radiators

M

Mike/Nebraska

Senior Member
I called a local radiator shop this morning about taking the tanks off my 29 Model A radiator and rodding it out and they said it can't be done. Does that sound right? They wante to put a modern core in it and then it was going to be as much as a new radiator.
 
Quote "it can't be done. " When I hear that expression I think that "either they don't want to do it or don't know how to do it" what ever it is.
I agree, find another shop.
 
Hi Mike,
I am assuming you are having over heating problems on a 29. Not uncommon!
It is not just cleaning out the tubes. It is also the attachment of the fin to the tube which dissapates the heat. I would suggest you go to Bergs Antique auto parts in Bluford Illoinois and get a reproductuion core from him. he makes a perfect copy of the original and the whole thing is dipped in solder so the attachment of fin to the tubes is very good so the heat will dissapate!
I have been using him for years and never regreetted doing it the right way!
Good luck,
Ken
 
Im no expert but just had to buy a new radiator. I took my old one to a shop because it was blocked up and he said all he could do was acid wash it. He said they couldnt be rodded and i have heard else where that this is true, I thought i heard somewhere that it is because you cant remove the tanks like you can on a new modern radiator, but again im no expert but thats what ive heard.
 
I have a 1930 Town Sedan and had my original radiator successfully rodded about 2 years ago. You definitely need to take it to someone who knows what they are doing. Mine had about 20 tubes all clogged and he managed to clear all but one or two. You do have to be very careful with how much pressure to exert or you can punch right thru a tube. Once cleaned out, mine runs like a champ and doesn't get close to overheating. For me it was very worthwhile.
Terry
 
If you have a stock radiator it certainly can be rodded. If, perhaps, you have a honeycomb core--not stock--that's a different story. The real problem is, there aren't many radiator shops left that know how to remove the tanks and rod out the core. Ask other Model A guys in your area.
 
I have a customers 30 in the shop. He just got it and the rad was leaking. Took it out, and what a suprise. The thing is so light, and its a new one, but also leaking. My Walker is 3 times the weight of this (forgien made) rad. Iceman
 
Hi
My first post on this forum, have been on the Hamb for a while.
Being a cheapskate I don't like to pay for anything, I unsoldered my 28 bottom tank, got a small drill silver soldered it to a rod. put it in my battery drill and cleaned all my tubes. I should have paid more attention as the tubes with dents from stones, just a couple at the front, I managed to drill through the dent causing a leak, which I just soldered up. worked for me.
Regards
Brendan
 

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call 1800 radiator , I did , sure it was for my '47 willys Jeep but I know I got what I want built to the cars needs , a four channel not a two channel that was original , copper brass new core new trays . this work was done by a local guy in orange . hofman radiator right near c.w.moss , this wasn't outta the box and the price was right . I'l have him do the same work to this '29 radiator . once I get to that point.
but the funny thing is 1800 radiator doesn't make a dime . only asked my zip code and I thought I get some catalog outfit competing . not the case. very satisfied .
 
Find a radiator shop that been in business at least 40 years; if its still the original owner he will know the top and bottom tanks, if not honneycomb, can be removed and the core rodded. Keep in mind that original core tubes are seamed and if too many have to be blocked to stop leaks then the radiator will not cool properly. Also the fins can be loose on the tubes and will not transfer heat. For these reasons many A'ers just buy a new radiator, usually from the Brassworks.

For your information, the current owner of the Brassworks has only owned the business the last four years.
 
Friend of mine carefully cut access an panel in top tank and then rodded tubes and then resealed tank (with i think epoxy resin!) with good result.
Hw did you unsolder and resolder your bottom tank Brendan 1959? Any tips gratefully received.
 
There's something wrong with that radiator shop.

It's not a big deal to carefully heat the bracket ends and pull the frame away, then carefully heat the tank area where it's soldered to the core. Heat a little bit and using compressed air blow the molten solder away. Keep working down the tank until you've gone all the way around. Once you've removed the tank inspect all the tube ends to make sure you didn't melt the solder away from them. If you did, just resolder them before soldering the tank back on.

Make sure the frame is resoldered in the correct location so the shell fits correctly.

I've done Sudebaker tank removal and may do my Model A this winter if I have time.

BE SURE TO WEAR A FACE SHIELD while blowing the molten solder.
 
Tom Wesenberg said:
There's something wrong with that radiator shop.

It's not a big deal to carefully heat the bracket ends and pull the frame away, then carefully heat the tank area where it's soldered to the core. Heat a little bit and using compressed air blow the molten solder away. Keep working down the tank until you've gone all the way around. Once you've removed the tank inspect all the tube ends to make sure you didn't melt the solder away from them. If you did, just resolder them before soldering the tank back on.

Make sure the frame is resoldered in the correct location so the shell fits correctly.

I've done Sudebaker tank removal and may do my Model A this winter if I have time.

BE SURE TO WEAR A FACE SHIELD while blowing the molten solder.
Click to expand...
That is about what I did, I recall I used an oxy act torch on a low setting and blew it out with compressed air. It all needs to be clean with plenty of flux when putting it together again.
Regards
Brendan
 
I see something a little wrong when a shop can not remove your tanks to rod out,but they can remove them to recore.If they don't want to rod out because of previous problems,they can just say so.That I can understand.The guy I have been using has all but given up on doing them.He has told people that their radiators look a little thin in spots,you can go new,or take your chances for the short money.His regular customers like me understand,and if it fails it was just my day in the barrel.Mr.backyard fixer-upper only hears the $80.price and tunes out the,I will try this at your own risk.As to what he will do,a few years ago I worked on a big Cat power unit for a chipper.They had poked a log through the core.He said he could fix it,not cheap,and the rate was $45.per hour back then.He replaced a bunch of tubes,and resoldered the fins back,and replaced some.I paid $1800.for the repair,but it was better than $8000.for a new unit.A core could have been custom made,but that was $5600.That chipper is still working today,spitting out 3/4 inch firewood,gobbling down just shy of 400 gallons of fuel a day.
 
I had a couple of radiators checked by a local shop. A quick dunk in their tank told the story, there were bubbles coming up everywhere. They told me that the tubes can corrode from the inside out and trying to rod them would only make it worse. Howie
 
"I called a local radiator shop this morning about taking the tanks off my 29 Model A radiator and rodding it out and they said it can't be done. Does that sound right?"


I did the same thing about. Inquired about opening up the radiator and cleaning her out. The old duffer in the Green bay, Wisconsin red brick corner radiator shop said that the tanks might be so 'em-brittled' [I'm not sure what he meant by that] that he may not be able to sweat them back on.

And he said no need to remove the bottom tank '"cause there ain't no room under the core and bottom of tank." He'd consider removing to top tank and rodding the tubes and making sure the tubes are soldered to the fins. Wouldn't do nothing for less then $200 and no guarantee.

I guess I don't have a problem that he wants to look at.

skip.
 
I had an overheating problem with my '29. Took the radiator off and laid it on a table. Poured that new non toxic Evapor Rust liquid in it and let it sit for three days. Back flushed it and got a whole bunch of rust flakes out that an earlier back flushing had failed to remove a couple of weeks earlier. Put the radiator back on and no more over heating.
 
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