Hey Folks. My 122 radiator has sprung a pin-hole leak due to the fan knocking into it. It's a story I'd rather not relate :-/

I'm wondering if there might be a way I can fix this myself rather than take it to a radiator shop? I don't know how to weld/braze, so could I use something like JB-Weld, or some other project to patch up the hole and get some more life out of this radiator?

If brazing is something I could teach myself for this, I might consider an investment in the tools if it made sense.

Let me know what you think...

I don't know how to weld/braze, so could I use something like JB-Weld

Yes, you could use JB Weld if reliability wasn't an issue for you.....

Take it to a decent radiator shop, they will take the tanks off each end, rod it out, solder the tubes with holes shut, then solder the tanks back on. That takes them less than an hour.


--
Three 164's, Two 144's, One 142 & a partridge in a pear tree.

Chiming in with the other two guys. The big expense (but the easy part for you)
is taking the radiator out and putting it back in. It needs to be soldered,
and radiator soldering is something that take quite a bit of experience to learn
to do well. (Most of the guys who do it best are old!)
They MIGHT even fix it while you wait.
--
George Downs, Bartlesville, Heart of the USA!

usually if a tube springs a leak the tube is cut out top and bottom an solder up at the tank. if the fan cut an arch across the front of the radiator core it may be unrepairable.

IF you take it to a radiator shop, not only will they fix the leak but they can clean it out at the same time. Worth the bucks to have it done professionally and it is not super expensive, so long as you go there with radiator in hand.

BTW, good time to get new hoses for it.

Klaus
--
Why are Volvos so endearing? Its just a car.

It cost me $70 to have my radiator boiled out, have a pinhole leak fixed, have a bracket brazed back on, pressure tested, and repainted. Pretty cost effective.