snug, and repeat the test, and as soon as I get past 10 PSI it hisses back at me still and drizzles out some more fluid on the ground

Man, I go into my cheap Hand Slicer Hose Clamp (HSHC) stash and pull out another ugly / sharp dime a dozen hose clamp and replace that shinny T-bolt one with it, snag it up just a bit and repeat the pressure test again, 5 PSI... good, 10 PSI... good, 15 PSI still good

So there you have it gents, one defective T-bolt I can live with, but both doing the same thing and in the same spot of the T-bolt, right under where there actual bolt goes, tells me it's just a poor design or a defective batch of clamps

thought it was worth sharing, I also strongly stress you all investing in a Radiator Pressure Test kit, cause you know finding those leaks without one would have been tough and perhaps dangerous, if you was to go looking around a steaming hot radiator with naturally built up pressure

[rusty76]

That’s crazy how they both were defective.

[Sik66]

Soooo......was the reason for the leak in the full alloy one from those clamps?....or cracked tube/tank?

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by Sik66

Soooo......was the reason for the leak in the full alloy one from those clamps?....or cracked tube/tank?

Great minds think alike, I had that same thought, and must test the aluminum radiator now outside the truck, hope I didn't make a $275 mistake, ha ha,

for the record I did pressure test the aluminum radiator before yanking it out and I did not hear any hissing from the rubber hoses nor see any leakage

... but first, guests, and Christmas, and stuff

[hatzie]

Breeze-Liner Breeze 9420 Aero-Seal Liner Clamps fit 13/16" to 1-3/4". They cost around $15 for 10. Never bought onesies.
I use Breeze clamps sized for 2" OD rad hoses down to around 5/8" OD heater hoses on farm and construction machinery.
Unlike Ideal clamps the worm drive screw and slots can take proper torque without stripping the worm screw or tearing the worm housing off the clamp. The Breeze-liner clamps also have that thin liner tang that extends around the inside of the band past the worm slots to keep the hose from extruding through the clamp and loosening up. They aren't much more than the cheap Ideal stainless worm clamps.

[Gregski]

well the sun came out allowing me to test the aluminum radiator

I gotta tell you these expandable rubber freeze plugs if you will are indespensible for this type of testing

[Gregski]

and here is our Free Range Radiator Pressure Testing Facility FRRPTF

well no need to tell you, bubbles aint good, it leaks where the core meets the tank, but at least we did not buy a new(er) radiator for nothing

FYI - non of my local radiator shops say they weld aluminum, so if you were going to make that recommendation I am a bit dissapointed to let you know that

[SkinnyG]

Originally Posted by Gregski

FYI - non of my local radiator shops say they weld aluminum, so if you were going to make that recommendation I am a bit dissapointed to let you know that

Try a welding shop?

[rusty76]

In HVAC industry aluminum coils are hard to fix. Surely you could get it fixed but I have no ideas where to start.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by SkinnyG

Try a welding shop?

Thanks for the idea, I did and they would only TIG weld it if they could see / get at the crack easily, in this case it looks like the tank would have to come off, so I am up a creek paddle no!

No sweat boys, on to the next episode.

[HunterRotten]

I got a mishimoto for mine, quality stuff with a lifetime warranty. just a thought for those of you browsing or for you, gregski.

[SkinnyG]

How about TIG weld in a tube - JB Weld!

Maybe you can fix it - you have nothing to lose. I mean, it's broken - you can't make it brokener.

[Gregski]

So it's been a year and just over 13,000 miles since Rusty became my daily driver. And over that time I put up with some noises and leaks, but it got me to work when I needed it. And allthough the car runs super strong and is tuned nearly to perfection, (second pic, lol) it's not all roses, champaign, and caviar.

[Gregski]

For those of you who have cured your insomnia by reading or attempting to read this entire thread, you will recall that we did rebuild this engine about 18 months ago, but there was no professional machining done to it, it was all blood sweat and beers in my own garage.

Having said that, I have performed a couple oil changes on it over the last year, and whilst checking the oil level a couple weeks ago I noticed this.

As my old co worker used to say, FEW PROBLEMS NOTHING MINOR!!!