need advice with radator clog

[1928Pickuppain]

I recently went on a road trip to to Ossipee NH then continued up to the Canada Maine Boarder. I continued to drive along the boarder to the northern it of Canada, then i drove down the coast and cut back to Ossipee NH. the next day i decided to head back to Ma but before I went I wanted to hit a few more antique shops in Maine. Some of you might rember that i had surgery about 6 months ago things have continued to get worse and i needed to have a buddy grease my truck for me. He forgot to greese the water pump i never checked it and I started my trip. The whole trip i was sick in alot of paine and kinda out of my mind. I was pushing the old girl full open for most of the trip. In Holace Maine my water pump seized up. i used a pare of panty hoes to make a belt form crank to generator i have a dead battery and had been cranking her to start every time i needed to start her. continued to drive down to Rochecster NH. When i encountered a problem I the million red lights i could't shut her off at them cuz i would have to hope out and crank her to start it and it takes me about 2 or 3 minutes to get in or out of the car. Well she overheated real good. Blew my head gasket had to get towed to my uncles about 5 miles south or Rochester. We lapped the head and rebuilt the water pump. Turns out whoever I bought the rebuilt water pump from last time used an all steel bushing????? Very very strange so between no greese and seel on steel and pushing her like mad thats why she seized. well after i got her all back together and buttoned up I decided to drive home after about a mile she was cooking again and i headed back to my uncles house. I think from overheating at the red lights it caused rust to break loose and clog the radiator. The week after i was in Ma and was at my x gfs house and i fractured my hip. I am on cruches and working on anything is difficult. My uncle wants to fix the truck for me but he is also disabled but not quite as bad. I have two options in my mind. One is to pull the radiator and get it rodded out but nether of us can do that. So i am thinking about just a radiator flush. (mind you this is a two year old radiator. I am trying to figure out what flush would work best. Something that will dissolve rust. what do you guys use. or is there an acid i can poor in that would eat it better but not dissolve.

 

[Aerocraft]

I use the laundry product "Calgon" which is not expensive and has worked well for me. With fresh water in the radiator, I add a cup of the powder and let it cook, then flush with a lot of fresh water. It has taken me several cycles to clean out the radiatior but it worked for me. Smells good as well! Gar Williams

 

[1crosscut]

I have used wood bleach (oxalic acid) available in most hardware stores for removing rust from door lock assemblies etc... It removes the rust but doesn't harm the paint or affect good metal at all. I wonder if it would do the trick in dissoving the rust in your radiator.
Dave

 

[smithj5]

You may wish to look at a product called Evapo-Rust. It's a liquid. Found some at Harbor Frieght. About $25/gal. There is a web-site .

 

[1931 flamingo]

I wpold try reverse flushing it in the car first before I pulled anything apart especially if you're in the condition you say. Disc the top and bottom hoses and reverse flush the rad iator separate from the block and then flush the block. If that doesn't work then try the other suggestions. JMO
Paul in CT

 

[columbiA]

Ive used a gallon of vineger & top up with water & drove the cer for 50 miles or so,then removed the drain **** to let it drain quicker,then stick the garden hose in filler neck & let water run in at same speed as its draining for at least 10 minutes.Then put in a cup of baking soda & run engine for a while to neutralize the acid,drain,& run more water thru,then refill & you should be good to go.If you use a T-stat you will need to remove it before you clean the system.If you see air bubbles riseing in the top of the rad,the head gasket may be leaking a bit & that could contribute to over heating.It would be a good idea to retorque the head to 55# after its cooled down.

 

[Mike V. Florida]

Remembering that thr radiator it's self does not rust I would think a combination of a degreaser, to get any grease that may be blocking the tubes (from over greasing the water pump through the years) and then vinegar or the wood bleach to try to get rid of the rust. And the suggestion of back flushing the system is a good one.