Does anyone know how to repair a radiator?

[sean-1]

The oil cooling radiator on one of my compressors has sprung a leak! The rad is a bigun measuring about 3' by 4' so I dont want to replace it as it would cost as much as the compressor did. It is ally construction and the leak is coming from the join of the top manifold section and one of the vertical bars.

Any ideas how to stop the leak as its losing about a pint of oil an hour.

 

[Robotstar5]

Would a radiator repair company be able to help? I've used Readyrads in Birmingham

 

[Shox Dr]

With all that oil, been almost impossible to get rid of totally, so as to make welding easy/possible. I would try Belzona or Devcom, metal putty

 

[sean-1]

Thanks for the quick responses guys. Were would I be able to find a local stockist of belzona (had a look on there website and am very inpressed by the putty).

 

[brightspark]

all the devcon products can be bought from cromwell tools

 

[Shox Dr]

I'd be sat down when you do get a price, as it's far from cheap. if you were close by I'd mix you up a bit, as a little goes a long way.

As an example, I holed our lasses car sump, not wanting to go the the bother of welding it up, I used some Belzona. 4 yrs later, and it's still holding

 

[brightspark]

I'd be sat down when you do get a price, as it's far from cheap. if you were close by I'd mix you up a bit, as a little goes a long way.

As an example, I holed our lasses car sump, not wanting to go the the bother of welding it up, I used some Belzona. 4 yrs later, and it's still holding

at about 35 quid a pop its expensive but it realy is the buisness

 

[awemawson]

I got some Devcon aluminim putty (twin pack - one smells of ammonia) back in 1974 and although I used a fair amount of it then, the pack sat in my workshop until 2005 and still (amazingly) bonded and set then just as originally. Quality kit.

 

[john224]

LIQUID METAL /PUTTY ,,, FROM MOST CAR PARTS SHOPS,,,, about £7

 

[madkayaker]

B&Q do a few different ones and i have found they work fine. used some of there 1pack putty to rebuild a warn bit on a shaft (lawn mower wheels) and it stud up to machineing well

 

[Shox Dr]

All these cheaper alternatives are OK, but if you want to do the job once, and only once I would suggest Belzona.

 

[oggy]

I use a sealant thats over £100 a tube & will hold pressure to over 200psi.
Id pressure test it first as hot oil will find its way out of the smallest hole.

 

[stuvy]

kempston rads in bedford are really good http://www.kempstonradiators.com/

 

[sean-1]

Thanks everyone for your help on this. I sorted it out today!!!! The rad is ally in construction so I cut a a window top and bottom so I could get my fingers inside, packed the leaking tube with devcon ally putty then tigged the plates that i cut out back on. Pressure tested this afternoon and jobs a good un'.

Sean

 

[graffian]

Thanks everyone for your help on this. I sorted it out today!!!! The rad is ally in construction so I cut a a window top and bottom so I could get my fingers inside, packed the leaking tube with devcon ally putty then tigged the plates that i cut out back on. Pressure tested this afternoon and jobs a good un'.

Sean

why didn't you try welding the tube?

 

[Shox Dr]

why didn't you try welding the tube?

Likely because it's about 0.4mm (Don't ask how I know)

 

[graffian]

Likely because it's about 0.4mm (Don't ask how I know)

I have repaired a few alluminium rads n coolers.

 

[Shox Dr]

I don't doubt you have. But it's is a very high learning curve, if the leak was on one of the tubes.

I repaired a Condensing unit for compressor a while back. Thinking I could use the TIG set at it's lowest setting of 5amps. As soon as I touched the trigger BANG, and there was a bigger hole In the end a managed to do it, but then I had plenty of time, and by the sounds of it he needed it up and running pronto.

The best way is not always the easiest nor the fastest