aluminium heater core repair.

[oops!]

well it happened.

one of the pride and joys of my boat here in canada was a super heater core.

when i winterized the boat i took special care to blow out the heater core....then i waited a while,,,and blew it out some more.
then i came back the next day..and blew it out some more....
in fact.....there was clean air flow with no gurgling at all from the core.

hooked it up today.....started the motor.....it fired up like a champ. .

then i noticed the water running form the heater core.

it was really spendy.

has any one had success with repairing a heater core?

i will be pulling it out tomorrow to find out where the split is.....im betting it is a main tube. not the corners.

next year....its anti freeze.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: aluminium heater core repair.

A home repair would be silver solder or take it to a radiator repair shop

 

[Fishing Dude too]

Re: aluminium heater core repair.

Not a goode way to home fix alum unless you have a tig welder

 

[tomdinwv]

Re: aluminium heater core repair.

Like James said, your best bet would be to take it to a radiator repair shop. They have the equipment to repair it right. Good luck!

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: aluminium heater core repair.

Oops!,

I would recommend a replacement. go down to your local FLAPS (Friendly, Local Area Parts Store) and compare the heater core to one of the ones in their book. you may also be able to find a copper unit. Then again, your local radiator shop can do the same thing.

 

[duke33]

Re: aluminium heater core repair.

If it was totally dry how could it freeze? Cheaper to have it repaired. Those things have outrageous prices.

 

[robert graham]

Re: aluminium heater core repair.

Radiator repair shop can solder it up for you easily!...

 

[rbh]

Re: aluminium heater core repair.

I am thinking that if the flow of water is directly in from the engine (heat source) and out, your core could have been plugged, have a look to see how much calcification (the white crud) is built up in it.

next one you get have the rad shop install a petcock.

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: aluminium heater core repair.

is it a Princess Auto unit?

I'm not sure how feasible repair would be. How many btu?

 

[Jlawsen]

Re: aluminium heater core repair.

The repairs are done using a TIG welder and the welder needs to know aluminum radiator repair techniques. Take it to a shop that has a certified TIG welder in their employment and you'll get your spendy little radiator repaired correctly.

 

[oops!]

Re: aluminium heater core repair.

If it was totally dry how could it freeze?

obviously the owner is an idiot !....

ya know....i blew that thing for a long long time......the tubes run horizontal...so i was positive i was safe...i was wrong.

I am thinking that if the flow of water is directly in from the engine (heat source) and out, your core could have been plugged, have a look to see how much calcification (the white crud) is built up in it.

next one you get have the rad shop install a petcock.

that was a brand new heater unit....it was totally clear bud... it had a pet **** on each of the lines....but instead...i just pulled each of the lines so the core was supposed to be totally empty.

i just must of screwed up !

is it a Princess Auto unit?

I'm not sure how feasible repair would be. How many btu?

good call howard......it was princess autos biggest unit. over 16,000......up here,,,,that was one of the best things on the boat in the early months/early eveniings.

so good in fact....im ordering heated seat kits as well.

The repairs are done using a TIG welder and the welder needs to know aluminum radiator repair techniques. Take it to a shop that has a certified TIG welder in their employment and you'll get your spendy little radiator repaired correctly.

methinks this as well.......

ill pull it out today, and temporarily connect the lines.....but im soooooo disappointed in this lesson !

i was hoping for a bars leaks/jb weld kinda patch......but i know that is just stoopid.

 

[halfmoa]

Re: aluminium heater core repair.

Radiator repair shop can solder it up for you easily!...

I'd second this. The radiator shop here in town fixed damage to my radiator (fan came loose and chewed it up BIG TIME) for less than 25 bucks.

 

[Bondo]

Re: aluminium heater core repair.

methinks this as well.......

ill pull it out today, and temporarily connect the lines.....but im soooooo disappointed in this lesson !

i was hoping for a bars leaks/jb weld kinda patch......but i know that is just stoopid.

Ayuh,..... Pictures,.......

Ya might be able to salvage it with Epoxy,......

 

[oops!]

Re: aluminium heater core repair.

k bondo.....ill have them up 2 nite.

the flag ship is going on its yearly sea tryal today.....

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: aluminium heater core repair.

I once patched the low pressure AC line on my truck with JB Weld and it was holding 3 years later.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: aluminium heater core repair.

i was hoping for a bars leaks/jb weld kinda patch......but i know that is just stoopid.

I patched an aluminum radiator (I accidentally drilled through :facepalm with JB weld and it held for 5-10 years. This was a pressurized cooling system in a truck, not a boat cooling system with almost no pressure.

JB weld is probably a 1 way street though, once the epoxy hardens, you won't be able to clean it off to have it welded. Depends on where the core is split.

 

[Harritwo]

Re: aluminium heater core repair.

I am a welder, If you can get it out, get it clean, and it is not corroded, it can be welded. If you try JB Weld, or some other "fix" i would not touch it. You cannot get them clean enough to weld after you have a JB weld repair. Even though i could weld my own, I would probably take it to a radiator repair and have it recored if it is anything other that a crack in a tube that. Silver solder will not work on aluminum. While everyone might have had a "success Story" with JB Weld or some other epoxy, this is not one I would attempt. Your best bet is a good TIG welder or a Radiator Repair shop.

 

[oops!]

Re: aluminium heater core repair.

sorry it has been so long in me getting back to this thread.... i have been super busy ... its boat fix season,,,lol

i took out the unit....opened it up.....

and the core is fine.......the feed tubes on the end that join the actual core tubes are copper,,,,,wahoo !

one has a very slight split.....

i put my finger over the split......and blew thru the tubes.......it held pressure !

this is an easy solder fix.....just like copper plumbing,....

im going to zap it up today and pressure test it....

let you know how it goes.....


oh.....next year the heater core gets anti freeze !

 

[64osby]

Re: aluminium heater core repair.

A heater, what do you need that for, it's almost summer up there.

Glad to hear it's an easy one for ya.

 

[Jlawsen]

Re: aluminium heater core repair.

sorry it has been so long in me getting back to this thread.... i have been super busy ... its boat fix season,,,lol

i took out the unit....opened it up.....

and the core is fine.......the feed tubes on the end that join the actual core tubes are copper,,,,,wahoo !

one has a very slight split.....

i put my finger over the split......and blew thru the tubes.......it held pressure !

this is an easy solder fix.....just like copper plumbing,....

im going to zap it up today and pressure test it....

let you know how it goes.....


oh.....next year the heater core gets anti freeze !

Wow, that is a good unit.. Not to many manufacturers will go to the lengths nececessary to join dissimilar metals via solder/Tig weld. Most of the time you'll see a dielctic union or just a piece of rubber hose.

Just a FYI - You can weld aluminum to copper but not directly. You use an alloy that has properties that are common to both metals as an intermediary.