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Hey guys, I know we've had discussions on here about radiators and the differences between them. For me, it's been more so the plastic end on these radiators which I'm sure was nothing something Ford did in an effort to save money. Anyhow, I recently replaced the OEM radiator on my 99.5 F250 with a Mishimoto unit, and it is literally an amazing piece of work. Anyhow, looks as though I might be doing another one. So, this is where I discovered a leak on my 02 Excursion.
Mine leaked very close to that spot. I replaced with an all aluminum Silla radiator before they quit making them for the 7.3, and it is going on 7 years old now I think.
Mine leaked very close to that spot. I replaced with an all aluminum Silla radiator before they quit making them for the 7.3, and it is going on 7 years old now I think.
Yes sir Mike, I just put a Mishimoto in one of my other trucks about 6 months ago and it is a nice unit for sure. I'm gonna try welding it up first, and if this doesn't work, I'll get another Mishimoto. I just can't believe that it cracked, but then again it is plastic, and it' been exposed to the engine heat for the last 18 yrs. Now that I think about it, I still have my other radiator from my 99.5. I can remove the top section and reinstall it on this one if the plastic welding doesn't hold. I'll probably weld it this weekend, and let everyone know if it holds or not. Thanks guys.
Well guys I went ahead and welded up my radiator today and it worked great, no leaks.
I used a cutting bit to bevel the crack, a heat gun to get the temp up to 200*. I then cleaned up the beveled area with Alcohol and welded it up using a piece that I cut from my old radiator. This is the end result. The Welding kit cost me $17.
Excellent Carlos!! I was hoping welding worked in this application. Back in the 80's the shop I was in used plastic welding exclusively to make tanks etc. Those guys were magicians with it so I felt confident it would work in your situation.
All that said, keep an eye on it. I do not know how that particular plastic responds to heat regarding flexibility. It may become fragile aka less conducive to flex or heat gyrations. I know steel would be fine with it but plastic I'm not so sure. Out of my wheelbox.
Well done sir! I was skeptical that this would work, but you have beaten the odds. Unlike David, the only thing I know about plastic welding is what I see online and here.
I looked on Youtube and watched a few videos first. So this gave the confidence to try it, and it did work. I got a call from Brad, and he said it looked like a rat crawled up in my hood and took a dump on my radiator. LOL I tried to smoothen it out as best I could, but from my understanding, the plastic that these radiators are built from, has some sort of fiber material in it. So this is why I couldn't get it any cleaner. Well as long as it holds, I won't complain. Thanks David, I'll keep an eye on it as well.
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Slideshow: Called the Fortress, the 850-horsepower pickup combines Raptor underpinnings with military-inspired features, survival equipment, and a starting price of $285,000.
