radiator way plugged

[tim54889]

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!

[C26Pinelake]

Why not have it properly cleaned before the fix part ?
Wayne

[TerryH]

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.

[fastroadster]

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.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Many times, we try 17 ways to "cool it down" & FINALLY find it was just a PLUGGED UP radumator!!!

[Mitch//pa]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

are all the fins still attached to the tubes?

[tim54889]

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!

[Jacksonlll]

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.

[tim54889]

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.

[C26Pinelake]

Originally Posted by tim54889

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!

Hopefully it turns out okay. One of my first Mr. Fix It was rodding a radiator. Eventually I bought a new one because as the previous poster said, I fixed it beyond repair ! Next time we let a professional do his trade !
Wayne

[WestCoast]

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

[Mitch//pa]

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..

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by fastroadster

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.

The radiator shop they would not do it so what has the owner has to lose.

[tim54889]

Yea! No leaks, Meat thermometer says I never got higher then 176 F. Ran 30 minutes down the road. Zoe only looks hot now!

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by tim54889

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!

Good for you!
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

[bobH]

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?

[RUNNERBUN]

Originally Posted by bobH

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?

I have a radiator with flat tubes which I rodded out successfully. I used a length of band saw blade. I cut a suitable length from an old used band saw blade and ground off all the teeth and removed all sharp corners and edges. I rodded from the bottom end of the radiator. Just go nice and easy and use plenty of water to flush out scale as you go, don't rush it. I managed to clear all tubes but one and radiator cools nicely.

[RonC]

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

[Jacksonlll]

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.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by Jacksonlll

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.

Jackson,
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.