Slightly off topic update.
We just dropped my oldest off in Joplin for college at Missouri Southern State University. It was an exciting and tiring day. We met my parents in Springfield and I dropped off an order for my uncle. So, I should be getting wheel cylinders and brake shoes the next time I get to Bolivar. Slow and not so steady....that's all I have time and money for.

Here are my wife and I with our new college student. By the way, I'm not a giant, my girls are vertically challenged.

 

Congratulations! Mixed feelings I'm sure about her leaving the nest.

 

Congrats, it's been a while since we sent kids to college but sure gave he Mrs butterflies. I just cried writing the checks
Now on to Springfield

 

Guys I am 60 and have an 11 and 13 year old to go yet without a woman's help. I ain't complainin. But being a few years younger and not being crippled would sure help. One will prolly do collage. The other will be Marines I think.

 

60 with a 11 and 13!!! I'm 45 with 18, 14, and 8 and I wonder how I'm going to keep up. I guess it's all about attitude. Kids drive you crazy, but they are worth it.

 

When they are all finally out on their own, you won't believe how far a paycheck goes! It's like money falling out of your pockets.

 

It helps if they don't get yer card number to use on the internet.

 

Congrats Joe!! I am 50 with a 6 & 10 year old so I have a way to go before they are off to college!!

 

Well, it's been a productive weekend. I will go into detail on that later.
I flushed the block this morning and it was very clean. I put the radiator back on and filled everything and discovered this:


So what are my options? Can I easily fix this myself? Is it possible to solder the hole? JB weld might be an option, but I would be afraid that would longer term be bad. I'm also looking for cheap if that is possible.

More pictures of everything else this evening when I return.

 

I really can't see the leak very well but it appears to be just a tube fracture. If the fracture is exposed, it is probably not above your ability to solder it. If it is corrosion and the tube is thin then a re-core or new radiator is in your future. If corrosion or electrolysis has got to the radiator, that should be evident as other areas will be soft. Personally, I would not try JB weld or any kind of leak stopper as the leak appears to be flowing quite a bit. I just paid $45.00 to have a tube soldered at the lower tank on the Ford script radiator in Blue. The shop guy said the rest of the radiator appeared to be solid.
The two enemies of radiators are bad coolant and stray electrical currents. And then, there is mechanical damage.
Edit: Another option would be to block the tube off, quite common, and really does not affect cooling that much.

 

I would take it to a rad shop for a estimate at least . They are a son of a gun to solder , at least in my experience .

 

It takes proper prep, acid flux, proper heat and flux cleanup. It is really pretty easy once you've done it a few times. I'd practice on a junk unit first if you want to be comfortable with doing it well.
Oh, and real lead-bearing solder is pretty much mandatory in my book.

 

Harrier,

Excellent documentation of your build of the 239 Y Block. I have read the entire thread this morning and got so much info i had to take notes of all the comments folks had, thanks for that.

I am about to embark on the same engine I have in my 55 thats sitting in the garage right now.

If your radiator leaks while not pressurized I would get it re-cored.

Again, Awesome thread.

Rob

Edit: Nice job on the work btw for someone who hasn't worked on motors much.

 

Rob, I'm glad you have liked it so far. My goal was to have the experts here guide me along as well as hopefully help someone else in the future. It's been an exciting (although very slow) run.

I hadn't thought about what it would do once pressurized. I ran it this evening and it leaked less while running...go figure. But I found a second leak as well. I will start looking for radiator shops and get some advice on it. That may be a while down the road though. I want to focus a little on brakes at the moment.

Here is a video of it running this evening. It's very loud that's for sure. It also seemed to be oiling fairly well and it needs lots of tuning and little things checked over.

Oh yeah, I forgot to shut the garage door...I still stunk up the house according to my wife.

 

I also ran brake lines this weekend. Now I have to get the wheel cylinders and brake shoes so I can finish that job. Hopefully my uncle will get those soon and I can coordinate to pick them up.
For the passenger side front, I used the sand method. Man that made bending them much easier. I happened to have some nice fine sand from Pensacola Beach that worked wonderfully.


I also (well obvious from the video) put the water pump and generator on. It looks more like an engine when you have a belt on it.
Notice I went with the yellow:


Generator on:


Shoot, I need to upload pictures of it outside. Gave the frame a bath too.