Radiator hoses

[QGolden]

AFTER you've got it back together and running I'd install 50/50 anti-freeze or if you insist on water, put in a couple cans of rust inhibitor. Ck out Berg's for radiator. Replacing radiator and hoses NOT a big deal. JMO
Paul in CT

I second the 50/50, with one addition, for another 60 cents, pick up a gallon of Distilled water to mix with the antifreeze. I don't know for a fact that it helps, but it can do no wrong. Well water or tap water can have all kinds of things that do not help the cooling system.

 

[P.S.]

Soluable oil is made for using as a coolant when machining parts. It is an antifriction process. Although it would help lessen rust in the engine, It does nothing for acting as an engine coolant. I highly suspect it is the culprit for eating hoses. I have never heard of it and I have been a trained mechanic for over 40 years.

Possibly.. Tom Endy uses soluble oil in his cars, so I felt pretty safe with it. The people at Sac Vintage said soluble oil should not hurt the hoses one bit. They suspect the problem is the Vintique hoses themselves.

AFTER you've got it back together and running I'd install 50/50 anti-freeze or if you insist on water, put in a couple cans of rust inhibitor. Ck out Berg's for radiator. Replacing radiator and hoses NOT a big deal. JMO
Paul in CT

Agreed, shouldn't be a big deal. I have changed out the hoses before, but never the radiator. After self-damaging the original radiator (still mad at myself for that), I caused more problems just trying to disassemble the car to remove the radiator. That's why I decided to stop and get help before doing anything else.

Good news- A really super nice guy in the Sonora club has stepped up and will help. I have ordered a new radiator and other parts needed, and am arranging for a trailer and will take the car to his garage next week (assuming all the parts get here). This plan seems to have pleased the family for now. His garage is about 60 miles away. That was extremely kind of him!

So, back on topic...

Sacramento Vintage Ford says the Vintique hoses might be faulty. They suggested I purchase hoses from a different vendor that they have in stock to try them, and requested I bring the Vintique hoses to them for inspection. That's the plan. I'll bring the old hoses when I go to pick up the new radiator and other parts to fix the car.

As for switching to 50/50 antifreeze... Jury is still out on that. A little research turns up that "Gunk" brand rust preventative is just soluble oil and distilled water mix. So, some of you guys may already be running soluble oil without even knowing it. Wonder if any of you have had the insides of your hoses shed "skin"??

 

[P.S.]

I second the 50/50, with one addition, for another 60 cents, pick up a gallon of Distilled water to mix with the antifreeze. I don't know for a fact that it helps, but it can do no wrong. Well water or tap water can have all kinds of things that do not help the cooling system.

Please see post #1- "I run distilled water with a little bit of soluble oil for coolant."

Have always been of the belief that distilled water is the only kind of water that should be run in a cooling system. That from almost 27 years of experience in my field where water cooling is still in use. The water cooled equipment includes indicators to show the coolant's conductivity. If it goes beyond a certain point, the system must be flushed and new distilled water run in to the system.

 

[CarlG]

I'm sure that all that water in the flax water bags hung off these Model A's back 50+ years ago was pure distilled water, donchathink?

 

[P.S.]

I'm sure that all that water in the flax water bags hung off these Model A's back 50+ years ago was pure distilled water, donchathink?

Ha ha! Yea....

But, I'm trying to be nicer to this car than those people were to theirs. I really don't want to have to deal with a block rusting out. Water passages still look perfect inside, trying to keep it that way.

 

[QGolden]

I'm sure that all that water in the flax water bags hung off these Model A's back 50+ years ago was pure distilled water, donchathink?

Well probably not, and I do not know for sure that it helps. But it costs so little, and cannot hurt. Besides 50 years ago the engines were not 80 years old and we were not adding Chlorine and whatnot to our water supply. I for one look for all the edge I can get.