Welds onto a radiator

[Biggo]

Hi all,

Ive got an N13 pulsar radiator im modding to fit my rolla. Ive knocked the bottom rail (not end tank) off so i could cut it to fit my lower mount on the car. My question is now that ive got it to fit how do i connect it back to the radiator? It looked soldered? when i knocked it off the end tanks. Can i MIG weld it back on, im worried it might get too hot and burn a hole thru the tanks.

Any suggestion are welcome and thanks in advance.

[blacksmoke_mkII]

Hey

That is really a question of how well you can mig weld. Well providing that the radiator can be welded with a mig. ie. is it just steel. If it's an alloy of some sort you wont' be able to mig it.
Other than that, just keep the heat down on the mig, and if your not very experienced i would't really recommend using a radiator to learn on. If you have your own mig, try gettin some scrap steel about the same thickness and practice for a few hours on it. Biggest tip that sooooo many people seem to overlook: CLEAN UP YOUR STEEL BEFORE WELDING.. i.e. does rust/paint conduct electricity???? NO!!! what is the main principle behind welding???? Electricity.
so just knock the paint off a bit with a grinder, not too much, you don't want to take too much steel out.
But anyhow, i don't know what you're like at welding, i could just be patronising you. Sorry if that's the case. However there are so many people that say "mig welding is easy, you just pull the trigger".... yet their welds look like birdcrap and couldn't hold as well as chewing gum.
But that's enough welding lesson..
Good luck with it

[oldcorollas]

silversoldered perhaps? or brazed?
radiator shop _should_ do it for cheap at lunchtime (but probably won't as they all suck...)

[Biggo]

Thanks for the replies. Yes indeedy, i admit im not the best welder but ive got the old radiator as well and i was intending to rip some mounts off it to go on the new one. So it looks like ive got myself the best base to practice on! As it stands i wasnt sure if it was possible to mig a steel radiator cos id imagine they'd be pretty thin. Radiator shop sounds good but i dont trust em as they quoted me $316.50 for recor the other day!!!!

[rolla20]

hey dude i had a threaded hole for a thermo fan sensor totally welded up the other day by a shop , they charged me $60 if that would help u with ur problem for ruffly how much they may charge may charge for u.

[YelloRolla]

they are generally just soft soldered on (I am unsure which alloy solder they use). Don't attempt to mig it on and like has been said, just get a radiator shop to do it.

[Biggo]

Ahh, i see dude. I was goona ring up the radiator shoop and ask em how they do it. Ive got some silver solder in the shed, but im insure if it sticks to steel. But yair looks like my best bet is just take the git to the shop.

Thanks all for your replies.

[Hen]

Best to work out what material the dtuff is first: Alloy, brass or steel.

If it's brass try silver soldering/brazing it yourself (don't try and MIG). With a little practice it isn't too hard.

I am yet to find a radiator place that isn't grumpy and expensive, so I'd not be a fan of getting them to do it.

Hen

[45aken]

as said before, normally they use brazing, even for alloy.

and 'hard' welding (tig,mig,stick) unless the tig is incredibly low will probably burn through.

have you tried making up a bracket that doesnt require welding?

[YelloRolla]

45aken, are you sure that you're not confusing silver solder with brazing?

In my experience they use either (a) silver solder with 5% silver (looks a bit like a brazing rod) (b) soft solder - I am unsure of tin alloy that they use (I would use 70/30).

The brackets on the stock early Celica and Corolla's are the latter.

[45aken]

to be honest i am not 100% sure mate, i was told by my mate at the local 'speed shop' that any radiator place would be able to braze it on??

it's up to them what they do though, as long as it works it's all good. i would highly suggest making a like a U shaped bracket to hold in in though. think outside the square

[Biggo]

Lol i know what u mean 45arken, but this is actually a strucual part of the radiator ie it holds the fins in and stops them being crushed. That said ive just been informed that they are soldered on so it looks like oldcorollas and hen were right again.

Ill go dump it off tomorow at the radiator shop to save me the hassel of burning thru the tanks. BTW silver solder is expensive isnt it? Dads got a couple of hundred sticks lying round in the shed lol. I think there somewhere around 7% and used on copper. I wonder if it works on steel?

[YelloRolla]

stops them being crushed. That said ive just been informed that they are soldered on so it looks like oldcorollas and hen were right again.

Wasn't I right? ****all emo and sobbing in the corner****

they are generally just soft soldered on (I am unsure which alloy solder they use)

Yes 45% Silver soldering rod = Strong shit and bloody exxy ($10/stick). This is what your carbide tips on saw blades are held on with. I also doesn't melt 'til its nearly glowing red. I use this shit all the time.

The 7% stuff that your dad has is a bit cheaper. They do work on steel as long as the flux and prep are right.