How to Perform Vertical Radiator Repair with Super Alloy 5
Super Alloy 5 aluminum welding rod and flux kit is specially formulated to make successful repairs in any position, including vertical radiator repairs. If you can reach the damaged area with a torch you can repair it without removing the aluminum radiator from the car. This clip is especially useful for race car owners, radiator shops, and 4×4’ers, who frequently find themselves in situations that require quick and easy aluminum radiator repairs.
In this video, the aluminum radiator has not been pre-cleaned prior to brazing, because Super Alloy 5’s unique flux bonds through oil, paint, dirt, oxidation etc. The powder flux works synergistically with the aluminum filler rod and acts as an exact temperature guide, turning liquid when the base metal has reached the 600°F working temperature.
Begin by gently heating the rod and dipping it into the powder flux. Preheating the rod will enable the flux to adhere to the rod, for easy application. Apply the flux to the work area and broadly heat the parent metal until you notice the flux turning liquid. Once the flux becomes thin and watery, add the filler rod and continue to broadly heat (this allows the flux to fully flow out the filler rod).
This repair was made in roughly 10 seconds with about 20 cents worth of product, without disassembling the car, and the resulting bond is an amazing 30,000 PSI. We used an oxyacetylene torch for this vertical radiator repair, but the same result can be achieved with propane, MAPP gas, or oxy-MAP.
TIPS:
- Notice the technique: As soon as the rod began to flow, the heat is removed very quickly to avoid overheating the base metal
- Always keep the flux bottle as close as possible to the repair area, because every time you move your torch away, the aluminum drops approximately 100 degrees per second
Note: Please observe all AWS Safety & Health Guidelines when using Muggy Weld products.
