Lead (like from a 22 bullet) doesn't form a chemical attachment to Aluminum with heat. I know someone said they soldered an Aluminum radiator and it worked but if that is true they didn't use the same kind of solder that is used for brass, tin and steel. Good luck with your repair.
Uh oh...then I need another plan. I was going to sand the area down and melt some lead over it. Now I may need to use aluminum? I watched "How It's Made" and the radiators were all soldered with lead I thought. JB Weld is looking better all the time.
Unless you have replaced it with an aluminum one, your rad is copper. To solder it, you need to get some acid flux, and acid cord solder. It is the same flux and solder used to join copper water pipes. The pin torch will work fine, you will need to first sand the area down real shiny and good with some fine sandpaper or emery cloth. Then clean it real good with ether or something like that, making sure there is no oil, not even from your hands, on the clean metal. Heat it up real good with the torch, then brush the flux on with the supplied brush, and heat again. Then start flowing the solder on, keeping heat on the piece just enough to melt the solder into the hole.
I used a "lead free" solder on my aluminum radiator, yes. Maybe I should have mentioned that... It's the type normally used for electronics, because that's what I had around. It definitely worked.
You're probably fine for using copper pipe solder then, I'd think. Maybe even give the lead a try, can't hurt.
OK this is starting to sound like a Jeff Foxworthy skit. You night be a redneck if ya fix your car with a bullet and a shop vac. Not makin fun of you it just hit me as funny.
If it is an original radiator I suggest taking it to your friend down the road and let him fix it. If it's that old and you have one leak I can almost promise you with in the next couple of weeks or months you will have MORE leaks. If it is out of the car now then now is the time to either re-rod and core it or replace it. clint
