tractor radiator

[silosounds]

I have a 1959 massey m#69 that has a small leak in the top corner it looks like its had a number of compitent fixes over the years in the same spot not wanting to pull the thing out and get it fixed right by boiling and re soldering is there a quik fix other than additives to fix this has anyone ever tried to solder in place if so how do you keep the coolent from following the heat out the hole and causing the lead to not flow Is there a liquid solder that can take the heat. or epoxy? Terry in ks.

[agmantoo]

You must drain the radiator to a point below where the repair is to be made. You will need to cleanse the area thoroughly to bright metal (no oxide) and using acid core solder and good flux the radiator should be solderable.

[silosounds]

I did drain the radiator empty but the problem ive been having is the residue inside the radiator is seeping out the hole when i heat it up and then contaminate the area that i cleaned with 40 percent meratic acid to a clean shiney brass and then the solder that is acid core wont flow it just balls up and doesnt stick

[Ross]

I'd try to presurize the rad with an aircompresor and blow whatever coolant is near the hole out. Just use a damp rag to fill the hole with the blow gun at the rad cap (you don't want a perfect seal!) and push in air until the hole stops blowing coolant out.

[agmantoo]

If the solder is just balling up then the radiator material in the area of the fix is not hot enough!

[John Hill]

Errr, be careful pressuring the radiator, they can only take so much!


I suspect the crud from inside comes out because there is still moisture on the inside, you might be able to stop that by sustained heating with your hot air gun or something, you want to have the area hot enough to speed drying without melting any solder, once crud stops coming out clean up the area and try soldering.

Sucessful soldering will require a REALLY BIG copper soldering bolt. Maybe a skilled person could do it with a flame but I certainly could not.

[silosounds]

I have been using a turbo torch with map gas that i used to plumb our house i got the area so hot that it started to melt the other solder on the other side of the radiater havent tried pressure or soldering bolt because the tracter is about 1/2 mile out in the field no ac volts but i can use a air tank and try my inverter
ive been wanting to try I do have a electic solding iron the head on it is about 1" by 2 1/2" is this large enough?

[John Hill]

That sounds like a reasonable size soldering iron, you can use your flame to heat the area around the work and just use the iron for that final bit of local heating needed to get the solder to flow.