Early V8 Radiator Flush

flathead_jr

flathead_jr

Senior Member
I wanted to start an radiator flush discussion in the early V8 forum as I did not see one here, at least a very up to date one. I have a 1936 Ford pickup, and the radiator had a mouse nest in the top tank. I was able to get all of that flushed out no problem as it was not stuck in there. I have to use an inspection camera to view the top tank as I can not directly see inside the radiator. I put some dish soap in the cooling system and and that did a really good job of removing the rest of any potential oily or left over dirt. Final inspection still showed what appears to be that pesky stop leak partially blocking off the top of all the tubes. Reading other discussions I decided to go the vinegar route. I went with white distilled vinegar and a mix of distilled water. I could hear something fizzing inside the radiator so I know it was reacting with something inside there. Ran the engine until it reached around 200* and it seems to puke out a ton of water when it reaches a higher temperature. Is this normal because the water is boiling somewhere inside? The water is kind of a greyish black color, and I plan on draining it all this afternoon and filling it back with just normal water for a bit to flush it again, then I will neutralize with baking soda. I do have a leak somewhere and I have yet to find that as there is no visible fluid anywhere. If this does work to clear out the last of what I was seeing and I am still puking out water, what is causing this? I will eventually be going with a 50/50 mix once everything is resolved.
 
Jr you know these gems push water after being filled and getting up to operating temperature the first time to find their level.
Then typically maintain if no other issues.
 
take a look at products like No-Rosion.. a chemical treatment that works to remove built up scale, sludge, etc. The vinegar/baking soda may work but these new products work better IMO .
 
I am thinking the water / vinegar mixed may have done the trick. For the first time I am seeing water movement in the tank that I have not seen before. The water I removed last night was an ugly orange gold color, and the water after I refilled went to kind of a grey / white color. I am going to dump that water, re-flush, and then neutralize any remaining acidity in the system. After that I will get the thermostats in. One other thing I am doing is sending a distributor off to be set up correctly, and a coil to be rebuilt by Skip Haney. The engine starts and runs okay, but it's not great, and does not have the same response like my later early V8s. I did think about trying a timing light to see if this was running a bit to fast. I did mark the front pulley with #1 at TDC.
 
kevinshea said:
take a look at products like No-Rosion.. a chemical treatment that works to remove built up scale, sludge, etc. The vinegar/baking soda may work but these new products work better IMO .
Click to expand...

Kevin,

I was going to post the same thing. Their radiator/block flush is a great product. I also run their coolant additive that prevents issues with using aluminum heads.

Check them out and read their information pages. Lots of great information.

https://www.norosion.com/tech_coolant.htm
 
There are those that treat their EFV8 like a new-born baby. In the '30s '40s '50s those that owned a Ford, drove it. No hissy fits. No looking for a fly in the carb or on a fan belt. Is that fly supposed to be there? Surely, that fly is running my car at 162 degrees instead of 160. I'll have to take in to the dealer. No, maybe I should go to a radiator shop first and have them remove the top of the radiator, and have them rod out the radiator. I'll jump up and down with excitement while they work on it. Oh! the distributor. I'd bet that fly's got a wing in the points. Maybe I'll take it to my wife's Uncle Eddie. He's got a pair of pliers and a Vice-Grips and a fly swatter.
surely I jest.) but as I did with my '33, and '36 pickup, a well-known radiator shop will remove the top of the radiator and will professionally restore it good as new.

Be there while they renew the radiator, or stop in while the top is off. Well worth the expense for years. If you keep the car you will grin every mile. If you sell the car show the buyer the radiator bill and the radiator shop's description of the work. That will sell the car in itself, plus confirm your selling price. - (seeing the radiator after the work with its top still off and all that spotless brass is a jawdropper! my experience -

*****
 
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Last night I flushed and back flushed until all of the water flowed nice and clear. I'm still concerned about the crap still stuck at the top of the tubes in the radiator. I'm really not sure what it is, I just know it's a grey color. The flow through the radiator is not terrible, but I don't think it is sufficent.
 
I'll have to pull the photos off of my scope from the radiator so everyone can see what that material is. Unfortunately there is no way to get at it to see exactly what it is.
 
Scotty's 52 F3 said:
Try this. https://irontite.com/p/8189-thoro-f...dJLRyU30v2t7XFacO7WolRYyDmNcPrHG6wnaLMrmBpAr9
Click to expand...
a-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F81CKSN0sfmL._AC_SX425_.jpg
 
This is what is in the top tank, I don't think a flush is going to get this out.
(see attached photo)
 

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