Woah. Didn’t intend to trigger anything. I was using the term cheat lightly. For example, I’ve heard of a “cheat” of cutting a hole in the HVAC box of a certain Ford truck (I think) just ahead of the heater core to remove and replace it. Then the opening is sealed. Call it a cheat or trick or whatever it saved at least 4 hours of labor compared to doing it by the book and probably with less side effects. No foul. In your case the “cheat” or trick or whatever you want to call it was the best option.
As for my mentality, I am thinking along the lines: If I can’t normally keep a line dry enough to solder and have to do a "trick to get it done because of a small leak in the valve, the correct action would be to repair the valve. Too many times I’ve seen mechanics and the like make a repair and ignore the cause of failure. Or make a repair and ignore other much needed repairs. I don’t see anything wrong with that mentality. I admit, I’m not very good at putting my thoughts in print and maybe you misunderstood my intended message, but woah, don’t take things so literal.
This is no big deal but I suspect you have never cut open a water line. The water is not there from a leak in a valve, but water that was in the line. No way to dry the line out to sweat the fitting. Besides, in most cases the house main water valve is shut down.
Re: Water in pipe preventing soldering
Another trick I’ve used for that problem is to vacuum the water out of the pipe using a shop vac. Pretty effective, works better than it sounds.
I’ve tried compressed air but really bread is pretty effective and I’d midnight, usually have a loaf available. I try to do everything else ahead though except for the final connection. I stock various fittings and caps in case the hardware store is closed.
The main underground water pipe supplying my abode sprung a big leak one time, caused by prior fencing work that nicked the pipe. Replacing that 25 foot section of underwater pipe from galvanized iron to copper was a big job, mostly b/c the pipe was surrounded by a gas pipe and a sewer pipe, but also b/c of the aforementioned water in the pipe problem, being the lowest point in the circuit. I came upon the vacuum idea almost by accident, had the vacuum out there anyway to clear dirt that fell into the trench, and just decided to try it out on the water in the pipe. Still had to use bread just before soldering though. The job took me 2 days, during which I borrowed cooking and drinking water, hauling it in buckets from my neighbor … lol …
I do not know where you live or how old your “abode” is but where I live, there are specific zoning laws that prevent these supply lines from getting too close, not just for safety, but just for this reason… Even if the lines must cross, zoning spells out exactly how far apart they must be…
Replacing a water supply line next to a sewer pipe that might have been leaking for years would be a nightmare… And can you imagine trying to replace that water supply line and striking the gas supply line in the process.
Now, I understand that homes built a long time ago, before zoning law took effect or in unincorporated areas often have this issue. When I lived in West Texas, Tom Green County, a friend was having a continuous battle with his builder because the township that he lived in had no zoning laws. I reminded him that the township may not have any zoning laws, but the state did and after that, the contractor got in line and stopped taking shortcuts… The one advantage to the previous issue of non compliance is when his grandkids spill marbles in the family room, they all roll into one of the corners… He does not think it’s funny!
From brake pads to plumbing and rolling marbles . OK fine .
Yeah, I guess y’all need to hear the whole story. I replumbed my whole house. Learning as I went. One of my first cuts I couldn’t keep the water from the top of the pipe. I did use the vacuum trick with a small tube taped to the end and sucked the water out. But it would gradually fill up. I could have soldered in time before it filled but in this specific case, it was wiser to just replace the slightly leaking valve. Someone suggested I use the bread trick, but I thought it better to fix the cause instead of bypassing it. In hindsight the trick probably wouldn’t have worked anyways. That was the basis for my thoughts pattern. So this was probably not a good example. For the rest of the story though, like I said, I’m not a plumber. This was 30 years ago. I replaced all the galvanized with copper. I soldered all the joints. A few days after I finished one of my joints leaked. At the hardware store the guy asked me if I cleaned the copper before soldering. I never heard of such a thing. So I had to do all the work over again. After doing the job wrong the first time, then redoing it seemed pretty easy. Ended up with good work, and got pretty good at sweating joints.
Other pipe repair, up at the cabins low spot in copper pipe must have swelled after freezing and a few months later split. Turned of the well pump, patched in some flexible hose with clamps and told my mom to call the plumber, as I thought copper to copper would be the way to go. He tells my mom that is exactly what I would have done, and yes he still opens and closes the cabin water systems.
Yeah well, brake pads and plumbing and marbles keep the responses away from the unmentionable.
I spent four month on the assembly line making cooling equipment for motels and such. At my station I had to sweat the valves on and test for leaks, and fast. So got pretty good at it.
Around here though anything outside the house is contractor work or the city crew. Plus it is all 42 inches down below the frost line so not really a diy job. Big bucks though.
Can we please get back to cars? Thanks.
My Godfather, the plumber had a Studebaker pick up for work and a Studebaker car for pleasure. Not sure what year but somewhere around 1955. I really liked them both.
Sometimes I read the title of the thread before I reply. OP does not own a Studebaker.
plumbing and cars go together. I had to solder a few radiators in the past. 
So do plumbing and Urology–according to my Urologist.
I’m not a urologist, but…
My first duty station in 1971 was Luke Air Force Base, West of Phoenix, AZ (the nickname is “The Valley of the Sun”). My supervisor retired and opened a Car Radiator Service Shop not far from the front gate. He made a nice living servicing the radiators in the old '50s and '60s cars…
He pulled the radiator, unsoldered the top, ran a coat hanger through the core, solder it back up, and flush it out with some “secret” gunk. He also put actual antifreeze in and tested the system for pressure and when he was done, you had a good working system and I never heard anyone complain about overheating again after he was done. I had the opportunity to go TDY back to Luke in the late 80s and I visited his shop, he was now in his early 70s and still going strong. He said he remembered me and was surprised that I had not been “thrown out of the service;” sadly he did not live long enough to find out that I went on to serve for more that 30-years…
Now, as I write this, I Googled the temperature in Phoenix and it’s 113 degrees right now and expected to go to 115 later on this afternoon… Whew, that’s hot…
Thanks. Back to music talk. Now I understand the song 7 Spanish angels from the valley of the sun better.
Neither am I, but do NOT use the white bread trick in this area.