Radiator repair or replace on 63 LeSabre?

[63DreamMachine]

Hi guys, I’ve noticed once in a while a drip of coolant coming out of the bottom of the radiator support. 

My question is if people have advice on trying to find someone to leak test and repair the old style brass/copper radiator i have vs buying new?
 

If new, I looked at summit and anything for Buick seems 3x price than for 63 impala (I know we drive Buick’s because they are better not cheaper). Any recommendations on brand if goal is good quality at a fair price. Non A/C car and prefer vintage look as it’s a fairly original rig.

 

Thanks!

VK

[EmTee]

Before contemplating a new radiator, I'd check that the lower hose clamp is tight (at both ends) and the hose is in good shape.  I've had the same observation and a turn or two on the clamp screw stopped the leak...

Edited May 19, 2022 by EmTee (see edit history)

[JohnD1956]

Do you have dark stains or dried coolant / rust on the radiator core,  as evidence of a leak?  

 

As to your question on radiator repair type, i would favor repair and or recore of your original. It seems to me that the gaskets used in plastic tanked radiators do not hold up over the long term.

[drhach]

I found that re-coring my existing radiator was cheaper than buying a new one. I got the added benefit of having the radiator fit when I put it back in. I don't believe anyone makes an exact replacement for these cars. So you would need to figure mounting out. Also, unless you want to spend a lot of money, you'd probably end up buying aluminum which doesn't really look right under the hood. So if aesthetics are a concern, there's another argument for a re-core. 

[63DreamMachine]

Thanks for the input so far. I agree the shiny aluminum ones don’t look right.

 

As for the drip, it is very intermittent: first time i noticed was at a gas station when there was a small puddle that accumulated in a few minutes under the car. I felt all around the hoses and it was dry, and replaced the hoses too. Still happens occasionally and the only pattern I can tell is usually on a chilly morning. 

 

I’m in the Chicago area so appreciate if there are any recommendations of good shops that do recore work locally. 

[EmTee]

Have you checked the water pump weep hole?  I've seen those leak intermittently (before failure) and dribble down the lower hose...

[NTX5467]

I concur that the aluminum radiators (in their normal color) do not look right, anywhere other than on a customized vehicle.  Not sure if they really cool any better, unless they have a higher "fin count" than a normal radiator has.  I have had no issues with the composite radiators and know they cool much better than a copper radiator does, from my experiences on my '77 Camaro . . . BTAIM.

 

The issue of repairability can relate to the thickness of the flanges where the tanks interface with the core itself.  If the flanges are too thin to clean, a replacement tank is needed.

 

The OTHER thing about radiator repairs is to make sure that the shop uses at least OEM-quality solder to put things back together with.  There IS a difference, it's not a generic as some might suspect, from my own experiences.  Re-cores would last 2-3 years at best, but a new Modine would last longer than that, from my experiences.

 

I suspect that in the Chicago metro area, there are probably a few large, commercial-oriented radiator shops.  Most will cater to the hd  over-the-road truck diesel market, so they have to be good with their repairs.

 

I believe there might still be some copper radiator vendors still around.  Might check www.rockauto.com for their product listings and then check the vendor's website by clicking on their logo.  They might NOT be inexpensive, though.  But neither might the re-core, either.

 

Just gotta check around for the best total deal.

 

Enjoy!

NTX5467

[63DreamMachine]

Thanks all. It’s not from the water pump as the leaking is from the bottom of the support dripping down  from the little rubber “teeth” that anchor the isolating pads to the support. 
 

NTX5467 you are correct about my being able to find a HD truck oriented shop here that “don’t do cars”. 
 

As far as replacement I’m down to a champion aluminum for $250 (agree doesn’t look good at all but she’s just a driver), or a brass/copper from US radiator for 650.

 

Summer’s  here, my kid just wants to go cruise and get ice cream, so practicality and price may prevail (for now) vs period correct. 

[63DreamMachine]

Also NXT5467, I just picked up on your mention of “in their normal color” and now realize I could paint the aluminum with Eastwood radiator paint.

[drhach]

21 hours ago, 63DreamMachine said:

Thanks for the input so far. I agree the shiny aluminum ones don’t look right.

 

As for the drip, it is very intermittent: first time i noticed was at a gas station when there was a small puddle that accumulated in a few minutes under the car. I felt all around the hoses and it was dry, and replaced the hoses too. Still happens occasionally and the only pattern I can tell is usually on a chilly morning. 

 

I’m in the Chicago area so appreciate if there are any recommendations of good shops that do recore work locally. 

I'm not sure which part of the Chicago area you're in. But I used Waukegan Radiator. They've been around since the 70's. It's a great place to take a leak. At least, that's what the sign says.

 

[60FlatTop]

It was probably around 15 years ago that my '60 Electra started leaking at the tank seams. I took it to a good friend who runs real quality radiator shop and told him he had a blank check. He cleaned a resoldered the original. He refused to recore it saying he would not be able to provide the same quality. We also discussed painting and he used the typical heat transfer black on the tanks. Then I provided Val Spar Satin Black Polyurethane that I prefer for my underhood parts. He glass beaded the brackets and used the Val Spar on them. I am sure the whole job didn't get near $200.

[60FlatTop]

21 minutes ago, drhach said:

I'm not sure which part of the Chicago area you're in. But I used Waukegan Radiator. They've been around since the 70's. It's a great place to take a leak. At least, that's what the sign says.

I went to Navy boot camp at Great Lakes. Weren't they next door the the place where they hand washed cars?

[drhach]

40 minutes ago, 60FlatTop said:

I went to Navy boot camp at Great Lakes. Weren't they next door the the place where they hand washed cars?

They're on Green bay Rd. and Washington St. Most businesses around there have changed hands a hundred times. It's very likely that there was a hand carwash nearby at one time. 

 

Depending on when you were at Great Lakes, you probably wouldn't recognize the area. Most of the "Strip" has been torn down and is now vacant lots. Probably a better use for the property than what it was. 

[63DreamMachine]

drhach: thanks I’ll check them out this weekend.