|
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
05-05-2015, 07:55 AM | #1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 120
|
radiator way plugged
Went on a 20 mile trip, longest yet, boiled over, took the radiator to the shop, the guy was all negative about fixing it. So got solder and flux from him. I'am doing it myself. Over half of the tubes are plugged. Well let you know how many leaks I have when I'am done!
|
05-05-2015, 08:06 AM | #2 |
BANNED
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Michigan / Ontario border, Sarnia, Ontario. 50 miles from Detroit and 150 from Toronto.
Posts: 5,800
|
Re: radiator way plugged
Why not have it properly cleaned before the fix part ?
Wayne |
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) |
|
05-05-2015, 10:36 AM | #3 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Fountain Valley, Calif.
Posts: 937
|
Re: radiator way plugged
If it is that plugged, it probably needs to be carefully rodded by someone who knows how to do it. My radiator had over 20 tubes clogged, and after it was rodded, no more overheating problems at all.
|
05-05-2015, 10:51 AM | #4 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Santa Cruz Ca.
Posts: 175
|
Re: radiator way plugged
Seen a lot of "Do it yourselfers" bringing in their radiators, usually they ruined their radiators that I could have saved. But....... they knew best.
|
05-05-2015, 11:13 AM | #5 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: FRESNO, CA
Posts: 12,560
|
Re: radiator way plugged
Many times, we try 17 ways to "cool it down" & FINALLY find it was just a PLUGGED UP radumator!!!
__________________
"THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF" |
05-05-2015, 12:40 PM | #6 |
BANNED
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Bucks County, PA
Posts: 11,454
|
Re: radiator way plugged
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
|
05-05-2015, 01:15 PM | #7 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 120
|
Re: radiator way plugged
All fins attached, I rodded out about half the tubes, some plugged the whole length! It looked like grease and rust. I love being a do it your selfer! And it don't leak. Looks like the $600 stays in my pocket!
|
05-05-2015, 01:30 PM | #8 |
Senior Member
|
Re: radiator way plugged
I am impressed!!! Where do you guys find a shop that will rod out the tubes??? Can't find one in the Detroit area. Anyone know of one. They really don't want to take things apart.
It's much better to save the old core because it has larger tubes than the new cores. Lets a lot more junk flow through. |
05-05-2015, 01:52 PM | #9 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 120
|
Re: radiator way plugged
I also would like to add that anyone who thinks they can clean plugged tubes with some kind of radiator cleaner is sadly mistaken. It took me 6 hours to unplug those tubes and one tube took 20 minutes! If there is something strong enough to eat away the gunk it will also put holes in the radiator.
|
05-05-2015, 01:58 PM | #10 | |
BANNED
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Michigan / Ontario border, Sarnia, Ontario. 50 miles from Detroit and 150 from Toronto.
Posts: 5,800
|
Re: radiator way plugged
Quote:
Wayne |
|
05-05-2015, 02:09 PM | #11 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: oroville calif
Posts: 893
|
Re: radiator way plugged
try a radiator shop that works on farm equipment, the one here in town will take on any thing, and I don't know of any over the counter rad cleaner that works, save your money, there has to be a certain amount of circulation down the tube in order for any cleaner to work, nothing works just sitting on top of the plugged rad core
|
05-05-2015, 02:24 PM | #12 |
BANNED
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Bucks County, PA
Posts: 11,454
|
Re: radiator way plugged
good job Tim nothing wrong with doing it yourself its worth a shot, nothing to lose but some time...
not sure how dirty your block is but if you want to try hooking up a pole to the upper radiator hose so it extends passed the car. start it and keep a hose going into the radiator fill, flush it through engine running this will eliminate any loose crap going right back int othe rad.. |
05-05-2015, 02:40 PM | #13 |
Senior Member
|
Re: radiator way plugged
The radiator shop they would not do it so what has the owner has to lose.
__________________
What's right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity - intellect and resources - to do some thing about them. - Henry Ford II |
05-05-2015, 06:22 PM | #14 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 120
|
Re: radiator way plugged
Yea! No leaks, Meat thermometer says I never got higher then 176 F. Ran 30 minutes down the road. Zoe only looks hot now!
|
05-05-2015, 08:11 PM | #15 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Mpls, MN
Posts: 27,582
|
Re: radiator way plugged
Quote:
I would also try doing it myself, if it needs to be rodded out. I was thinking of removing the bottom tank, so I had a straight shot up the tubes, then use a long thin drill bit. I picked up a few that are a couple feet long, and smaller than the tubes. I would twist the bit by hand as I feed it up the tubes. Once I had the tubes fairly well opened by the bit I would use a bore brush that would fit the tubes. I'd think a .22 gun brush might be about right without pushing on the sides too hard. Has anyone used this method with the round tube? Thanks |
|
05-05-2015, 10:41 PM | #16 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: so cal, placerville, vegas
Posts: 1,394
|
Re: radiator way plugged
I'm another one who has not been able to find a rad shop that will rod a radiator. Anyone want to share 'how-to-do-it'? I'm thinking of a core that does NOT have round tubes, they are 'flat - oval'. I can't see working a drill bit, I'm afraid I'd push through the sides of the tubes.
Local rad shop sold me a new core (and lightened my wallet a bunch). Doesn't cool as well as original that they say is plugged. I saved the original core. I haven't much to loose, trying to learn how to rod it. Fastroadster? Want to share? |
05-06-2015, 01:59 AM | #17 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Queensland Australia
Posts: 640
|
Re: radiator way plugged
Quote:
__________________
Adjust your points with gentle blows of a 2 pound hammer |
|
05-06-2015, 05:44 AM | #18 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 1,868
|
Re: radiator way plugged
I've cleaned several radiators with draino (lye). Leave it in for about 20 minutes and wear googles gloves. Back flush it good. Do this OFF the car. I think that is what the radiator shops use to use only it was a warm solution
|
05-06-2015, 08:54 AM | #19 |
Senior Member
|
Re: radiator way plugged
Now that everyone is telling what they did, here was my try. I cut two windows in the top tank and bent the metal back so that it would bend back in to place. That exposed a lot of the tubes. I then used a welding rod to work down into the tubes and clear them. Then I took it to a shop and had them solder back the windows and fix any leaks I caused, and it worked well. Could not get to all the tubes and I removed the baffle which was a mistake. I had one put back in.
I would like to know how the poster removed and re-installed the bottom tank. I heard that it was very hard to get things back together. |
05-06-2015, 09:08 AM | #20 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: FRESNO, CA
Posts: 12,560
|
Re: radiator way plugged
Quote:
EVERYONE should hang out at a radumator shop & observe how they do it! IT AIN'T ROCKET SCIENCE! (Be sure to go @ 10:00 & take 2 DOZEN DONUTS!!) Bill W.
__________________
"THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF" |
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) |
|