NAA Radiator - Replace or Repair?

[MH49]

Need some opinions. While pushing some brush with my loader, I poked a stick through the radiator. This left about a 1/2 inch hole in it and I am debating whether I should have it fixed or just replace it with an aftermarket unit. My guess is that price wise it will be about the same.

Also, while I have it down, I need to replace the seal around the crankshaft pulley. Will I need to remove the front casting to do this or can I get everything out without doing this.

 

[Soundguy]

Timing cover at most i would think.

Me? I think I'd get the plumbers kit out and solder up the leak. hole sin tanks can use a penny as a patch.. holes in lines.. lines can be crimped and soldered.. or patched with copepr tube and soldered in.. all depends on if the radiator is rotten or not.

My old 1955 850 has more solder than copper in the radiator.. runs fine..

soundguy

 

[ToadHill]

On my 8N the radiator got so much junk in it that I had to have it recored or replaced. It was actually more to get it recored by almost $50 but I knew I knew I was getting a metal core and not one of the replacement units with a plastic tank. I've seen too many plastic replacement tanks that don't stand up to the vibration and abuse of off road use.

 

[Soundguy]

Hmm.. I've yet to see a plastic tank rad on an 8n.. most of the suppliers are chinese, india or turkey.. so far I've only seen metal.

do you have a link to a plastic tank 8n radiator?

soundguy

 

[simonmeridew]

years ago I was logging in my woods and got a stick caught in the fan of my 8N. As the fan turned, it got deflected into the radiator where it immediately stuck but not before cutting off about 12 tubes maybe an inch from the bottom tank, back row and middle row as I recall.
I parked the tractor, took the radiator to my workshop, and spent maybe an hour crimping off and soldering both ends of each tube that was cut. I didn't have a good way of testing each tube as I sealed it, as anyone who has tried to solder a pipe with water in it, but I kept at it, and it's been probably 25 years and absolutely no leaks. Also the tractor never overheats. As I recall I used sandpaper a/o steel wool to take contaminents, antifreeze, paint etc off the brass tubes before crimping and soldering.
simonmeridew

 

[Soundguy]

sounds like the rad on my 850 that the fan ate. I know for a fact that there are more tubes soldered up than there are open.

soundguy

 

[MH49]

I think after reading all this, I am going to try and tackle it myself. I finally got all the sheet metal off and it is not as bad as I thought it was.

My one cockshutt must have had a water pump go bad sometime in its life before I got it because their is a nice smile around the rad that is cut pretty deep in places. Whoever fixed it must have had stock in a solder company but it doesn't leak.