Flushing Radiator Cooling System

DScott

DScott

Junior Member
I have a 1929 Model A that runs like a top now that I have replaced the condensor ( thanks for the advice). I am going through the car now, checkling everything and trying to be proactive and preventive.

I have noticed when I add water to the radiator, that the water in it is always very red due to rust. The previous owner never put any anti-freeze in the car because when the car got hot, it would blow green foam across the hood.

The radiator and cooling system needs to be flushed and treated to stop the corrosion. Any suggestions or advice on flushing the cooling system ?
 
After much fussing around with flushing and vinegar and anti-rust and every shortcut I could think of, I ended up taking my radiator out and having it rodded at a pro shop. No troubles since then. It might work for you, too.
 
700rpm said:
After much fussing around with flushing and vinegar and anti-rust and every shortcut I could think of, I ended up taking my radiator out and having it rodded at a pro shop. No troubles since then. It might work for you, too.
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Ray is right. If the tubes are in good shape, rodding will make a big difference.
 
FL&WVMIKE said:
Very nice ! But you should leave the vinegar in for days or weeks. You need to give it a chance to work. It is a mild acid, which will eat the rust.
You are wasting your money by buying 50/50. You are paying antifreeze price for water. It is easier though.
Save your self some money and mix it yourself.
MIKE :) (mikeburch)
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I agree, with leaving it in longer.... I used 100% vinegar to clean out the mineral deposits on a humidifier and it took two days --this was eating minerals off of plastic which appears to not have been harmed...
 
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Smurkey,
If you ever get a chance, go to a radiaror shop & sit out on the way, on a stool & watch those guys work their "MAGIC"! It's a great education & you pick up on soldering tecniques that'll help you when doing work at home.
I always like to observe upholstery & body men doing their stuff too!-Bill W.
 
DScott said:
I have a 1929 Model A that runs like a top now that I have replaced the condensor ( thanks for the advice). I am going through the car now, checkling everything and trying to be proactive and preventive.

I have noticed when I add water to the radiator, that the water in it is always very red due to rust. The previous owner never put any anti-freeze in the car because when the car got hot, it would blow green foam across the hood.

The radiator and cooling system needs to be flushed and treated to stop the corrosion. Any suggestions or advice on flushing the cooling system ?
Click to expand...

If you are experimenting/investigating different methods, I suggest searching the archives and making a loong list of such for your eventual choice/method. If you choose cheap, white vinegar of the STRONGEST type that you can buy , used correctly, will do the job SOMEWHAT :eek:
.
Having been there and done that, I settled on EVAPO-RUST.
Now, taking an antique radiator out and having someone fiddle with it is expensive and hard work, IMO. Plus, you put 'rodded' rad back in and rust from block brings it back to where you started. I found that evaporust did the block and radiator rust at same time...beautifully ! No work, just more money for cleaning product. However, when drained/captured, it can and was/is used over/over again. Oh, did I mention that this stuff eats ALL the rust and NOTHING else. Your choice..cheap or costly :)
 
hardtimes said:
If you are experimenting/investigating different methods, I suggest searching the archives and making a loong list of such for your eventual choice/method. If you choose cheap, white vinegar of the STRONGEST type that you can buy , used correctly, will do the job SOMEWHAT :eek:
.
Having been there and done that, I settled on EVAPO-RUST.
Now, taking an antique radiator out and having someone fiddle with it is expensive and hard work, IMO. Plus, you put 'rodded' rad back in and rust from block brings it back to where you started. I found that evaporust did the block and radiator rust at same time...beautifully ! No work, just more money for cleaning product. However, when drained/captured, it can and was/is used over/over again. Oh, did I mention that this stuff eats ALL the rust and NOTHING else. Your choice..cheap or costly :)
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I agree about the rust in the block voiding any radiator work. I should have noted in my post above that I rodded the radiator at the same time I had the engine rebuilt, so the block was clean.
 
Quite often in my locale the 50/50 solution sells for less than the strait antifreeze. So it is still a convenience you pay for but you don't pay the same for the undisputed as you do the 50% mix. The 50 mix is cheaper !
Wayne
 
I let my block sit with evaporust in it for 6 hours,it's very clean now. I've run the car a few times and drained the water out....water comes out clean still.
Now when I drive over 45mph theres so much water moving it blows it out tilll I slow down to 45. I installed a thermostat yesterday to fix that.
 
Sounds like my problem ! I had the radiator flushed and now when get over 35 it blows that redish water out on the hood. I have finished restoring the car that I have been working on for the last 3yrs. I have 150 miles on the car now but am thinking may need to clean the block don't know if that would make it throw water out or not.
The car does not seem to be that hot put a quail themo on. Maybe I will try a thermostat or a cut down water pump. let me know how the thermostat works.
 
an old trick. put section of a nylon stocking in the rad hose entering the rad. sometimes lots of "stuff" is captured.
 
WICK ! How much evapo rust did you use? How did you keep it in the block?

I am thinking you did not put it in the radiator.
 
mebeached said:
Sounds like my problem ! I had the radiator flushed and now when get over 35 it blows that redish water out on the hood. I have finished restoring the car that I have been working on for the last 3yrs. I have 150 miles on the car now but am thinking may need to clean the block don't know if that would make it throw water out or not.
The car does not seem to be that hot put a quail themo on. Maybe I will try a thermostat or a cut down water pump. let me know how the thermostat works.
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If you are throwing water out on the hood it seems to me that your radiator gasket is bad. Any excess water should leave via the overflow tube at the base of the radiator. Is you water level too high? Just need enough to cover all the core of the radiator. Some get into a cycle of blow excess water out. Put some in. Blow some out. Put some in....
Let it go for a while to see if it settles down.
 
smithj5 said:
an old trick. put section of a nylon stocking in the rad hose entering the rad. sometimes lots of "stuff" is captured.
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I tried the nylon sock last summer, but it tore and most of it blocked the tube tops until the top tank filled and the coolant went out the overflow. I now have a brass screen and a rubber Y pipe in the top hose. The brass screen projects forward into the top funnel opening on my 28 radiator. Each time the engine is stopped the junk cn fall back into the Y connection and into a glass jar.
 
Take the water hose conection on the side of the block and flip it upside down. Leave the hose on it. (head was off) pour evaporust down the hose to fill block. Good idea to raise the rear of the car up so the motor is level. Took less then a gallon.
 
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