L3130 radiator repair

[RPK]

I had my first mishap with my tractor the other day. Not exactly sure but I think while I was clearing a lot full of brush I ran over a broken sappling. Whatever it was found its way up under the engine and bent the bottom of the radiator and lost most of the antifreeze. I got it home and after some doing, got the radiator out. It is damaged at the bottom where the vertical tubes meet the horizontal pan on the side where the drain plug is.

My question is, does anyone know if this can be repaired? The top and the bottom of the radiator is plastic. On Monday I will take it to our local radiator shop to see what they say. I was quoted $410.00 for a new one from the Kubota dealer.

Anyone out there have any experience with this. Thanks for any input

 

[woodlandfarms]

Plastic radiators are generally not reparable.

 

[David_Kb7uns]

Jabbed a stick through fan and radiator on L3130 earlier this year fan slipped but ruptured two tubes in core. Got another radiator to get it going but have looked on line about fixing aluminum cores and looks like placing tape on bottom side and filling area up with JB weld is popular among racers not sure if you can get that joint sealed though once that gasket bulges ou they are hard to reseal and keep tight.

David Kb7uns

 

[woodchuckie]

I've used the jb weld with success when used with plenty of stop leak.
I've also had success with patching the plastic with an epoxy made for plastic and high temp.

 

[InlineDieselFan]

A few years ago I broke my radiator, a stick wound it's way around the guards and into the bottom of the radiator also. back then it was just under $400 for a new radiator. It was fairly easy to replace, no total fix it guy here but I was done in a few hours.

steve

 

[RPK]

I took my damaged radiator to the local radiator shop. Due to the fact that the top and bottom tanks on the radiator are plastic they suggested the best fix was to get a new radiator. Four hundred dollars later I installed the new radiator. All is well so far no leaks. I did struggle getting the new one in place until I figured out that it was easier if I took the plastic shroud out of the engine compartment and install it on the radiator. Then put them in place as one unit.

 

[garf658]

I had a similar experience this past weekend on my L3830; pushed over a dead spruce and drove ahead over the root ball. A root came up and pushed the lower right corner of the rad back, breaking the plastic mounting pin from the lower reservoir. Now that I have it apart, it is easy to see how the power steering motor is angled just right to deflect anything into that lower rad corner. I'll definitely be building a guard underneath to protect it again. $500 Cdn for the new rad on order now.

 

[Soundguy]

I've used the jb weld with success when used with plenty of stop leak.
I've also had success with patching the plastic with an epoxy made for plastic and high temp.

Yikes. my machines are WAY to expensive to trust to a 3$ stick of glue!

soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

I had my first mishap with my tractor the other day. Not exactly sure but I think while I was clearing a lot full of brush I ran over a broken sappling. Whatever it was found its way up under the engine and bent the bottom of the radiator and lost most of the antifreeze. I got it home and after some doing, got the radiator out. It is damaged at the bottom where the vertical tubes meet the horizontal pan on the side where the drain plug is.

My question is, does anyone know if this can be repaired? The top and the bottom of the radiator is plastic. On Monday I will take it to our local radiator shop to see what they say. I was quoted $410.00 for a new one from the Kubota dealer.

Anyone out there have any experience with this. Thanks for any input

question.. is it all plastic? or are they plastic tank and a metal core?

if hybred.. is the damage inthe metal or the plastic part.. or both?

soundguy

 

[woodchuckie]

Yikes. my machines are WAY to expensive to trust to a 3$ stick of glue!

soundguy

My L2800 has a gauge which let me know if I am losing water as the temp will increase as the water level drops. That's how I discovered the original problem. The repair is now on it's third year.