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welding aluminum radiators #1546637
12/12/13 04:13 AM
12/12/13 04:13 AM
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 6,257
gulfport, ms, west mi
rowin4 Offline OP
master
rowin4  Offline OP
master

Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 6,257
gulfport, ms, west mi
What's the deal on tig welding radiators, Had some an fittings welded on and the welder said he had problems. The radiator is used nascar one, beautifully tig welded, now not so much.


it's ok to butt heads, just don't do it with a butthead
Re: welding aluminum radiators [Re: rowin4] #1546638
12/12/13 04:29 AM
12/12/13 04:29 AM
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,165
Central Ohio, USA
Bigbeep Offline
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Bigbeep  Offline
super stock

Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,165
Central Ohio, USA
Clean, clean, and clean some more. just like anything that is aluminum and needs to be welded. There are preweld cleaners made just for aluminum that clean very well that remove oils and oxidation. I am sure the antifreeze is a pain to get completely cleaned off, but it has to be done. The only radiator I have welded was a new griffin that was epoxied together at the cores and I had no problems with it. Just welded a side cover for a quad today that was very oily before cleaning and it came out great. Washed with alcohol and then the preweld cleaner. Beep

Re: welding aluminum radiators [Re: Bigbeep] #1546639
12/12/13 04:45 AM
12/12/13 04:45 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,372
Las Vegas
Al_Alguire Offline
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Al_Alguire  Offline
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,372
Las Vegas
What he said..Likely the cause was contamenents from inside the radiator. Not much you can do in that case. best to start with a NEW radiator if you are gonne be doing any welding on it.


"I am not ashamed to confess I am ignorant of what I do not know."

"It's never wrong to do the right thing"
Re: welding aluminum radiators [Re: Al_Alguire] #1546640
12/12/13 11:31 AM
12/12/13 11:31 AM
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
MR_P_BODY Offline
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MR_P_BODY  Offline
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Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
Clean it GOOD with a stainless brush and clean the
color off the fitting
EDIT
I do the welding first then drill the hole so you
dont get trash coming out of the hole

Last edited by MR_P_BODY; 12/12/13 11:34 AM.
Re: welding aluminum radiators [Re: MR_P_BODY] #1546641
12/12/13 05:27 PM
12/12/13 05:27 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,991
Anoka County, MN
L
Leigh Offline
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Leigh  Offline
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,991
Anoka County, MN
Quote:

Clean it GOOD with a stainless brush and clean the
color off the fitting
EDIT
I do the welding first then drill the hole so you
dont get trash coming out of the hole




That's a good tip. Thanks.

Re: welding aluminum radiators [Re: Leigh] #1546642
12/12/13 08:25 PM
12/12/13 08:25 PM
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 5,080
organ
M
maximum entropy Offline
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maximum entropy  Offline
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M

Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 5,080
organ
i did radiators for a living for 1/5 of a century. once aluminum has been in service, it is corrupted, and requires different methods. beyond a certain point, they are no longer weldable. like alguire said, the problem is from within, mainly.


for what is the good life if not doing things thoughtfully?
Re: welding aluminum radiators [Re: Leigh] #1546643
12/12/13 10:04 PM
12/12/13 10:04 PM
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 22,696
Bitopia
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jcc Offline
If you can't dazzle em with diamonds..
jcc  Offline
If you can't dazzle em with diamonds..
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 22,696
Bitopia
Quote:

Quote:

Clean it GOOD with a stainless brush and clean the
color off the fitting
EDIT
I do the welding first then drill the hole so you
dont get trash coming out of the hole




That's a good tip. Thanks.





Reality check, that half the population is smarter then 50% of the people and it's a constantly contested fact.






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