Slight Cooling Leak

[sam60]

Hooked up the muffs last night to check a few things, started it and got out to check the water flow out of the exhaust. Noticed more water from transom drain than exhaust. Shut it down and found water leaking from the solder joint on the oil cooler. When I was removing it I was pulling the hose and the end came completely off.



Glad that it is copper and easy to repair.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Slight Cooling Leak

Ayuh,.... Improper Winterization does that...

Water froze, 'n blew the end out.... yer lucky it didn't split the side...

Resolder it, 'n pressure test it...

 

[Don S]

Re: Slight Cooling Leak

If you don't want to try soldering it, your local radiator shop can fix that very easily.

 

[sam60]

Re: Slight Cooling Leak

Ayuh,.... Improper Winterization does that...

Water froze, 'n blew the end out.... yer lucky it didn't split the side...

Resolder it, 'n pressure test it...

Yep, PO never winterized and I have rebuilt many things so far, just glad it happened in a shake down at home. Shined up the surfaces, sweat it and need to go to town in AM to get a piece of 1-1/4" hose for the bench pressure test. If it holds 70 PSI from house it should be fine at Lake? This was the low one on the port side so it is the lowest point in the cooling system. What a PITA to remove!

 

[sam60]

Re: Slight Cooling Leak

If you don't want to try soldering it, your local radiator shop can fix that very easily.

Thanks Don, it soldered up nicely as I followed the rules a plumber taught me years ago. Clean surfaces, clean flux, right heat and heat in the proper place.

 

[Don S]

Re: Slight Cooling Leak

Thanks Don, it soldered up nicely as I followed the rules a plumber taught me years ago. Clean surfaces, clean flux, right heat and heat in the proper place.

That's exactly what it takes, amazing how many will try to solder dirt, with no flux while trying to cold solder or melt stainless steel :facepalm:

 

[sam60]

Re: Slight Cooling Leak

That's exactly what it takes, amazing how many will try to solder dirt, with no flux while trying to cold solder or melt stainless steel :facepalm:

Yep, that never works. My buddy said that I should braze it, but I think the tubes inside would have lost their integrity if I tried that amount of heat.

 

[sam60]

Re: Slight Cooling Leak

Ayuh,.... Improper Winterization does that...

Water froze, 'n blew the end out.... yer lucky it didn't split the side...

Resolder it, 'n pressure test it...

You gave me a good idea there Bond-O, A low point drain should be installed here whilst I have this apart. Argh

 

[Bondo]

Re: Slight Cooling Leak

You gave me a good idea there Bond-O, A low point drain should be installed here whilst I have this apart. Argh

Ayuh,.... I built 1 Years ago, when I was stuffin' the 4.3l into my tinbarge...

I believe 1" pipe is 'bout 1, 1/4" OD, with thicker walls for tappin', 'n holdin' the drain fitting...
I stubbed a short rubber coupling, mountin' the drain, just aft of the cooler...

 

[sam60]

Re: Slight Cooling Leak

Ayuh,.... I built 1 Years ago, when I was stuffin' the 4.3l into my tinbarge...

I believe 1" pipe is 'bout 1, 1/4" OD, with thicker walls for tappin', 'n holdin' the drain fitting...
I stubbed a short rubber coupling, mountin' the drain, just aft of the cooler...

That is what I will do, Aft of cooler is best as it is always cranked up at fore for unhitching, draining, etc. I have 1" nipples on hand and the 1/4" brass drain valve. Bits, taps and teflon tape are always in stock.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Slight Cooling Leak

That is what I will do, Aft of cooler is best as it is always cranked up at fore for unhitching, draining, etc. I have 1" nipples on hand and the 1/4" brass drain valve. Bits, taps and teflon tape are always in stock.

Ayuh,.... If that comes up too Loose,... try a 1" coupling...

 

[sam60]

Re: Slight Cooling Leak

Ayuh,.... If that comes up too Loose,... try a 1" coupling...

10-4

 

[sam60]

Re: Slight Cooling Leak

Got it all back together today. I put the heat exchanger on house hose pressure for an hour today while watching race. After the rain started in Fontana, I decided to get motor vated. After double checking everything and mopping up the oil in the bilge with old t-shirts and a BF screwdriver, I fired her up and all was good. I decided against the low-point drain as the NLA hose has a bend where I would need a drain valve and not too hard to just pull the hose.

Maybe next weekend I can do the timing dial in and carb adjustments that I planned for this weekend.