I will say brakes were part of the check-out I had a mechanic do when I first bought her, so I wasn't worried about them. But I trust y'all's judgment.

 

A patch will only let you down when you really need it not to leak.
As most guys forget about the leak once it's stopped.

Then one fine day you go fishing or hunting and go a number of miles from home or into woods getting wood is when the old patch comes lose and this went you burn up the motor.

Well then having a patched rad. only run with the cap loose on the first catch safety cam tooth if not it will build up pressure and leak..

Put it on the list of getting the top tank fixed..
I don't think the rad shop repairman will like to see that on the rad tho!
And may not even try to repair it. Just want to sell you a new one.

Orich

 

Orich's pessimism aside, any suggestions on any further steps I should take with regard to the radiator?

The hole-turned-crack was very near the top of the radiator, which is why it wasn't really noticeable. I think we lost fluid mostly as vapor when the engine was at operating temps - there was never a green puddle under the truck.

I wire-brushed and sanded around the crack to get good adhesion with the JB Weld, and it appeared to me that the radiator is copper. Is that right?

While I feel good about the patch (again, despite the dire predictions), would adding one of the stop-leak additives be worthwhile? Do they work at all?

Is there a better DIY repair than JB Weld? Currently, I don't know how to weld, so that's not on the table. Taking a class in November, though.

The good thing about this truck is that it is unlikely to ever leave the city limits. So, it's not going to strand anyone in the woods or boonies. That said, I do want it to not break down if at all possible.

 

I would only use one of the stop leak products as a last resort to get home. They can clog up the water channels and other areas of coolant flow. They are not designed to fix, but to get you home or to a shop and then be flushed from the system.

 

That answers that question. Thank you, sir.

 

I've seen Saw black pepper as home fix its.
Only the tubes our copper, the upper & lower header plates a long with the upper tank & lower tank our all brass. That are all SOLDER together..

The basic home fix it guys generally will end up still need to have a shop fix it.
It looks ez to solder but it takes a while to be skilled enough to re-solder the top tank & header back together with no leaks.

Repairing a cracked header plate most shops won't even mess with the only real fix is record it. Or buy a new one..
orich

 

Brass. That makes sense, and now that you say it, the color was more brassy than copper. Brass just didn't occur to me.

Solder, eh? Well, to solder this, even if I thought I were capable, which I do not, I would have to take the radiator out and flip it upside down. The crack faces the ground. So, it's JB Weld for now - passed it's first pressure test this evening - and if it starts leaking again, a shop or a replacement.

As it turns out, the coolant was much lower than I thought. Not sure if I didn't put enough in after the temp sending unit incident (most likely) or if it's leaked more than we thought (can't see how, or we'd have seen the green on the ground).

 

Well, I meant saw dust. And even to this day saw dust mixture is used as a stop leak.
As saw dust won't settle in to lower part of the block like all the Alum- seal & copper powder crap. That is the worse stuff to use as it builds up in between cylinder.

As I used some when only needed in a pinch to get by until I could get the rad fixed.

Years later, I was replacing all the freeze and found all that Aluma-seal packed between the cyl.
I had to use a coat hanger hook to pull it out that stuff from between each cyl.
Then air/jet high pressure water blaster think, I made up to get it all removed.

So try don't use any of the metal powder shxt..
Orich

 

Try calling a local welding shop. They can prolly Brass weld the split with rad still installed. Oh, and by the way, from your pics of the original shocks I suggest you invest in a nut splitting tool. I had one when I lived back in Ohio (rust belt).

 

The edge of the header tank can't be brazed as it will make it lose all the solder on the seem of the top tank & upper header platea & tubes.

I had a shop keep repairing my old C/S Supper cool Rad like every 4-5 yrs
at the cost from $45 to $100 bucks every time until I had it record.

They would fold a piece of brass into an L shape and soldered in place over the split header seam..

This one of the problems with the c/s supper cool rad the top tank and header is to wide and it flexes until it becomes weak & splits..

I been down the road for like 15 yrs of keep repairing my old rad..

Orich

 

You wanna hear something funny? I already have one. Totally forgot about it, though.

Angle grinder seemed more fun, since I was angry at those stuck nuts. I did have some concerns about all the sparks I was throwing - or getting a kick-back and accidentally grinding something I didn't mean to.

The rears might just get the nut splitter.

 

Don't be doin' that if you have any 'shine close. Ha-Ha!

 

That why they call it White Lightening once pass your lips all the way down it white lightening burninggggggggggggggg
orich

 

Rear shocks, done.

Attempted the Coverlay dash cover, and I thought I had it pressed in and down pretty well, but apparently not. Left it for way more than the recommended 10 hours - probably 17 hours - and when I removed the weights I used, it popped right back up.

Think some more trimming of the dash pad (and maybe the cover) are in order.

 

Did anything come off with it or didn't the supplied RTV stick to your old dash? If the glue didn't stick then next time wipe the old dash pad with mineral spirits. Cleaning off any armor all, hand skin oil,etc.