The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts 1972 chevy c50 radiator repair

Hello, I just had an issue with my truck getting a little warm when I hauled a load of woodchips down to our farm. I didnt notice it getting hot until I had already dumped the load and drove up our steep driveway hill in granny low for about 2000feet, and once I got to the top I noticed truck was getting hot so I shut it off and of coarse got even hotter and started hissing and noticed steam coming from the radiator. We have alot of hilly terrain down our way so it probably was pretty warm and that last 1st gear crawl up the hill crossed the line for the heat issue. So anyway these old radiators I assume can be brazed/soldered repaired, I'm just wondering what the best way to go about repairing my leak. I havnt yet removed radiator and found the exact culprit of the leak but it was steaming and leaking from a lower crossover tube I believe. I'm gonna get it removed and cleaned up as soon as I finish the stump grinding job I have going and get some pictures posted. But if anyone has recommendations of best radiator repair route I should go please let me know I want this fix to last. My truck has been a very reliable asset to me and I like to fix things properly to keep it that way.

Thanks,

Mike

Hi Mike, if the radiator is original style copper/brass it can be soft soldered, brazing will be too much heat for the very thin tubes and it will cause nearby solder to melt. Depending on what you find you may be able to repair it yourself, it might be too rotten and need to be re-cored, A new style aluminum radiator would be a good option for a hard working truck but may not find an exact replacement, I try to keep mine as stock as possible and it is doing fine with what I use it for.

DIYMechanic MIKe My 72 1-ton radiator was thin,local shop re-cored it,looked like a new one in about a year a tank seem leaked. To long to go back,so went to autozone got a new lifetime guarranteed radiator lasted till I sold the truck. Moral:: just get a brand new one that is guaranteed to you,now that wont be covered if you get a rock or a gouge someway. Aluminum might be a shot as 78 says. I once worked with a guy who was a re-core gooroo but he is long gone,he'd get it down in the floor melt those tanks out and put em in the new core. He had a 5 pound roll of solder,ruby fluid,torch with a feather about a foot long and real skill !!