Welding Aluminum Radiator

[TurboStreetCar]

Anyone ever weld on an aluminum radiator? Im fed up with the terrible petcock on the Mishimoto radiator i have. I bought a 1/4NPT bung and a regular brass petcock and i want to weld the bung to the bottom of the radiator, but then i started thinking about the construction of the radiator.

Anyone know how the main tubes are held into the end tanks? Are they brazed or soldered somehow? Or is everything pressed or welded? Welding the bung into the end tank seems to be the easy part, but im concerned that putting that much heat into the end tank would possibly melt the solder or brazing that seals the center tubes. This would be disastrous and id imagine i would need to buy a new radiator if that ended up happening. I figured id see if anyone else has any insight before i potentially destroy my radiator.

Thanks,
Dan

 

[Rollus]

I did weld a PS serpentine on a Renault. It hold great for years.

I don't know the English name of the process, here is a video :
http://youtu.be/Aad8IrXnUek

 

[TurboStreetCar]

Well with the stress of heating and cooling of a radiator I'd rather TIG weld the bung to the end tank. I don't know if I would trust that durafix stuff.

 

[Rollus]

It was for the process, called brasage in french. Same process as usedby domestic plumbers..

But by experience, I already repaired leaks using this process, and it was durable.
I never weld a bung by the way on aluminium, so I can't tell.

Envoyé depuis mon GT-N7100 avec Tapatalk

 

[IJ.]

It was for the process, called brasage in french. Same process as usedby domestic plumbers..

But by experience, I already repaired leaks using this process, and it was durable.
I never weld a bung by the way on aluminium, so I can't tell.

Envoyé depuis mon GT-N7100 avec Tapatalk

"Brazing"

 

[Rollus]

"Brazing"

Thanks

 

[IJ.]

Thanks

Welcome, a lot of words are close

 

[Mr Bojangles]

My roomate tig welded AN fittings on his radiator to get rid of the standard hose, he had no issues with it but he is pretty skilled.

 

[figgie]

TiG welding is the ONLY way to weld Aluminum. Otherwise you get a nice coating of Al Oxide that works as good as a tub of Crisco at holding stuff.

 

[fromgehenna]

TiG welding is the ONLY way to weld Aluminum. Otherwise you get a nice coating of Al Oxide that works as good as a tub of Crisco at holding stuff.

Don't wanna be pedantic (nitpicker) BUT TiG welding is NOT the ONLY way to weld aluminum. You can also weld aluminum by using MIG and MMA welding. :biglaugh:

But to the matter at hand...... there should be no issues welding the radiator. Just take it to some welder and let him do it.

 

[TurboStreetCar]

I have a Tig and am fully capable of welding the bung, like I said that's easy. The worry is the construction of the core. Whether the amount of heat applied to the end tank in the process of welding the bung will have any effect on the structural integrity of the core to maintain the seal of the tubes.

Mr Bojangles: what brand radiator was that?

 

[bad88mk3]

I wouldn't worry much about welding it the end tanks should be welded to the core so just welding a bung on shouldn't cause any leaks in my opinion.

 

[TurboStreetCar]

Im just not sure if the end tanks are welded up and then after being welded and cooled, soldered/brazed/pressed onto the core tubes. I really know nothing about how there constructed and its hard to tell by looking at it. I cant imagine the tubes are all individually welded to the endplate thats welded to the end tank.

The last thing i want to do it weld the bung in and look at the bottom of the end tank and all the solder is in a puddle on the floor. Haha

 

[bad88mk3]

I would say the core tubes are pressed and then the end tanks are welded on after that so welding it should not cause any leaks or it would have when they made the radiator by welding the end tanks on after since that would be one of the final stages of building the radiator.

 

[Mr Bojangles]

Mr Bojangles: what brand radiator was that?

It's a PWR

 

[TurboStreetCar]

Just got off the phone with mishimoto, they said its fully welded/brazzed and shouldn't have a problem welding a bung onto the end tank.

 

[bad88mk3]

Just got off the phone with mishimoto, they said its fully welded/brazzed and shouldn't have a problem welding a bung onto the end tank.

I would say the core tubes are pressed and then the end tanks are welded on after that so welding it should not cause any leaks or it would have when they made the radiator by welding the end tanks on after since that would be one of the final stages of building the radiator.sounds like what i said

 

[Bogwon]

I'm sure you know this but if your bung isn't aluminum the only option is brazing as far as I know... short of explosion welding anyway.

 

[TurboStreetCar]

Aluminum Bung. Again I have a Tig and know how to use it

 

[TurboStreetCar]

Yay! No more shitty dran bolt that gets more coolant on my driveway than in the bucket

Petcock installed. Doesnt seem to have any leaks with a quick test of 2 liters straight water. Well see how it goes when i fill it up with 50/50. Hope its good though.