Repairing the radiator

[endurocross]

Hello guys and gals ,

So i just fissured my left radiator , and asked a few handle of people ,  50% of them told me to go to  a welder , 50% of them told me to buy some kind of "aluminium sand" and fill the radiator and it would fill up the hole .

Close to me there are only general-type welders  .

Further away there are professional automotive welders too .

I guess the answer is pretty simple .. the professional automotive welders , but they are much further away. While the "home" welders may do it in the same day .

What experience do you have with general-type welders , are they good ? or should I pay more , wait more , but be sure of what I get  ? 

Mehor salutis

Edited August 16, 2017 by endurocross

[DEATH_INC.]

Go to someone that does radiators. I've tried welding them....they are crazy thin. It wasn't pretty.

I guess you could try 'Devcon' or something similar if you're desperate.

[Red800rider]

aluminum radiator for Honda CRF450R/CRF 450 R 2009-2012 2010 2011 | eBay
http://m.ebay.com/itm/aluminum-radiator-for-Honda-CRF450R-CRF-450-R-2009-2012-2010-2011-/282108269953?fits=Model%3ACRF450R&hash=item41aef69581%3Ag%3Ab-gAAMXQLw1R3qtm&_trkparms=pageci%253A8e45a069-827d-11e7-aed4-74dbd1800d7b%257Cparentrq%253Aeafeace015d0a9c53744ff34fffda7d3%257Ciid%253A15

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using ThumperTalk mobile app

[MaybeMe]

37 minutes ago, Red800rider said:

aluminum radiator for Honda CRF450R/CRF 450 R 2009-2012 2010 2011 | eBay
http://m.ebay.com/itm/aluminum-radiator-for-Honda-CRF450R-CRF-450-R-2009-2012-2010-2011-/282108269953?fits=Model%3ACRF450R&hash=item41aef69581%3Ag%3Ab-gAAMXQLw1R3qtm&_trkparms=pageci%253A8e45a069-827d-11e7-aed4-74dbd1800d7b%257Cparentrq%253Aeafeace015d0a9c53744ff34fffda7d3%257Ciid%253A15

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using ThumperTalk mobile app
 

This. Radiators are cheap as hell from China and they are 9/10 good and no issues.

[Motox367]

How bad does it leak?

[tchetek]

I've used jb weld to patch a hole in the rad from my rzr as a temporary repair. I just cleaned up the mess around the hole cleared the fins then jb away. This was on a hole punched from a bumper bolt.


It worked great. No issues. Still didn't install the replacement yet a year later.

[slowmoto]

https://www.diymotofix.com/blog/how-do-you-fix-a-radiator-leak-on-a-dirt-bike

[endurocross]

1 hour ago, Motox367 said:

How bad does it leak?

in 20 minutes it will leak all the water

[Motox367]

21 minutes ago, endurocross said:

in 20 minutes it will leak all the water

Put half of tube of barsleak power in when cold and bet it's fixed. 

[wielywilly-g]

47 minutes ago, Motox367 said:

Put half of tube of barsleak power in when cold and bet it's fixed. 

Won't that stuff plug the tiny passages, causing overheating?  At least it won't leak any more.

[Motox367]

7 minutes ago, wielywilly-g said:

Won't that stuff plug the tiny passages, causing overheating?  At least it won't leak any more.

I used it before with no problems.  Don't have to use that much 

[William1]

NEVER use any additive to 'fix a leak'.

JB weld does work, as do some aluminum specific epoxies, the trick being proper surface preparation. Though I'd only consider it a temporary fix and would source a replacement radiator (or a pro radiator welder - like Mylers)  anyway.

[tchetek]

Still say jb weld. Nothing goes inside. Repair is good than keep it as back up if you replace it.

[chickenboy1347]

Had the same issue after a nasty wreck, took it to a radiator shop for the repair. $75 to patch the hole and straighten it, still looked like crap after it was fixed but you can only bend them so far without doing more damage. Ended up spending $80 on a new set anyways. Highly recommend replacing them, radiators are cheaper than a new engine. I wouldn't even risk having them repaired honestly. 

[CDNSXV]

MYLERS RADIATORS.

The only option worth discussing.

Edited August 17, 2017 by CDNSXV

[The Inquisitor]

15 hours ago, endurocross said:

Hello guys and gals ,

So i just fissured my left radiator , and asked a few handle of people ,  50% of them told me to go to  a welder , 50% of them told me to buy some kind of "aluminium sand" and fill the radiator and it would fill up the hole .

Close to me there are only general-type welders  .

Further away there are professional automotive welders too .

I guess the answer is pretty simple .. the professional automotive welders , but they are much further away. While the "home" welders may do it in the same day .

What experience do you have with general-type welders , are they good ? or should I pay more , wait more , but be sure of what I get  ? 

Mehor salutis

What is the make/model/year of the bike and post a picture if you can.

I destroyed  a rad on my 250R not running rad guards/braces and bought a pair of GPI oversized rads for like $80 and IMO are very well made and worth the $$$. The $$$ I saved, I bought guards/braces.

Otherwise if you know it would be fixed correctly the first time, pay more and wait.

 

 

 

[Kawabuggy]

I 2nd what William said above-NEVER put anything into the coolant in an attempt to fill the hole. It *might* work, or it might plug up cooling passages in the motor and fry the engine. It's not worth the gamble.

I've used a product similar to JB weld that was a 2 part epoxy. I got it at Auto Zone. The label said it was "gas tank repair". I wrecked and bent a radiator and while trying to straighten it out I hit one of the nipples on the bench hard enough that it began to pull out of the radiator. I used the 2 part epoxy just so I could ride that weekend. I ordered new radiators, but still have them in the box as I never installed them. The leak is still holding today. That was several years ago. You can't see it unless you are looking for it and honestly I think that radiator is stronger now than before the repair.

[lakeportmike]

I've used jb weld to fix radiators for many years without any problems at all....as mentioned, surface prep is the key. I've never had to buy a new radiator...the stuff works!

[FlyingDirtrider]

15 hours ago, CDNSXV said:

MYLERS RADIATORS.

I second that!
I've had 2 different sets done by them awhile back and they both came back looking new!

They can't fix a seriously smashed up one, but if you've got a small puncture or pinch weld failure from a mild crash, they should be able to do it no problem!

Comparable to buying new cost wise, but you know you're getting the exact same radiator back.
VS a sketchy Chinese made one that may or may not fit correctly.

https://mylers-radiators.myshopify.com

[wielywilly-g]

20 minutes ago, Michael Cahill said:

I second that!
I've had 2 different sets done by them awhile back and they both came back looking new!

They can't fix a seriously smashed up one, but if you've got a small puncture or pinch weld failure from a mild crash, they should be able to do it no problem!

Comparable to buying new cost wise, but you know you're getting the exact same radiator back.
VS a sketchy Chinese made one that may or may not fit correctly.

https://mylers-radiators.myshopify.com

I can verify I had trouble with 1 set of GPI radiators from a USA seller on ebay. The left side came with the mounting plate welded to the radiator upside down, so the mounting holes were 3" too low.  It took tons of emails and pictures to get them to send one that was right. Well, it came from china and I got charged a $22 duty fee a month afterwards by DHL..(That should be illegal dealing with a CA company on ebay to get a late hidden duty charge). So I had to fight the seller to reimburse the duty. He finally sent it paypal, but charged the paypal fee to me. So the fight over the $2 paypal fee ensued. Nightmare!!  Would I do it again for an $82 set of radiators? No!  ...but the radiators are good and still in use.