Picked up a walker radiator on the cheap as it leaked . Removed the electric fan and found the previous owner had run the screws thru the outside row of tube on both sides , before I go on a quest to find a repair shop that deals in fixing copper rads ,think it can be done ???
I just took in a copper heater core for a Vette that was leaking on an inside row. He told me that if it had a leak on the outer row, he could easily remove that row and saved the core, for $90. Instead, I had to have a complete new core built, with 2 1/2" thick material for $390. Bob
Sounds like a good fix ,still cant believe they screwed thru the core !!! Figuired for 100.00 I would find a way to get it repaired .
That is an OLD Walker. The way I understand it, the shop (if you can find one) will just solder the top and bottom of the pierced tubes closed. Then put the tanks back on. Tiny loss of capacity, but should still work fine.
You need to remove the top and bottom tanks and then plug the ends of the offending tubes. This is a common practice when radiators are recored since that is the area of greatest stress anyhow. If the rad is in good shape other than this, it should be an easy repair.
I'd say that the hard part is finding a radiator shop that can work on it. Then as the others said, it should be a simple fix on that one. Unless there is something wrong with it due to neglect it is well worth the repair bill.
It's not that difficult a job to do it yourself by either cutting the tubes off at the tanks and soldering them up from the accessible side, or soldering up just the holes. Since the holes are from mechanical damage and not corrosion, there might be enough sound copper or brass to solder up the holes themselves. And before patching any of them, check that the damage actually punctures the tube and not just damages the fins. You might be lucky and some tubes might not be punctured after all.
Tubes have been punctured for sure , rad is in great condition other than those holes. The brackets on the sides will have to be sweated off the bottom and top tanks . If it was just the holes I would tackle it, but dont want to disturb the tanks and be chasing the solder around the tanks during reassembly
Have you put water in it to verify a leak. It could be the picture angle but I don't think that that last row of tubes goes into the tanks.
After looking at the pictures, I would say take off the tanks and plug the ends. Did the PO just hit the outer tubes or did he go further with the drill? Relatively easy radiator shop repair.
Holes are definetly drilled into tubes ,never filled with water ,but can see the holes . Previous owner only said it leaks 100.00 figuired even if repairs were a couple of hundred ,still got a nice rad , if not I would get half my money back in scrap copper and an education !!!
Alchemy has it correct. Std fix. There is a good rad shop near where I work, dwntwn Mpls-MN, but you'd have to talk w/him yourself so both could agree on things beforehand. + it's the shipping both ways, + insur. PM me iffen you want his name n Ph#. I can ask him for you, as he's right next door to work. He will be closing eventually, afaik. Marcus...
Hey Marcus thanks for the info ,but this rad is heavy and may end up with more holes than sent with the way shipping co. handle things .I am sure some of the heavy truck shops still do copper rad repairs , just havent looked yet .
I think the brackets can be removed, holes soldered, and brackets put on. Usually can be done without tank seam damage IF one is careful with the heat.
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