Chemical Metals ( hole in rad )

[Wave2k]

My new radiator came today, but its the wrong bloody one, so im gonna have to use some kinda chemical metal for now.

Can i get something like Araldite from Halfords, where do i need to go to get this ?
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Ducati 1299 Panigale
2009 Corvette C6 z51
RS125->CBR400->RXS100->GSXR750K2->Ducati749S->CBR600RR5->TL1000R->DRz400->RSVR1000->Honda VTR SP1->CBR400->GSXR1000K6->Honda H100->CBR600RR3->Ducati1299

[Robby]

Halfords does sell araldite and chemical metal.

I'll start the classic disclaimer that if this sort of bodge fails you might kill your motor.

Take the rad off the bike, and get it properly dry- a few hours an airing cupboard or on top of a rad might do this.

I presume you're dealing with a hole made by a stone. Clean out the broken rad pipes with a cotton bud, make up some chemical metal, and plug the hole with it.

Let it dry for a good while before using it- water and slightly cured epoxy don't mix well. It should cure quicker if you put it somewhere warm.

Pop the rad back on the bike, refill with coolant, a warm the bike up to operating temp, turn off, top up with coolant, pop the rad cap back on and run it for a few minutes to see if the pressure pushes out the epoxy plugs.

If it holds, use it until your new rad turns up. Chemical metal is good stuff, and although its not adviseable to ride with a bodge like this plce, it might work quite well.

I wouldn't go for any radweld or similar - you don't want to be chucking crap into your cooling system, and it only really works on pinprick holes.

[Wave2k]

Its basically a temp fix so i can go out on sunday, the rad is already off the bike as im waiting for a new one.
ill pop it in the airing cupboard now and pop to Halfrauds.
____________________
Ducati 1299 Panigale
2009 Corvette C6 z51
RS125->CBR400->RXS100->GSXR750K2->Ducati749S->CBR600RR5->TL1000R->DRz400->RSVR1000->Honda VTR SP1->CBR400->GSXR1000K6->Honda H100->CBR600RR3->Ducati1299

[curryfishball]

i used araldite on the track. and it took 30 minutes to fix. but it was a small hole, nothing massive

once my engine was cool enough, there was no pressure from the inside forcing the hole to continue squirting. got a heat gun and dried the area around the hole, then applied the araldite sparingly and then applied the heat gun to it.

all done in 30 minutes and ready for another session.

i wouldn't use the stuff that you pour inside the rad though
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The world is a book, and those who do not travel, read only a page.

[Wave2k]

nah i never intended to use radweld, ive only heard bad things.

What should i clean the area with, as its an Enduro its quite muddy.

white spirit maybe ?
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Ducati 1299 Panigale
2009 Corvette C6 z51
RS125->CBR400->RXS100->GSXR750K2->Ducati749S->CBR600RR5->TL1000R->DRz400->RSVR1000->Honda VTR SP1->CBR400->GSXR1000K6->Honda H100->CBR600RR3->Ducati1299

[stinkwheel]

Clean the area with a stiff brush and soapy water, then clean water, then solvent of some sort. It needs to be totally clean, dry and grease free for adhesive to stick properly.

Araldite is probably one of the worse chemicalmetals. See if you can find some JB weld, it is teh seks.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Wave2k]

A solvent, like what ? i got limted solvents in my house
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Ducati 1299 Panigale
2009 Corvette C6 z51
RS125->CBR400->RXS100->GSXR750K2->Ducati749S->CBR600RR5->TL1000R->DRz400->RSVR1000->Honda VTR SP1->CBR400->GSXR1000K6->Honda H100->CBR600RR3->Ducati1299

[Type_Mo]

cantcha put one of your power ranger plasters on the boo boo?
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- Typhoon ?0 - Yamaha DT125R - Aprilia SR125 - Yamaha DT125R - Honda Hornet 600 -

[cagiva gezzer]

I've fixed a huge generator radiator using solder and a mini blow torch. Just normal solder and a good aim.
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"because one stroke isnt enough and four strokes waste two"

[tatters]

Had good results repairing radiator holes with a pair of long nose pilers and super glue in the past as a temporary repair. plus at work we repair condenser coils (massive radiators the size of buses) with brazing solderer which you could try on a little bike radiator.
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Past:NRG50,AF1125(x2),NSR125RR,ZZR250,CX500,VFR400,KR1S,ZZR600(x2),CB400N,YZF1000(x2),KH125,Z200,FX400R,CBR954RR(x2)GPZ500S,GT550,VFR750F(x2),RD350N,XR650R,CBR600F,CB250,KDX250,YZF750R,CRM250,400EXC,KLR650,TTR600RE,DR350S,R100GSPD,RGV250,VMAX1200,DL650,KZ750 Present:G650XC,C12,CRF450X,1190ADV

[Polarbear]

[stinkwheel]

Meths is fine too. Or lighter fluid.

Motorbike radators are usually alloy. You'd need to use aluminium solder such as lumiweld. There is about a 50 degree difference between the temperature the solder fluxes at and the temperature the alloy melts at.

It is possible to solder one but with the amount of heat-sinking that will be going on, it would be VERY easy to lose your patience, apply too much heat to a single point and blast a large hole in it with your blowlamp.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Wave2k]

Well i had a go, i just flooded the hole and area with the stuff.
____________________
Ducati 1299 Panigale
2009 Corvette C6 z51
RS125->CBR400->RXS100->GSXR750K2->Ducati749S->CBR600RR5->TL1000R->DRz400->RSVR1000->Honda VTR SP1->CBR400->GSXR1000K6->Honda H100->CBR600RR3->Ducati1299

[Damon]

Is that normal araldite? Shouldnt you use the metal one which is grey in colour?

[teampots]

i would've said to use barrs leaks, is better stuff than Radweld although basically the same and managed to fill the many holes in my CBR 125's radiator
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Current - Fazer 600
Prev - Bandit x2 (Killed) CB400 (Superfour) CBR125
Currently Restoring - Kawasaki S1 250 Triple (Slowly but surely)

[Polarbear]

I used normal araldite to repair a petrol tank and it was still tight after a year when I sold the bike
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Polarbear]

[teampots]

to each his own i suppose, never use a full bottle if you do no need on such a small cooling system
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Current - Fazer 600
Prev - Bandit x2 (Killed) CB400 (Superfour) CBR125
Currently Restoring - Kawasaki S1 250 Triple (Slowly but surely)

[the grim reaper]

Depending on the type of rad, you need to be careful you don't block flow. Should be OK for a temp fix though.

Cheers

Grim
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Adverts don't always work: Remember that advert, where the army are running across the desert and they have a wounded man on a stretcher. They get to a ravine, the bridge is down and a caption pops up that says, 'What are you thinking?'. I don't know about you but I was thinking, 'Christ, I'm glad I'm not in the f***ing army'.