A radiator Question

[mjs2011]

My 91 7.3 diesel has been overheating slightly while pulling my boat, so I decided to clean the radiator and flush the coolant. I dumped the coolant filled it with straight garden hose water, let it heat up, drove for a while, then dumped the water. Then, I put in a coolant flush and topped it up with water. I ran the engine up to operating temperature then drove around for a while. I dumped this flush and it was kinda gunky. Then I did another flush with water. It wasn’t until after this flush that I noticed the issue. There are chunks of black and blue silicone that were coming up through the cores that are visible under the radiator cap.

I recently had some work done on the pickup, so I called the mechanic and asked him a few questions. He said that the engine looked like the heads had not been pulled in the past five years, so it wouldn’t be a shotty silicone job on the head. He thought that this silicone may have come from a water pump replacement.

When I started the task, I purchased the coolant that was precharged with SCA, and I planned on putting that in the truck. But right now, one day after the flush, it is still sitting with straight water in the cooling system. This leads to my question.

First, should I be concerned with the straight water in the system. Should I be worried about cavitation on the short term that I am working on the radiator?

Second, Can I clean the radiator myself? I have thought about taking the radiator off, taping up the holes, and filling the radiator with CLR? Is this a good idea. Has anyone tried it. I would certainly flush the radiator with baking soda after the CLR soak, as well as flush the engine with water upon re install.

Or would it be best the take the radiator to a shop and have them clean it. I cant find a shop near me that will do it, but my dad is going to check on prices in my hometown too.

Mostly, should I be worried about the water that sits in the cooling system now. And if I can clean the rad myself, what is the best way to do it.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[franklin2]

The problem with water is rust. It's rusting the engine block with the water sitting in it. Will a couple of days hurt it? Probably not. A couple of weeks, probably not good for it. Also, I don't see where you live, but regular tap water where I live is very hard with lots of minerals in it. This produces scale and clogs our home water heaters as well as the cooling systems in our vehicles. You should use distilled water from the grocery store for your final fill. If you take out the plugs in the side of the block on both sides, and the plugs in the oil cooler, you can get ALL the water out and then refill it with distilled.

Most of these radiators if they are original, are getting old and thin. If you get someone to put chemicals in it, or if you do it yourself, you risk it starting to leak. If you see some corrosion along the bottom of the radiator, that's a sign that it's getting old and it's risky to try and clean it.

I had the same problems you are having, and I went to a local radiator shop and that's what they told me. They could get a new one for $500. I said no thanks, I knew I could get a new one for around $380 from the parts store. I then found the aluminum ones on ebay, bought one of those for $280 or so, and have been happy with it.

 

[icanfixall]

An aluminum radiater is a better modification than just replacing your rad with a store bought one. You sure can try cleaning out what you have but might just find out after the deep cleaning you wont have much left of the pem rad. If you clean yours by yourself flush it well. Then if it leaks save the coolant and buy an aluminum radiater. No problem with runing just water for about a month. You wont harm the block. What you can add to the water is water pump lube sold in many auto parts stores. Or find a rust inhibiter in the same stores. CLR probably wont do a good enough job but pool acid will. Its called murriatic acid and its cheap but can harm you but good if its splashed in your eyes or on your skin. To make it work better if you can fabricate a rocking table and not completely fill the radiater with the acid it will slosh around and wash away the buildup faster. The rocking table is just a larger idea of what the blood labs use to keep blood from colagulating in the tubes. Think of an oil well function. Build something like that with a slow turning motor connected to a arm connected to the table. Half full should do it great...

 

[chris142]

The only way to unplug the tubes is a rod out at a radiator shop.nothing you pour into it will clean it like a rod out will. We charge $125-$150 to to a rod out on those

 

[mjs2011]

Sounds like some mixed solutions here. With an aluminum radiator, is the mount pattern the same? Or do you have to customize. Especially with getting the fan shroud mounted back up.

Then as far as working with what I have, I would like to find a cheap solution if possible. That's why I'm not sure about a rod out if they are going to rod it then find that it's beyond repair anyways, or that it doesn't fix the problem. In that case, I could spend that money and some extra on getting a brand new radiator.

Assuming there will be no I'll effects to using muriatic acid, I may try that. I would like yo get it cleaned to the point that I can pull my dad's boat the 250 miles to his place and get my pickup there without having to run at 50 mph with the heater on and windows down the whole way. And from there, maybe I could look at getting the radiator rodded or replaced. So if that muriatic acid would be a quick fix, I eould be all for it.

 

[mjs2011]

Icanfixall, I know the entire system is nearly 8 gallons of coolant, but what is the capacity of just the radiator, so I can gage how much muriatic acid I should buy. And do I dilute this acid, or pour that in straight?

 

[Wood]

get the radiator rodded out. pull it yourself, our radiator shop across the street will do it for like 60-80 bucks.

they will tell you if its leaky or not too.

