Patching aluminum radiator

[87Skier]

Well, I hit a deer Friday with my 96 Suburban doing about 55. Got really lucky, kind of. Crunched the bumper, grille, one of the marker lights, and poked a hole in my radiator. Didn't damage the hood, but scratched one fender slightly and just pushed it a little to tweak the body line at the hood.

Anyway, right after it happened I noticed the radiator leaking, and today got around to tracking it down and found that one of the cores was damaged. Now before you say replace the radiator, I normally would but I just bought this radiator and it isn't even a year old. It is aluminum.

So, should I just get out the JB weld, clean it up, and patch the hole? Will it work? I know this isn't the best solution, but even with hole in the radiator now it isn't overheating (it has been in the 50s here) so even if it blew off later it should be fine as long as it isn't 90 degrees outside.

I can't find a reason not to patch it.

In the picture you can see the slightly indented portion where it is leaking.

[Gumby]

use to be rods of metal like solder to weld aluminum at low temps with a torch at home.

[Gumby]

12pc-9" Aluminum repair AluForr . Brazing - Soldering / rods AL-300 AL-400
US $8.99
Buy It Now
http://bit.ly/1FRHKxM

[Captainfab]

DO NOT USE JB Weld on that. It will not hold and will just cause grief when someone has to repair it correctly. Check with your local radiator shop or a competent welding shop. If you're handy you can use the solder type rods that Gumby linked to. You may also be able to buy those or similar at your local welding supply.

[tlorber]

The only issue with the rods is that since the radiator metal is so thin, you run the risk of melting or vaporizing it by the time the rod melts. I'd guess that a radiator shop could fix it for less than $50.00 if you remove it and take it in.