Radiator cleaning

D

Don Cape Cod

Senior Member
No shops on the Cape "tank" our old radiators anymore. That led to a bad scene last fall. Does anyone know of a shop in eastern Mass. that continues to use the tank process to chemically clean our old rad's?

Thank, Don, for Dave Nixon
 
Do what I did -put a fan blade through the radiator -You get a nice brand new clean core ! When I don't feel that drastic I have had success with vinegar -Karl
 
I don't think you can really clean out a radiator chemically. I tried the vinegar flush on my 52 when I first got it. I ran it straight for a few days. I ran the engine up to temp a few times and finally flushed it out. Got a LOT of rusty water out and looking down into the radiator the brass looked new.

However, the water jackets still had a thick layer of what looked like wet yellow chalk. So I flushed with phosphoric acid paint prep. 50/50 mix with water and let it soak a couple days. MAN what a difference. Water jackets look new. Brass T-stats and inside radiator looked new.

I took the radiator in for service since the tag on it showed it was re-cored back in 1996. It was 50% plugged according to the shop. They said rodding it out is the only way to clean them out.

Brian, I don't think any acid would be good for aluminum. I also think it would probably take out water pump seals. I was changing mine so I didn't care.
 
Here's my water jacket and T-stat after the flush and what I used. Radiator was still 50% plugged. The block was pressure washed out with the pumps off as well as down the heads at the T-stat housings to make sure no sandy stuff left behind.
 

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Hi Don

You may want to check with Dan Guertin at Starfish Radiator in Orleans if you haven't already. Dan will point you in the right direction. He is on his way to Florida right now, and will be back in 3 weeks.

Russ
 
I had some Hydrochloric acid left over from a concrete floor etching job. It does a great job of dissolving rust and limescale. The evil gas that comes off is presumably chlorine, so you need to do it outside!
I think the problem with radiators is that the tubes get blocked where they start in the top tank. That plug of gunge is quite thick, so takes a hell of a lot to dissolve it. I think that is why rodding is the only way to clear them. ie take off the bottom tank and rod them backwards.
 
Russ, Thanks. Dan does not have the "tank" anymore. I've been placing a few calls in the New Bedford and Worcester areas. I think the old process is the only way to go for these old copper rad's.
 
In my Dad's radiator repair shop back in the 60's-70's we soaked radiators in a hot solution of caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) for 2 or 3 hours and then flushed them out with water/compressed air. This cleaned everything but rust/scale lodged in the tubes. That required removing tanks and rodding with flat steel rods which was very hard on old cores. We learned the hard way that aluminum Corvette radiators did not like the treatment after we put one end and found nothing left to take out.
 
Any solvent strong enough to dissolve the deposits in the radiator usually results in damage to the core. If your radiator is so plugged you are have chronic overheating, it is almost always time for replacement. It isn't cheap, but allows you to drive in all seasons without worry.
 
Scotty's 52 F3 said:
I don't think you can really clean out a radiator chemically. I tried the vinegar flush on my 52 when I first got it. I ran it straight for a few days. I ran the engine up to temp a few times and finally flushed it out. Got a LOT of rusty water out and looking down into the radiator the brass looked new.

However, the water jackets still had a thick layer of what looked like wet yellow chalk. So I flushed with phosphoric acid paint prep. 50/50 mix with water and let it soak a couple days. MAN what a difference. Water jackets look new. Brass T-stats and inside radiator looked new.

I took the radiator in for service since the tag on it showed it was re-cored back in 1996. It was 50% plugged according to the shop. They said rodding it out is the only way to clean them out.

Brian, I don't think any acid would be good for aluminum. I also think it would probably take out water pump seals. I was changing mine so I didn't care.
Click to expand...

I am not following, are you saying it was 50% clogged after the paint prep and then you had to have it rodded anyway?
 
Glen Ray Radiators of Wausau, Wisconsin has my 1941 flathead radiator right now to disassemble, boil, rod out and repair leaks. It was really plugged up after 50 years of mice living in it.

They looked it over and said they can clean it and repair it so it will work like new. The estimate is $350. So far they have been great to deal with but I haven't seen the end result yet. Check out their web site and give them a call.
 
the radiator man i use said to never use acid as it will eat up the solder first. just sayin, skip
 
Hi Don

Here is an Industrial strength product that may do the job. I sent you a PM on it also. I have not figured out how to post a photo on a PM
 

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Dennis Costa in the City of Taunton lot closer than Worcester. Costa Repair Service
right across from the main fire station. He's still roddin out my flatheads. by removing
top and bottom tanks rod em out, re solder pressure test cheaper that a recore, but
he will recore. Then there is Modem might be spelled wrong they are in Weymouth
they mfg. radiators. They do the brass ones to AC Macks. Short story my fan went
wiped out radiator on 1959 Continental with A/C. found the place I say oh -0-
modern plant industrial park. Bring radiator in to the counter 'I figure a waste of
time. Guy says right off the bat thats 1958 thru 1960 Lincoln with A/C. Lets take a
walk, I see model Ts early V8s name it. Fork lift goes way up brand new boxed radiator. sam
think it was $180. So I don't judge books by the cover no more.
 
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