At 02:14 PM 4/28/98 -0400, you wrote:
> My original heater core started leaking at an end tank seam, so it's
> going into a shop for some work soon. Since it's going under the
> torch anyway, I am wondering what any of you have successfully done to
> these cores. Do they routinely survive any sort of cleanout
> operations, such as boil outs, or rodding out? Is there anything else
> I should do while it's apart?
>
> I'm not expecting to get more heat or defrosting. I just want to keep
> the green water off the rugs.
>
> Stu,
I have repaired a few. They all had the same problem.
The ends bulge out and then the edge seam starts leaking. The bulge
is probably due to most people using a radiator cap with a higher pressure
rating than the original stock cap and the poor design of the tank .
There is a raised crease across the center of the end cap. Inside
between the core and the crease is a sheet of brass that should be
soldered in the crease. As there is no way to solder the sheet other
than sweat soldering it from the outside. The solder joint in the crease
fails and the ends are allowed to bulge even more until they fail.
If you are going to repair the tank, then remove the end caps,
hammer the end caps back to normal shape and do an extreme job of
cleaning the inside of the crease as well as the sheet brass brace.
I used silver solder to "tin" the crease and brace. I then filled the
seam with hard solder. A lot of paste flux was then added to the
the soldered areas. Now preheat the brass brace with a torch.
With the outside of the end cap pointing down use a propane or
similar torch to heat the crease from the underside as you press
the core with brace into the end cap. ( Gentle hand pressure).
If everything works, then the previously deposited solder in the crease
will flow and bond to the brass brace. Do not solder the lip of the
cap until you are sure the brace is firmly soldered. Do the other end the
same way. Soldering the lip to the tank is easy. Good flame control
is required to do this job.
The core of the tank is heavy duty and could be rodded out
like any old 1950's to 1960's radiator core. By the way, I have found that
the MG-B has an identical heater core.
One might consider fabricating some sort of an external stop
to prevent the end caps from bulging.
Jim Barrett Tiger II 351C and others.
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