I have radiator problems.

Must initial state that my grandpa had replaced the original radiator core with a 1928 Chev radiator core and soldered to Star grill holder and steel bottom bar with 2 studs to new core.

So there is solder everywhere.

Have developed a lead at bottom tank to core on outer edge... exactly where steel bar (with studs) wraps around the tank.

Radiator man was scared of touching old solder so..he used an expoxy that is used on aluminium radiators...., the radiator held 5 lbs pressure.

His patch fell off after 3 hours of vibration.

I redismantled and actualy hacksawed the steel bar around bottom (with studs) and removed the bar from the leaking corner so radiator man would have clearer view of problem corner.

The radiator man then tried soldering.. and said " OH ****" pretty quick and said he would only achieve getting the hole bigger with this process..

So he went back to putting more expoxy, the tank held 5 lbs pressure. And I "migged" the cut out part of steel bottom bar back into place.

After 3 hours of vibration... the new patch is still on , but leaking.......

THE QUESTION ;

What is the best material and process to patch this old radiator ???

POINT:
By leaning the radiator the right way.. (i.e. upright and listed to right) and by pouring something in the bottm hose hole would let that fluid (connoction..) that is poured, or dripped in there... would go directly to leakage point (4 inches from lower hose connection)

Is there something that could be used here, in this sense ???

Aprreciate all comments and help

Giu

Where Are You From? Peace river Alberta

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1926 Touring Model M

Boy, have I got a radiator fix for you and it works great down here in Arkansas!!!
Several years ago I had an opportunity to try to stop a water leak on a cracked cyl head on a John Deere "A" tractor. Not wanting to remove the head I opted for some leak repair pellets from the local GM dealer. Seems these pellets were used in many NEW GM cars right off the delivery truck to stop cooling system leaks.
Seems to work similar to the "BARS LEAK" brand.
Check the parts dept at your local Chevy dealer and ask for some "radiator pills" !!!

Where Are You From? Texarkana, Tex

hello....
my 1999 yukon 350 chevy engine has been unleaking since i used bars radiator sealer...for about 2 years so far.....manifold was leaking at gaskets...so i used BARS Rad sealer until i could afford to fix the gasket.....the stuff is good.....regards, gary k

Where Are You From? penna., usa

Hi Guy: Last year we need some serious rad repair work done, and I took it to Old-Autos advertiser EDJ Radiator Inc. in Frankford, Ont. This is a one-man shop operated by Don Graham. He is semi-retired from his former full-time rad repair business which was near Toronto. Now, he repairs radiators only for the antique-car hobby. Perhaps you could get the exact advice you need from him. He has several antiques himself, so he fully understands the requirements of old cars. He has professional specs on radiators of most older makes, including Durants. You can email him at edj.rad56@yahoo.ca

Where Are You From? Ottawa. Ont

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1929 Durant D-40 sedan

Can vouch for Dave's problems and took my rad to the same rad shop Dave used, who messed his up worse, before EDJ Rad fixed it correctly.
That same shop was going to send my rad to southern Ont to recore in the $2000 nieghbourhood. Too rich for my blood so brought it home and we looked at it. Nothing wrong with the core at all, just seam leaks on the tanks and one stubborn tube to upper tank, drivers side. Doesn't look like it was ever soldered to the tank, orig. Pressure tested it ourselves to be sure we got them all and I reinstalled the rad again. Not one leak until I put the rad cap on and it pulled the rad neck up. Cap should not touch the rad shell but I have a Mickey Mouse one off Ebay that matches the chromed hood strip. Turning the cap on the rad shell pulls the neck up, which started the stubborn tube leaking again. Just went downstairs to check what I used and sure enough Bars rad sealer. It works. Just have to figure out how to adjust the rad cap with something so it only touchs the neck and doesn't turn off with vibration.

Unc Gary you find the tools list yet ??? I noted in Terry's site while dealing with Thorsten over his 615 express Truck in Germany, Terry makes mention of a "tool kit; grease gun; and jack" as standard equipment for the truck. No mention of anything for 614 in Terrys notes.

Where Are You From? Ottawa Ont

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1932 614 sedan

Norm, fit a leather, plastic, or brass shim into the cap so it will bottom out on the radiator neck before it touches the shell.

Where Are You From? Texarkana, Tex

Hi Don
This is the cap. The hood strip matches right up with the detail on the cap. That's why I thought it was neat. Not easy to find anything with our neck top and and rad shell being the same height. Most cars the neck is above the shell. I am looking for another plain one to mount a griffin on, I got off ebay from BC, since the griffin is featured on Durant's crest.

I have already redrilled the two bolt holes 90 degrees from where where it was orig so the cap lines up. You can see I miscalculated and did 45 degrees first time round. Seemed right at the time after checking it a few times, but ... sigh. My latest was "borrowing" a milk crate and cutting a circle out of that to put under the fastening part to push it down. Not working so far. Only have so much tread as well to play with.

Where Are You From? Ottawa Ont

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1932 614 sedan

Whoops, I had in mind a threaded cap. A situation like this will require removing the radiator and shell from the car and see if you can reposition the radiator, within the shell, to give the necessary clearance for the cap.
It will either be extremely easy or a pain in the tail pipe!!
Sometimes the filler neck may have been pushed down into the top tank a bit and this will require building a fixture to hold the radiator and a puller device to pull up on the filler neck bringing it back into alignment.

Where Are You From? Texarkana, Tex

Ha ha .. Don all 30 - 32 Durant's / Frontenac's have same rad shell and flush neck. Nature of the beast. Fords and Chevs have the high necks, with screw or half twist caps depending on year, like the pre 30 D's with screw caps. That's why the fastening part has to hang below the cap. Side bars on rad, bolt to shell are fixed holes so no room for adjustment at all. No the neck is exactly where it should be.
What I did was put washers at bottom of the two bolts to push the fastening part further down, which then creats a very sloppy fastening in the opening of the neck. To offset this I used the milk crate ring between the orig round tin seal and the lugs that fasten into the opening. This gives me the thickness to snug the cap on but be higher than rad shell. Its about 3 / 16 inch or less needed, lugs in neck top to snug cap in place. Just have to put a thinking cap on to play with ideas, grin.

Like using TV cable wire wall fasters, folded in half to make two clamps on the intake maniford to hold the choke and throttle cables. Orig was two matching halves with bent grooves at ends with hole mid center for bolt that tightened and held the cables in place. Again only 30 - 33 vehicles. Neither Ken nor myself had these orig clamps so ad hocked it this way.

Norm

Where Are You From? Ottawa Ont

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1932 614 sedan