I have had my heater core bypassed for the last few month's because the tubes are not round anymore (flat spots in the tubes) and I couldn't get the heater hoses to seal up around them, causing leaks. I was just wondering if anyone has had any luck trying to round these out again or should I just stop procrastinating and put a heater core in it? It's starting to get cold out and I would like some heat again.

Thanks,
Todd

 

There are mandrels you can buy/rent that are capable of returning out-of-round lines to a round condition, but most of the ones I have seen do it incrementally, meaning if you have a 3/4" line that is smashed so bad you can only get something 3/8" into it, you'll have to start small and work out progressively bigger. Be careful you don't split the tube, a real concern for heavily damaged tubes.

 

That sounds like it would work great, any suggestions on where I could find these.

 

anybody?

 

I am thinking that I have seen them at plumbing and/or heating and airconditioning supply stores. The following link has some similar to what I am talking about:

http://www.rems.de/go.aspx?lid=2&tid=15&pgid=8


though the ones I am thinking of have a socket drive in the rear with a series of stepping-mandrels that start small and step up in approximately .100 increments. The socket drive simply extends a tapered pin thru the mandrels, expanding them. It seems that the mandrels are 3-piece units, meaning the diameter is broken into thirds.

I'll keep looking around.

 

SOMEWHERE there are small pipe expanders that look like this:







I have also had good luck in just taking a piece of round bar stock, and milling a taper on it that would suit the purpose I required, but that of course takes a metal working lathe....something I have at work. Using the taper tool is easy if you have some room to work, as you simply drive it in with a hammer, and stop when you get to the diameter you need.

 

sweet! I guess I'll take a ride to some plumbing stores and see what I can find.
Thank's,
Todd