So..... How's your day going????

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From the alternator pulley? This happened to me about a year and half ago in the middle of Wyoming….a daggum rock threaded the needle between my bumper and grill.

 

Not from the pulley. Fixed that yesterday. Just a fluke. It’s only 2 years old. Don’t see anything that caused it. Wondering if a sheet metal screw, piece of rubber, maybe JB weld? Maybe some JB, rubber and some sheet metal patches using bolts on both sides. I haven’t tried anything yet. Just got off Road made my call to the Broker

 

1-65 in Ky so screwed up. It’s a wonder the transmission doesn’t just break off. Radiator still shouldn’t go bad like that in 2 yrs

 

Yep, that looks like a meteor impact crater.

Try to pinch it closed; crimp it, with needle nose pliers first,
to make the spot of pressure as small as possible,
(a screw will just make it bigger,)
then Brake Kleen, then a bath in acetone, to cut the ethylene glycol.
Then take U shaped thin wires and thread them thru from the inside,
and twist the ends together to cover the hole, for some support
and strength - so it doesn't just blow out. 6 or 8 should do it.
Then JB Weld. Bigger is better, and take a putty knife and pack it.
I hate "Voodoo Mechanics," like head gasket fix in a bottle, but
a buddy of mine did this fix on a tractor, and 5 years on it's good.
The wire thru from the inside in a star pattern, twisted tight,
is what makes it withstand the pressure.

 

No telling what it was. It’s on the inside.

 

Yep the screw did make it slightly bigger. I should’ve known that.

 

From the picture I thought it was a hit from the outside.
Hence; "meteor strike" - sorry, bad joke.
Same theory applies regardless.
Without the wire first it will just blow out, (or in.)
Even an incredibly small screw doesn't have enough
surface area to hold 30 lbs. system pressure.
The wire anchors it rigidly to not blow out, as
it wraps around the other side and is twisted tight.

 

A piece of shrapnel from the alternator must have went into the fan while it was on. Maybe it was damaged, and running down 65 S. if Louisville, hitting all the potholes did it in. Hard to say. I like the meteor idea better. I should have parked on a downhill shut it off and taken the belt off right away, instead of running 100 miles while the bearing got worse. It may have already been damaged. Here’s my best patch work results. Trial and error. Might need to add some more zip ties. I thought about a couple long thin hose clamps. Don’t want to damage the fins anymore. It’s held all day. I’m going to leave it be. Worried I’ll not be able to get it soldered or JB welded before tomorrows Load. Going to take my chances. Caps loose, no seal. Old Truck, caps only rated at 10 lbs. I’m 1200 miles from home. Decided I’ll take the side tanks off at home and solder the fin at each end. Fix it right. Yep, this is how we roll ! Lol.

 

Good for you to - keep it on the road - with a "macgyver" repair.
I see you had wire ties with you, (I once got home with a blown
hydraulic hose wrapped with rubber gloves, and wire ties.)

I forgot to mention keeping the cap loose, another good idea.

Potentially thousands of dollars lost,
if you just throw up your hands and quit.
You're not like that.
I'm not built that way, either.

Buy new radiator - $$$
Refill cooling system - $$$
Miss pickup/dropoff appts. - $$$
Plus, your time, or shop labor - $$$
Fixing it on the side of the road with a rock and a stick - Priceless

So... final update on the clutch that keeps on giving.
Thursday the parts were still on a Fed-Ex truck somewhere,
never got them until Friday afternoon.
By then, I had all the incorrect parts out,
and had the new ones in by Saturday noon.
Works like a new one!