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Whoops. Fan strike on Radiator

jeremywatco

Full Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2019
Messages
219
Loc.
San Diego, CA
Well.. take one step forwards and two steps back. I was in the process of replacing my radiator mounts when my distributor went out.

Got distracted. Replaced distributor, went to set timing, rev'd motor.. radiator (without mounts now) fell forward into the fan and got munched.

Doesnt look too bad however it is leaking now in two spots of the fins.

Best to replace entire radiator or pull it and send it off for repairs?
 

bronconut73

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
9,916
My Champion rad was only $143 on Ebay so I would just grab another one, but if I had a Ron Davis or a BC/WH triple pass for like $450 then I would repair it.

If its stock then they are like $189 at Autozone
 
OP
OP
J

jeremywatco

Full Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2019
Messages
219
Loc.
San Diego, CA
My Champion rad was only $143 on Ebay so I would just grab another one, but if I had a Ron Davis or a BC/WH triple pass for like $450 then I would repair it.

If its stock then they are like $189 at Autozone

Not sure if mine is stock or not... its 4 core with a transmission cooler. Any benefit to upgrading to a WH unit for $450?
 

rydog1130

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jun 19, 2014
Messages
4,019
I did a similar thing except I had my front end jacked up for my disc install and when I let the jack back down I noticed radiator fluid leaking ?:?.... I forgot I had a small step ladder under the bumper area and it pushed my radiator into my fan and punched a hole in it...man was I pissed :mad:
 

bronconut73

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
9,916
Not sure if mine is stock or not... its 4 core with a transmission cooler. Any benefit to upgrading to a WH unit for $450?

4 core rads give some folks issues since it gives you less room for a HD fan. And a 4 core is thick and it needs a strong HD fan.

The triple pass 3 row radiators are really cool.
No pun intended, lol.
They make the coolant pass through the core three times.
WH and BC have top quality rads.

But I went a different route.
I went with the Explorer serpentine and a 3 row Champion reverse outlet-inlet aluminum rad.
Only about $160 bucks on Ebay.

Working very well.

Check out the Champion rads on Ebay.

All the vendors have great aluminum and brass-copper rads. In fact better than the Champion rads.
 

Skiddy

Bronco Guru
Joined
Oct 8, 2003
Messages
11,557
doh done that but it was from plowing through a big mud hole%)
 
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OP
J

jeremywatco

Full Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2019
Messages
219
Loc.
San Diego, CA
Quick question... how can i be sure I have a 3 or 4 core radiator? I am assuming it was 4 core because I ordered 4 core mounting brackets from WH and they fit perfect. So....
 

Pa PITT

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 15, 2005
Messages
11,252
Loc.
Stephenville TEXAS
...
Back when I was a kid. 3 days ago .
Well OK I'm now 70. SO MY STORY WAS about 1968 ish.
We had a 55chevy & my fan got into my radiator.
So my running buddy says let pull the radiator..
SO WE PULLED It & washed it down to clean the antifreeze off. Cleaned with a lot of hot water . Then torched it to dry it.
Then he had some kind of liquid soldier putty. WE PUSHED IT INTO the radiator & Used match stems & tooth picks.
WE fixed that one for about $3.00 .. & several hours . But we was young.
But no-one fixes anything any longer . But if it's just a couple of fins Yes it most likely can be fixed.
 

Broncobowsher

Total hack
Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
34,833
Propane torch, plumbers solder and flux.
Test with soapy water on the outside. One person palms the inlet and outlet. Compressed air in the drain. Radiator cap as pressure relief. You will loose flow through a core or two. But you have over 99% of the cores remaining. And the ones in the back are the least efficient.

Patch and keep using it.
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,345
Quick question... how can i be sure I have a 3 or 4 core radiator? I am assuming it was 4 core because I ordered 4 core mounting brackets from WH and they fit perfect. So....

One way is to look inside the filler neck to check if you can see all the way across the core. You will see either 3 or 4 of the oval tubes across. If you have four tubes showing horizontally, you have a four-row radiator.
This has nothing to do with the vertical count, which could be 20, 30 or more depending on the radiator.

You can sometimes actually see the detail through the fins, but many radiators now have very densely packed cores. And the typical high-efficiency four-row is offset, or "staggered" so it's even harder to count the rows.
But if you have a staggered core, they are "usually" a 4-row on Broncos.

You used to be able to just go by the mounts. If your 3-row mounts fit, you had a 3-row radiator, and so on. But I've seen some pretty inconsistent tank and strap sizes on Bronco radiators over the years, so it's hard to use that as your sole guide anymore.

Good luck.

Paul
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,345
Well.. take one step forwards and two steps back.

That's just Bronco-standard time at work...%)

Doesnt look too bad however it is leaking now in two spots of the fins.
Best to replace entire radiator or pull it and send it off for repairs?

As you've heard from the others, most replace. But you can still do it either way.
These days most of us no longer live three blocks from a local radiator shop, and those of us that do find that the labor rates have gone up exponentially over the years!
So it all depends. But most end up buying a new one.

At least the old ones are recyclable, but it sure is a shame to waste all that good stuff for just a couple of "nicks" it seems like.
Even the recycling part is not consistent and depends on where you live. I bet a lot of 'em just go into the can.

Paul
 

lgdpt

Sr. Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2012
Messages
396
Racing NORRA a few years ago and the fan liberates itself from the water pump stem... it takes out the bottom of our radiator on day 1. The fix in the middle of the night in San Felipe was to remove 1/4 of the radiator (seriously). Propane torch, plumbers solder and flux worked for us. We barely noticed a rise in temp and finished the rest of the race without ever overheating. And we beat the hell out of that truck!

I would just fix it.
 

sprdv1

Contributor
REBEL
Joined
Mar 8, 2007
Messages
81,734
Propane torch, plumbers solder and flux.
Test with soapy water on the outside. One person palms the inlet and outlet. Compressed air in the drain. Radiator cap as pressure relief. You will loose flow through a core or two. But you have over 99% of the cores remaining. And the ones in the back are the least efficient.

Patch and keep using it.

Concur.. run it till she drops
 
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