 

[icanfixall]

I don't know what the radiater in your truck has for rows or coolant capasity. Look at the tubes for some dimpleing on them. If you have a three row dimple core radiater its junk no matter what you do with it. The dimple core tried to slow down the fall of the coolant and cause it to give off more heat because the coolant stayed in the rubes longer. Well that sure a hell didn't work like they designed it. I can suggest what dilution of the acid to use because I don't have a bottle of it to figue it out. One gallong treats a huge swimming pool as I recall. You might find a pool boy and ask about dilution too or walk into a pool store and ask. Depending if the tubes are completely plugged off you may need it rodde. The shops wont charge you for trying to rod and fix it but they want the old radiater for its scrap value too and they will sell you a replacement. The cheapest thing right now is a gallon of pool acid. Or find a pool guy and ask for a small amount of it but have a plastic jug when you do this.. Not a glass jar either. Moving the fluid thru the radiater it the important thing. I have heard of some owners pouring the muratic acid directly into the radiater on the truck and running it for a couple of hours. Then draining and flushing several times till its all gone. I don't like doing that because of the differant meatals and gaskets in the system. Remember the oil cooler has a copper bundle held in an aluminum header and the block is cast iron as are the heads but the radiater is soft copper. All this information is just so you know whats going on. Driving around with acid in the cooling system will clean EVERYTHING OUT.. Thats for sure. But how much is too much I can't say for sure. Believe this... Its not going to melt any parts like pouring hot water on a sugar cube but the acid will clean the mineral buildup fast. Sadly you have a mineral dropout issue because someone could have cared less about what they used for water or had no idea how bad home or well drinking water is for any radiater. I run coolant and distilled water. When I try to find a leak its hell because the leaks wont leave any mineral traces on anything. I have to find a wet spot. Kinda like looking for the wet spot in the bed if you know what I'm refering too....

 

[sle2115]

Gary, they make a product called Depends to help with that! lmao

 

[mjs2011]

Man, where do you guys live that rod outs are so cheap. The only guy who does radiator work in my town told me it would cost upwards of three hours to rod out based on time. He said that's the reason why he doesn't do them. The only way I can get it rodded is by taking the radiator 250 miles to my dad's place. There is a shop there that does it for 70 bucks an hour.

 

[chris142]

Like I said we charge 125-150 to rod one of these rads out. We do charge you even if it dies on the operating table. Basically ill tell you up front that you pay first and I /we will do our best. But when dealing with a 20 yr old radiator it may not make it. Once we put a torch to it it may die if its weak. There's no way that I'm going to spend 3 hrs of my labor and $40 worth of solder and just get $20 for it as scrap if it dies. Man imagine if I had 3 rads die in a day! All that work for $50-$60 in scrap! No way!

 

[riotwarrior]

TO THE OP,

I feel quite compelled to share my experiences with you about flushing my cooling system in my truck. Now granted my experiences are just that, and are solely based on this truck and the work I've done and the condition it was purchased in.

Thus the short of my exp is,

I flushed my cooling system which had a wide, short rad with chemical cleaner. I then did water only, Oh heck let me get you the threads you can read them they are quite informative and with pics!

These are in order of which they happened PLEASE read them and understand that there can be complications to doing a cooling system flush!!!!!

http://www.oilburners.net/forums/sh...petcocks-flush&highlight=coolant+system+flush

Then I had this occur from flushing, the water pump began to leak profusely, so I had to write this one up!

http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?59057-Replacing-water-pump

After that got fixed, I had this occur, now I know what's happening here as I go along and replace part after part.

so here after replacing that water pump....after flushing...a freakin rad leak now!

http://www.oilburners.net/forums/sh...-rad-leaks-LOL&highlight=coolant+system+flush

So then that leads me to this one final thread here for a rad these are in my opinion TOP SHELF for the dollars you spend on them.

http://www.oilburners.net/forums/sh...D-IN-Wifey-Rocks!&highlight=champion+radiator

Hope all this info helps and what a calamity of horrors you can have happen from flushing.

Al

 

[laserjock]

Al,
Do you happen to have a part number for that radiator handy? Looks like I'm going to be buying one.

 

[riotwarrior]

Al,
Do you happen to have a part number for that radiator handy? Looks like I'm going to be buying one.

Just check Ebay for Champion diesel radiator

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1983-1994-F...Parts_Accessories&hash=item20d5342f80&vxp=mtr

Hope that helps, I'm pleased with mine!

 

[BIGGER DUMMY]

RUNNING WARMER NOW

CHRIS I REPLACED RADIATOR W/ALUM. ONE I THINK THE THERMOSTAT WAS 190 DEGREE I PUT BACK IN SO IS THAT WHY IM RUNNING WARMER NOW, OR IS IT CAVITATION?...NOT YELLING JUST FORGOT TO TURN CAP LOCKS OFF....REPLACED WATER PUMP,FAN CLUTCH TOO