Radiator cleaning?

[neonlarry]

What would all of you recomend to clean rust out of a radiator? Mine is really rusty inside, and I guess it is time to clean it and see how bad it leaks without all of the junk inside it to fill up the holes.
Also, other than another stock radiator, what would be a good replacement? I am thinking maybe try to find a good 73-87 truck radiator, or possibly spending the money to get a good aftermarket one.

[cableguy0]

its not really worth the aggrevation of screwing with used radiators. new ones arent that expensive and a radiator isnt really somethin i would want to be 20 yrs old

[Huck]

There is a radiator supplier on line that ships directly to your house in a day or two and from what I've heard, quality and price cannot be beat. Think it's something like www.radiators.com ???
I too would not invest in the pressure cleaning of your original or a junk yard replacement (typical $100.) for a radiator when you can get a new--guaranteed 4 core for around $200. You wouldn't have to worry about it on your next road trip. By the way, the aftermarket stuff you can buy in the auto stores to "clean out the radiator" is superficial and not very effective at loosening built up crud. My .02~~~~Huck

[imaindianoutlaw]

My dad used a commercial a/c condenser cleaning acid called con coil. Mix it 50/50 with water and run it in your radiator for about ten minutes and then rinse it out a couple times with water. gets all the crap out quick! This acid attacks alluminum and copper! Around $12 a gallon

[6869704X4]

Handful of Spic-n-span will do the same thing.

[Project1970]

When my truck started overheating with a 4-year-old Modine four-core in it, I took it to a local shop and had it rodded out for $60 or so...now it takes forever to warm up!

[chewed 71'er]

When I bought my 71, I could tell the cooling system had been neglected. Thought I would take the risk and flush it, lots of cloudy coolant came out. Heater core started leaking in 4 days, a week later radiator was leaking. Didn't even consider having it worked on, a 30 year-old radiator with patch-work on the tanks is not a good canidate for rebuilding. I've had bad experiences with 'rodded' radiators in the past. Bought an aftermarket 4-core for $180, no problems. At least you're looking into the cooling system now, road trips are the worst times to make 'discoveries'.

[gashog]

Just ordered one from radiator.com, big block one was $180 including shipping. Should get it by tuesday, I'll let you know what I think of it. (my old one didn't leak till I cleaned it )

[6869704X4]

If the radiator is cruddy, the block probably is too. I think its still a good idea to run some cleaner through it. Again, a handfull or two of spic-n-span works fantastic. I would do that with the old radiator in even if I was going to put a new one in(It might clean up so good you will want to save your money). Also, its a good idea to run distilled water in there with your antifreeze. No critters in that stuff to promote growth you dont want. Rust being a biggie.

gashog's post reminded me. The spic-n-span trick will clean out any old bars-leak that might have been in there. So you might have to put some of that in after it cleaned.

[Bill72BB]

Im with everyone else ,cleaned mine couple weeks later replaced with a new one for 192 ,got it at a local radiator dealer.
I suggest replacing it .

Good Luck.

[Canada20]

Would that CLR stuff do any good in cleaning this stuff out? When you're referring to the Spic-n-Span trick, just add a little to the rad and run the engine for a little while (long enough to get the t-stat to open up) and then flush it a few times?

Greg

[6869704X4]

I dont know about the CLR stuff. I used powdered spic-n-span. I put a couple of handfulls into the radiator after I flushed as much of the dirty fluid out with just the hose. I hooked it up to the hot water comming from the laundry sink and stuck it in the radiator with the engine running at a fast idle. When the water looked a little cleaner I pulled out the hose and put in the spic-n-span. Put the cap on and drove a few miles. Got home, un capped the rad and put the hose in again. The stuff that came out was scary. When the water cleared up I drained as much out as I could from the rad and the drains on the block. Then filled it with distilled water.
I guess you could take the Tstat out but I was lazy. I also had a thing of bars-leak ready because the mech that told me about this trick said I would most likely need it. But I didnt.
Hindsight being what it is I probably wouldnt have driven so far away from home in case I uncovered a major leak. You could probably do the whole thing in your driveway with the engine set at a really fast idle. Just watch for overheats/boilovers.
This is messy with all the crap comming out but it works beautifull. I guess the grit in the powder acts like a sandblaster going through the system. So it will blast off any old leak stopper that is in there.

Again, I dont know your experience level so be VERY carefull of boilovers. Dont get yourself or anybody else(like if your kids like to help) scalded.