Wanderlodge Gurus - The Member Funded Wanderlodge Forum - Radiator header tank rust

I don't remember who posted the problem with the radiator header tank rusting, but I followed his advice and inspected mine - cut all the urethane foam away along with several layers of rusty pipe and sure enough, I could poke a hole in the tube with my thumb nail. I removed the tank (not an easy task- bolts are rusty also) which is stainless on my '91, with a mild steel pipe welded between the filler neck and the stainless tank. I finally found a source for the stainless steel filler neck andwill replace all with stainless steel. I am going to TIG weld a stainless coupling on the tank, then screw a stainless pipe with the filler neck into the coupling. It will probably never rust again, but it can be inspected and replaced w/o taking the tank out.

If any one needs one replaced let me know - I bought 4.

Bob Johannesen, Argyle, TX. '91 WLWB, "Seldom Blue"

Caution:
Many radiators are soldered and TIG welding requires a tremendous amount of concentrated heat. If your radiator has a coating on the inside, it may be corrupted due to coolant age and corrosion or the welding job may but it. In any case, TIG'ing the metal may do well on the outside with a coating of the weld metal but there is the chance that there may be problems on the inside that could rot backward and take out the entire header. You may consider a 2 step process where you put a new neck on a brass tube with TIG, then solder the brass tube to the header. This is foolproof, more work and gaurenteed to work. For years folks have successfully soldered pin holes in radiators but TIG is tough. Especially on that thinness of metal. TIG on sheet below .040 is a challenge for the most skilled welder but solder,
even lead, not even silver is a no brainer.
gary 85pt40

--- On Wed, 10/6/10, Robert Johannesen wrote:

From: Robert Johannesen Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Radiator header tank rust - filler neck replacement
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Date: Wednesday, October 6, 2010, 9:27 PM

I don't remember who posted the problem with the radiator header tank rusting, but I followed his advice and inspected mine - cut all the urethane foam away along with several layers of rusty pipe and sure enough, I could poke a hole in the tube with my thumb nail. I removed the tank (not an easy task- bolts are rusty also) which is stainless on my '91, with a mild steel pipe welded between the filler neck and the stainless tank. I finally found a source for the stainless steel filler neck andwill replace all with stainless steel. I am going to TIG weld a stainless coupling on the tank, then screw a stainless pipe with the filler neck into the coupling. It will probably never rust again, but it can be inspected and replaced w/o taking the tank out.

If any one needs one replaced let me know - I bought 4.

Bob Johannesen, Argyle, TX. '91 WLWB, "Seldom Blue"

.

Thanks Gary,

I am referring to the stainless resevoir tank hanging from the top of the engine compartment where the filler neck is located.Will have the necks here by Tuesday and I'm cutting the angle on the couplings today. We'll see how it works.

Bob J.

91 WLWB "Seldom Blue"

Argyle, TX

From: GARY MINKER
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sun, October 10, 2010 9:25:02 AM
Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Radiator header tank rust - filler neck replacement

Caution:
Many radiators are soldered and TIG welding requires a tremendous amount of concentrated heat. If your radiator has a coating on the inside, it may be corrupted due to coolant age and corrosion or the welding job may but it. In any case, TIG'ing the metal may do well on the outside with a coating of the weld metal but there is the chance that there may be problems on the inside that could rot backward and take out the entire header. You may consider a 2 step process where you put a new neck on a brass tube with TIG, then solder the brass tube to the header. This is foolproof, more work and gaurenteed to work. For years folks have successfully soldered pin holes in radiators but TIG is tough. Especially on that thinness of metal. TIG on sheet below .040 is a challenge for the most skilled welder but solder, even lead, not even silver is a no brainer.
gary 85pt40

--- On Wed,
10/6/10, Robert Johannesen wrote:

From: Robert Johannesen Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Radiator header tank rust - filler neck replacement
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Date: Wednesday, October 6, 2010, 9:27 PM

I don't remember who posted the problem with the radiator header tank rusting, but I followed his advice and inspected mine - cut all the urethane foam away along with several layers of rusty pipe and sure enough, I could poke a hole in the tube with my thumb nail. I removed the tank (not an easy task- bolts are rusty also) which is stainless on my '91, with a mild steel pipe welded between the filler neck and the stainless tank. I finally found a source for the stainless steel filler neck andwill replace all with stainless steel. I am going to TIG weld a stainless coupling on the tank, then screw a stainless pipe with the filler neck into the coupling. It will probably never rust again, but it can be inspected and replaced w/o taking the tank out.

If any one needs one replaced let me know - I bought 4.

Bob Johannesen, Argyle, TX. '91 WLWB, "Seldom Blue"

.