Bird seed inside the radiator

[Barnwood]

My radiator was in storage and there is bird seed inside of it. I triedi turning it upside but I can't get it out. Any ideas?

[wrndln]

Maybe you could do a reverse flush by connecting a hose to the lower outlet and letting the water run through the radiator. You could also reverse the hose connection to the cap area to get rid of more seed. I would think that would get rid of most of the seed. I am not sure if any remaining seed would hurt anything. I always put steel wool pads in the holes of radiators and exhaust pipes when in storage. I am pretty sure a mouse made a home in your radiator and stocked it with bird seed.

Rusty Nelson

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I wonder if they were trying to stop a leak? I've heard of old timers using corn meal and such to seal leaks.

[Ray in La Mesa]

I added an air fitting to my reverse flushing tool so I could bump the water. Refilled a couple times & got more stuff out . The added pressure doesn't affect the radiator.

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Hotrodders will tell you it is not the pressure but the water volume that will back flush properly a radiator. Most guys use a sump pump in a water barrel with around a 2” hose. It is good for acorns, hickory nuts, as well as oatmeal and birdseed.

[Model "A" Fords]

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Originally Posted by Barnwood

My radiator was in storage and there is bird seed inside of it. I triedi turning it upside but I can't get it out. Any ideas?

A radiator with open spaces invite rodents for protection and food storage.

Seeds are common in radiators that don't have the openings secured. When radiators are vertical, seeds are placed on the tube plate and fall with gravity as the rodents move on top of them. Seeds can easily fill the tubes.

While flushing, the small seeds can turn sideways and wedge tight. Flushing may be unable to free them and may require a rad shop to remove a tank and rod them out.

A plugged rad that overheats may boil dry melting the solder joints. Yes, I have seen a brand new radiator in a car with the filler neck missing.

A completely finished car that you drive, if left with the filler cap off can still invite intruders.

[Bob Bidonde]

The consequences of overheating your engine can be costly and a cause of a lot of anguish. I urge you to take your radiator to a professional shop and have them evaluate your radiator. If the shop considers your radiator is salvageable, as a minimum I would have the tanks removed and cleaned, and the core rodded-out.

[Model "A" Fords]

Originally Posted by Bob Bidonde

The consequences of overheating your engine can be costly and a cause of a lot of anguish. I urge you to take your radiator to a professional shop and have them evaluate your radiator. If the shop considers your radiator is salvageable, as a minimum I would have the tanks removed and cleaned, and the core rodded-out.

I like this advice! Nothing left to worry about.

[RDVAARK]

Put no more than one mouse in the radiator and put cap on. In a short time,it will eat all the seeds. If you put two mice in, they may be breed, and compound the problem. Put an odd number of mice in, and you will have one fat mouse, probably female, in a short while. If she is too fat to fit out, she may be pregnant, and you really have a problem. I was given this advice by an "old timer" when I was young and listened all the way to the end of the story, much to the amusement of the onlookers.
The other advice you've gotten here is better, but I think taking the radiator off, turning it upside down, and THEN flushing it would be really good,leaving a cleaner car and engine compartment with more likelihood of getting more stuff out. Also give some thought to backflushing the block from the upper connection.
Have a nice day. Russ