Called local radiator shop and they no longer boil or rod out radiators, too much regulation on the chemicals. What is the next best thing to make sure it cools properly? He said they could flow test it. Just wanted to be sure it was working well since I have to remove it to take off my old 4 blade fan and put on a new leakless water pump and aluminum 2 blade fan.
radiator
- Thread starter LarryinWA
- Start date
Tom Wesenberg
Well-known member
I borrowed an inspection camera to look inside the top anf bottom tanks. I could see the tube ends were clean after I did the vinegar treatment, and my radiator doesn't fill the top tank and overflow any more. If you can borrow an inspection camera that would help, but if your radiator didn't give problems before, then you should be OK now.
Sure is too bad how government regulation has shut down so many things in this country.
Sure is too bad how government regulation has shut down so many things in this country.
Joe K
Well-known member
Plus one on Tom's statement above.
Actually your 2 blade fan will likely pull more air through the radiator so you should have less problems.
When you're back together and if you have ANY sign of issue - then go to the DIY method with vinegar & etc.
But be prepared to pull it all apart after the vino opens a weak spot in your radiator.
And if it does I would find myself another radiator shop who CAN do the repair and consequent rework correctly.
It's not a surplus of law so much as a shortage of will.
Joe K
Actually your 2 blade fan will likely pull more air through the radiator so you should have less problems.
When you're back together and if you have ANY sign of issue - then go to the DIY method with vinegar & etc.
But be prepared to pull it all apart after the vino opens a weak spot in your radiator.
And if it does I would find myself another radiator shop who CAN do the repair and consequent rework correctly.
It's not a surplus of law so much as a shortage of will.
Joe K
BRENT in 10-uh-C
Well-known member
Not so sure government regulations is the true reason why. The old radiator boil-out tanks used nothing more than hot Caustic or Lye (Sodium Hydroxide). We still use it, and it is available on-line and at chemical dealers in a crystal form.
My opinion is the true reason why most shops do not use it any longer is because about 90% of their business is with aluminum radiator cores and plastic tanks, ...both are unfriendly with Sodium Hydroxide as it will disintegrate alloy and plastics. Adding to that, even fewer shops have the expertise to solder a metal tank since most OEM tanks are crimp-on now. Just as anything else, times change as does methods & materials.
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Mike V. Florida
Well-known member
I don't know what chemicals are used in roding a radiator. Ask them what the flow rate of a model A radiator is and how they do it as I know there is a lot of us that would love to know.
As for the regulations, while I hold no love for regulations, I think they are just using it as an discussion stopper. I believe that the labor involved at their shop rate just makes the price too high for the amount of copper/brass radiators they do. Keeping a tank, heating it when needed for the few radiators around is not cost effective.
Tacoma Bob
Well-known member
Rate of flow test was of little value in my case. After being on a witch hunt for nearly a year I stepped up and bought a new Brassworks and never looked back. Only my opinion but unless a person has a lot of time to kill or is so tight fisted they squeak when they walk Step up and be done with it.
Ed in Maine
Well-known member
If your radiator is not performing as it should, you haven't got much to loose. If you have the patience, you can do it yourself. There was a recent post (within the last 3 months) on rodding out radiators. I used a propane torch, filled the radiator to just below the upper tank so as not to melt it down, disconnected the upper side supports to the tank and used an air compressor and nozzle to blow away the solder around the perimeter as I melted it with the propane tank. Before you know it, the upper tank is free. Use pieces of wood to hold the tank away from the radiator flange after it melts. Then use a rod such as an old dip stick and Gunk Degreaser in each tube to loosen up the old grease and debris. Push the junk into the bottom tank and then flush it out. After you complete this job you will be complaining that your A is running too cold! Good luck, Ed
CarlG
Well-known member
I could have actually saved myself around $300 if I had gone with a new radiator (Bergs in my case) right away instead of horsing around with the old stuff and trying to make it work for a year.
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maxandmickey
Member
hey larry,i just bought the leakless pump and a new aluminum 2 blade fan.how did that workout for you? did the fan fit ok on the new pump.did you have any problems putting it on.
SSsssteamer
Well-known member
When I rod out a radiator, I always pull the bottom tank off and push the crud out to the top. Then I flush the radiator with the radiator upside down, and all of the crud easily washes out of the top tank onto the ground. To rod it from the top, one is pushing the crud all of the way from the top tank to the bottom and sometimes it will jam up half way down. Working on it further sometimes will split out a tube. A reverse water flush with a charge of air as a chaser will often clear a radiator too. Nothing beats a new radiator though.
Tom Wesenberg
Well-known member
Of course a new one can be bought. There are still plenty of old time radiator shops out there who have a tank and will rod if needed. I agree that some shops don't do a lot of old stuff any more and may have stopped. You need to find one that does a lot of industrial, trucks or farm equipment. Just get a recommendation from someone in your car club or someone else that messes around with old cars, trucks or tractors. I had my model t radiator tanked and a leak fixed. They did the flow test and it took all the water they could put in. Didn't have to rod it. Cost me $65.