Heat Exchanger Repair

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bigreis

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In the process of going through my newly aquired Viper before putting it to bed for the summer, I was surprised to find a few rows of stud gouges in my front heat exchanger. I didn't measure how deep the grooves are, but I would guess that they are about 1/16 to 3/32 deep into body of the exchanger (that is they have gone completely through the fins and into the solid part). I am surprised that it is still holding coolant! I have a TIG welder and am pretty good at welding aluminum, but I am curious if anyone know how thick the base metal is? If the exchanger is made out of 1/4" or 3/8" stock, I may not repair it, but if it is only 1/8" stock I think I had better fix it.

Anyone have firsthand experience repairing these things? Tips???
 
Rear cooler

I took the rear heat exchanger off of my 95 vmax4 and cut it, machined it, and had it welded laying flat for extending the tunnel. I would say it looked 1/8" to 3/16" thick at best. This isn't the same year or cooler but hope it gives you an idea. I would remove and inspect.
 
JUST DID MY 2000 SRX. CHISEL WENT THROUGH CLEAN LIKE A BULLIT. DUDE, DON,T SCREW WITH IT UNTIL IT LEAKS. I HAD AFEW DAMAGED FINS TOO. 3:16 (yammie tony)
 
I really wish I could leave it until it leaks, but with my luck, it is going to rupture 200 miles from home in the middle of nowhere at 2 AM in the morning when it is 30 below! Are the Viper coolers as bad to take out as the SRX's that I have read about?
 
YAMMIEGOD3:16 said:
JUST DID MY 2000 SRX. CHISEL WENT THROUGH CLEAN LIKE A BULLIT. DUDE, DON,T SCREW WITH IT UNTIL IT LEAKS. I HAD AFEW DAMAGED FINS TOO. 3:16 (yammie tony)
Click to expand...

It is a tough call, but like Tony says, a little damage shouldn't affect the performance.

Speaking from memory; I've looked over a few nicked HX and it looks to me like there is quite a bit a material around the area of the fins. The one exchanger I swapped due to a studded flap of a ripped track showed the fin was not hollow and if I had to guess, you would not get into the collant passage unless the nick in the fin was 1/4" or deeper. This was on a Polaris.

Probably doesn't give much comfort and I won't argue with your being a bit leary of a leak on the trail, but I think there is a bit more material than you might think.
 
we have a welder in fredericton that all he needs is the suspension out and he can weld it on the sled iam not sure how he gets all the coolant out to weld but he does the dealors here and they last
 
Would a person be better of ditching the front cooler and adding a rear cooler with guards? You have all summer to change and it's no fun scrambling in the winter to get a sled back up and running.
 
My 03 Viper didn't come with a stock rear cooler, but after overheating twice I added one. As far as fixing the front cooler, I'd do it now while you have plenty of time. Trying to fix it while it's snowing out is very aggrevating!!
 
:brr i would repair it been there went thru it. its not worth the risk when youre by yourself on the side of the trail thinkin i should fixed it when i had the chance
 
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