Leaking heat exchanger!!!

[Blue Dave]

I can't comment on how common that is but a good welder with experience welding aluminum could absolutely fix that and make it better than new.

 

[ranger1]

30 bucks to get it welded & I think I am good to go. Have to put the exchanger buck in tonight.

 

[Blue Dave]

Looks great just like I knew it could with a good welder fixing it.

 

[bigreis]

I would recommend pressure testing it before you reinstall. I thought I had mind welded up good and solid and it turned out to have several pinhole leaks in the exact area you have shown in your picture. To pressure test it, I just plugged one end with a cork and then carefully pumped in some air using a modified air nozzle on my compressor. I only put a few pounds of pressure in, then used some soapy water over the area that had been leaking and found several tiny leaks. After a few passes with the TIG torch and a little grinding it was sealed up tighter than a dolphins butt hole and hasn't leaked a drop in several thousand miles.

 

[ranger1]

I would recommend pressure testing it before you reinstall. I thought I had mind welded up good and solid and it turned out to have several pinhole leaks in the exact area you have shown in your picture. To pressure test it, I just plugged one end with a cork and then carefully pumped in some air using a modified air nozzle on my compressor. I only put a few pounds of pressure in, then used some soapy water over the area that had been leaking and found several tiny leaks. After a few passes with the TIG torch and a little grinding it was sealed up tighter than a dolphins butt hole and hasn't leaked a drop in several thousand miles.

Ya already pressure tested it, looks A-ok!....."tighter than a Dolphins butt hole", hahahahaha, I'm still laughing about that one, lmao!!

 

[ranger1]

Looks great just like I knew it could with a good welder fixing it.

Thanks for the tip Blue Dave, saved me a few bucks on getting another one + a couple weeks to ship it here! just heading out to the mancave to put e'r in

 

[snobill]

After a few passes with the TIG torch and a little grinding it was sealed up tighter than a dolphins butt hole and hasn't leaked a drop in several thousand miles.[/quote]

LOL!! Never heard that before !!!

 

[Blue Dave]

Looks great just like I knew it could with a good welder fixing it.

Thanks for the tip Blue Dave, saved me a few bucks on getting another one + a couple weeks to ship it here! just heading out to the mancave to put e'r in

I knew it could be fixed because I had one welded up myself on one of my SRX's many years ago. The reason for my leaking heat exchanger is a little embarrassing. I was installing some boot grippers on the running boards and was not paying attention to where I was drilling through the running board. The green liquid coming up through one of the holes I drilled sure was not a welcome sight on the night before a planned sled trip the following morning!

I had to put a temporary fix on it to not delay the group trip in the morning. I ran a heater hose across the top of the running board bypassing the heat exchanger with the hole in it. It looked pretty redneck but the sled ran all weekend just fine with only one running board heat exchanger in the cooling circuit. After the trip I removed the heat exchanger and had it welded up "tighter than a dolphin's butt hole" LOL!

 

[ranger1]

Looks great just like I knew it could with a good welder fixing it.

Thanks for the tip Blue Dave, saved me a few bucks on getting another one + a couple weeks to ship it here! just heading out to the mancave to put e'r in

I knew it could be fixed because I had one welded up myself on one of my SRX's many years ago. The reason for my leaking heat exchanger is a little embarrassing. I was installing some boot grippers on the running boards and was not paying attention to where I was drilling through the running board. The green liquid coming up through one of the holes I drilled sure was not a welcome sight on the night before a planned sled trip the following morning!

I had to put a temporary fix on it to not delay the group trip in the morning. I ran a heater hose across the top of the running board bypassing the heat exchanger with the hole in it. It looked pretty redneck but the sled ran all weekend just fine with only one running board heat exchanger in the cooling circuit. After the trip I removed the heat exchanger and had it welded up "tighter than a dolphin's butt hole" LOL!

hahahaha, that was a pretty ingenious temporary fix, but hey, it kept you in the weekend ride, lol!!
Did you happen to use the Yamaha stainless rivets? Holy crap, wish I had an air riveter, I only had a low budget one, are my forearms ever fricken sore today, hahaha!!!!!!

 

[apex55]

[/quote]
Did you happen to use the Yamaha stainless rivets? Holy crap, wish I had an air riveter, I only had a low budget one, are my forearms ever fricken sore today, hahaha!!!!!![/quote]

I bought one from Harbor freight when I did my bulk head. Was one purchase I was glad I made!!

 

[Blue Dave]

I have an air rivet gun from Northern. Every garage should have one!

 

[tomanytoyz]

I have an air rivet gun from Northern. Every garage should have one!

You got that right ! makes life a little easier,a must have if you got more than 5 to do.i can drink a beer while popping rivets at the same time ! not on my heat exchanger thank god

 

[ranger1]

I have an air rivet gun from Northern. Every garage should have one!

You got that right ! makes life a little easier,a must have if you got more than 5 to do.i can drink a beer while popping rivets at the same time ! not on my heat exchanger thank god

I couldn't even lift my beer by the time I was done with all 18 stainless rivets, lmao!!!!!!
X4 Blue Dave, tomanytoyz & Apex55 on the a "must have" Air riveting gun!!!!!!!! Seems like I have every tool know to mankind except the one I really need, hahaha!! Next purchase, AIR GUN~~~

 

[DJ Hennessy]

Ok, taking the exchanger out was pretty much straight forward, did not even have to take out the skid, was not in the way what so ever. Took the front hose off the exchanger then took off the rear hose so it could get air to allow it to drain. Is this where everyone's exchangers are cracked, right where the brackets are?

Hi Ranger1,

It's looking like I'm about to do the same repair you had to... Found coolant at the bottom of that bracket, very small amount, only enough to leave a drip on the garage floor over a couple days. I'm afraid to ride it though just in case, what did you end up doing, replacing or repairing? I just bought a used 06 apex and am finding problem on top of problem... Sucks!

 

[steveg_nh]

Rather than start another post on the same topic, I thought I'd post on this one. I have an 07 Attak, and both sides are leaking. I didn't realize you could weld, but I got a very good deal on two used exchangers, both pressure tested and no cracks or leaks. So I'll put them in, and likely get my old ones welded so I have them as a backup in case this happens again.

Anyway, I have the skid out already (other maintenance) and will be drilling out the rivets soon. I assume since I need to do both, I will pretty much lose all the coolant in my system. Also saw someone mention cutting out the metal that gets sandwiched between the skid mounting plate and tunnel. Anyone do that? Does it help prevent this from happening again?

Anyone care to walk me through the process for this? I just assume I will take the lower hose off one of the exchangers, and everything will drain...but when I refill and bleed, how is that done?

Also, a few posts mentioned installing tunnel reinforcements or supports. What is recommended? I've done some searching and really haven't come up with much.I see Muffin Works is no longer in business.

Thanks.