To Repair alum. Radiator or replace?

I have a crap cxracing aluminum 3 core on the 1uz and noticed a bit of steam coming from the areas where the cooling fan “zip tie” things pass through the radiator. I’m thinking I have a leak. I ran it for the first time yesterday for 20mins and then 30mins (to bake the VHT paint on the headers). It only “steamed” a small amount but did so every time it was running. 

I used a small Phillips screw driver to pre make the hole for the ties to go through, then put the cap on the end. A corvette forum told me to do that. I’m not sure if that’s what made the leak. 

Of note- I don’t have any coolant leaking into the garage floor over night. So.... that’s weird. Right?

anyways, I paid 175$ for that radiator. What’s a rad shop going to charge me for a repair? 

In reply to Trackmouse :

I bought a high dollar racing radiator and accidently drilled a hole into the cooling fins, sorta like you did. I bought some JBWeld and stuffed it in the hole. 

It was still holding pressure a few decades later when I sold it.  

frenchyd said:

In reply to Trackmouse :

I bought a high dollar racing radiator and accidently drilled a hole into the cooling fins, sorta like you did. I bought some JBWeld and stuffed it in the hole. 

It was still holding pressure a few decades later when I sold it.  

To expand on such a repair what you can do is to apply the JBWeld to the hole and then apply a vacuum to the radiator  cap area, after you seal all the other outlets of course.

Once some of the JBWeld has been sucked into the radiator you then let it sit and cure in a position that allows the JBWeld to flow out perpendicular to the hole so that it can spread out and lock the patch in place.

In reply to frenchyd :

Jb weld will hold? Seriously?

I use JBweld to install nipples on the radiator tanks.  I've even used it to install copper nipples on the aluminum tanks because I'm too grassroots to order aluminum ones when I have a perfectly good copper one.

In reply to jimbbski :

Thanks. I didn’t realize JB was that good. I always thought it wouldnt seal water tight and just leak again causing a massive, ugly jb weld surrounded hole. 

JB is working on my truck radiator

JB is holding in the tee for the water feed to my turbo.  It's survived several years at this point.

I took my e36 to a radiator shop with a leaky aluminum radiator. They were very honest and told me it was going to be hella expensive and I would be happier just buying a new one.

I don't trust those zip-tie style through radiator mounts. They are just another way to put a hole in a radiator.

Yes please, after repairs throw the zip tie things in the trash and make some real brackets that don’t mount through the fins

In reply to Trackmouse :

Yes JB weld will work but clean everything with brake or carb cleaner first.  Oh and before you start drain the radiator. 

JB weld, if it leaks again take it to a scrapyard and use the money as a "rebate" on a new one. 

Aluminum rads tend to pay fairly decent by weight.