VetteZr

Does anyone know who does aluminum radiator repairs, preferably in the north Myrtle Beach, SC area but will consider any recommendations, thanks. I can't even find a regular radiator repair shop here, I am trying to have it checked first & if it needs a repair to have it done.
Don

cbernhardt

They are not very close to you, but you might try TAPP Inc. (http://www.tappinc.net/). They build custom aluminum radiators. They built two radiators for me and they do nice work. Don't know if they would repair someone else's radiator, but might be worth a call. They are located in Sophia, NC.
Phone:1-866-213-2239
e-mail: sales@tappinc.net

Charles

VetteZr

Thanks Charles, I'll check them out.

John McGraw

If it is an original style stacked-plate Harrison style radiator, they are pretty much unrepairable. If one springs a leak, you will probably open up a huge can of worms even trying to Tig weld on it. If it has one hole leaking, it has dozens that are just about ready to spring a leak.


Regards, John McGraw

rich5962

What exactly is the problem with it? Where exactly is it leaking?

John, myself, and dozens of others here have tried to get original radiators repaired......

All of us have tried it. All of us have failed.

It's really hard for me to give up trying to repair something. I always try to repair versus replace. But this is the one thing I finally realized that cannot be repaired, no matter what.

Rich

wonderful

Repairing aluminium radiators is a crap shoot. Aluminium radiators corrode from the inside out. Once one hole is welded shut, another one will poke through eventually. Best to buy a new one or a copper radiator.
I tried repairing aluminium radiators with no success.

Donny Brass

I had great luck fixing a pinhole leak with a melt on epoxy for radiators

C2Jeff

Back in the 60s when I owned a '64 vert, my aluminum radiator had a leak in the upper right corner and my clever mechanic took the radiator out, laid it flat and poured fiberglass resin just in that corner. Once it set up and got hard, the leak stopped and the radiator worked just fine afterward.

VetteZr

Hi Rich,
Thanks for your input, there are no leaks that I am aware of, but the radiator has sat on a shelf in a climate controlled garage for many years. Years back when I lived in Philly, we used to take them to a local guy who did make good quality repairs to aluminum radiators, but it seems like all of these type of shops have gone the way of the dodo (I can't even find a chrome shop locally). The guy that Charles recommended says that they will test the radiator & depending if there are any leaks & if so how bad they are, it may be repairable and the price to test it is reasonable.
Don

rich5962

Don, Sorry, I have bad news.....

Because it was stored dry, that is bad. I found out from Tom Dewitt years ago when I had my dry stored rad tested and pinholes appeared everywhere. $90 for the used date-coded for my '62 rad at a swap meet, $50 for repairs, then more showed up. I gave up after $140 wasted and hung on it the wall in the garage and bought a new one.

The original Harrison rads were heat-stacked in a salt based environment. If the rad is filled with anti-corrosive liquid, ie anti-freeze/coolant, they will last a very long time. If left in the open air for years, it's history. Even a NOS in the box Harrison will leak.

Call Tom if you'd like, or he may show up here when his name pops up.

Rich

hedgehead

Don't throw money at it, use it on a new one.

0Tom@Dewitt

Like a bald tire, there is nothing you can do but replaace it. Epoxy can plug holes but the effectiveness of a 50 year old radiator is just not there any more

VetteZr

Thanks to those who have replied, I still have a replacement brass unit that I bought in Carlisle (just in case) I honestly appreciate the input from everyone.

JohnZ

Hope you're not considering that one as your long-term fix.

VetteZr

You missed the "just in case" as in just in case I can't find an immediate solution!