Testing Radiator

[BIGHOSS]

I am ready to send Uncle Bob's radiator to shop to clean and check. The local rad. shop has no way to test it. I made a board with a solid rubber pad from pond liner material and bolted it to radiator with 5/16 by 1 1/2" bolts through all holes in bottom of rad. It leaks like a sieve with no pressure.

What can I do next? Thicker rubber? silicone bead? Is the rad flange too thin to seal without a thicker backup bar like the short pieces that are on it?

I have seen a picture on one on here from someone. Maybe G. Willer? I am sure some of you have solved this problem.

[Cecil]

I saw the one that George Willer used. I believe it was mad out of metal.

[BIGHOSS]

I don't believe that it would matter if it is made from metal or wood as long as the wood is flat. The problem seems to me is the rubber gasket that I am using. The rubber probably needs to be thicker to allow for the relatively thin metal of the rad flange to seal. I thought that surely someone out here had experienced this problem and would keep me from making several modifications to mine.

[Don McCombs]

Perhaps these two photos of George's setup will help.

[BIGHOSS]

Thanks Don. That looks exactly like mine, except I am using a single gasket. It appears that George is using several gaskets of different material. I can recognize the cork, but I don't know what the thicker material is. You can see where the holes have been made with a punch.

[Denny Clayton]

Perhaps George will weigh in on this tomorrow. I spent yesterday with him and Larry and Gary Dotson at a show in Findlay, OH. I'm not sure if he's going home late today or tomorrow.

[barn_cub]

If you have plenty of time to build what GW did, it works fine, but for a quick test method, see:

http://farmallcub.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=20439&highlight=&sid=179623741a9fd346fe8fb0f8eccca5d5
Barn_cub

[George Willer]

Perhaps George will weigh in on this tomorrow. I spent yesterday with him and Larry and Gary Dotson at a show in Findlay, OH. I'm not sure if he's going home late today or tomorrow.

I'm home and had a good time. It's alway good to spend time with good friends with common interests. Big birthday party tomorrow for Marilyn and two grandsons.

It's necessary to use enough gaskets to be thicker than the tube ends project from the mounting plate. The gaskets shown are cork and one is inner tube rubber. Use whater is at hand for the test. The plate is plastic covered particle board. I think this technology is within easy reach of most Cub owners. With the plate in place to seal things up a VERY low air pressure is applied and a spritz of soapy water from a Windex or similar bottle will cause bubbles that reveal any leak.