• Welcome to The Truck Stop! We see you haven't REGISTERED yet.

    Your truck knowledge is missing!
    • Registration is FREE , all we need is your birthday and email. (We don't share ANY data with ANYONE)
    • We have tons of knowledge here for your diesel truck!
    • Post your own topics and reply to existing threads to help others out!
    • NO ADS! The site is fully functional and ad free!
    CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!

    Problems registering? Click here to contact us!

    Already registered, but need a PASSWORD RESET? CLICK HERE TO RESET YOUR PASSWORD!

I CAN"T FIND A RADIATOR FOR MY '84 DIESEL BLAZER!

I have often wondered if the older 454 model style radiators (copper/bronze) ones would have the same mounting size and connections to work in my 95. I would love to find one with the cap on the rad so I can ditch this remote pressure tank on the inner fender.
 
Apologies for coming in late.

Back to the anode. Agree that it has benefits, although do not see it as a shield in this application. If going this route, I would consider installing a coolant filter and make sure to check the anode as part of regular maintenance.

Sure, the anode will make itself more attractive to stray current so that the metals we want to protect do not take damage. But what happens when it does its job? We get particles (and some gas) in the coolant where the anode will eventually consume itself if there is enough stay current. Put another way, in a sealed coolant system I'd use the anode as an early warning of needing to correct grounds and/or time to change the coolant, and see the protection aspect as a secondary benefit.

Another factor is that installing an anode is also a bit of a gamble due to proximity. On boats this is fairly easy as anode placement is part of the engineering design by slapping one on just about every non-brass metal part that touches water. But for automotive, am not sold that this is part of the thought process (or allowable by the bean counters). Stray current does not float around in the coolant, so the anode needs placement where stray current exists and can find it. This makes placement a strategic guess for the rest of us. So in realty we probably need at least two anodes to provide coverage for both the engine and radiator. Maybe more for the 6.5 as its engine has a bunch of OE ground points.

Just thinking out-loud.

FWIW, completely understand the stray voltage thing as it is part of basic education for boats. For automotive, am convinced that a new-to-me vehicle was victim of poor coolant maintenance which allowed electrolysis to run amok. After fluid changes, first the water pump leaked. Then the radiator. Then the block (along a coolant passage). While that vehicle cost me a whole lot more than planned, it is still less expensive than a new vehicle.
 
The anode if screwed into the radiator will absolutely help.
The type where it is a radiator cap - then put that on a plastic surge tank, not so much.

Coolant ‘filters’ are not generally filters. They have a tablet inside. The filter is similar to a chlorine tablet floating around in your swimming pool. Period as the coin goes around the system and the tablet dissolves it is adding chemicals into the coolant. The most common chemical exerting is nitrate. It’s a very crucial chemical to add to wet sleeve diesel engines. Unfortunately that you’re talking about your 6BT Cummins you have dropped in your truck, do you have a dry sleeve engine. High concentrations of nitrate is one of the key elements for long life Antifreeze, which is all fine and dandy until you remember what happen with the dexcool and how much worse it was for a dry sleeve, IDI diesel.

So if you want to add a coolant filter, there is an actual filter is in a screen mesh material that is collecting debris and removing it from the cooling system, yes, do that. If you were thinking about adding a spin on coolant “filter” that uses chemical tablet, that is an additive, nopers.

As to the other chemicals that are being added to the coolant by the dissolving anod:
The main chemical is actually magnesium. Magnesium is the second most common additive for long life coolant- and especially desired in vehicles that run a combination of different metals such as cast-iron/ aluminum/ copper. and unlike nitrate, it does not have a action of building up in the system. To keep in mind that is the desired effect of Nitride class- they want that stuff to build up on the wet sleeve surface. So you get a double bonus for the 6.5 application
 
For the filter, Yes, a real filter. Not one of those tablet holder thingeys to keep SCA in balance (instead of testing the actual levels).

Run coolant filters in my current rigs as the casting is known to leave a good bit of sand in the block, which manages to get lose over time, and eat the pump. Aside from that little nit, the engines are good :)
 
cornemuse said:
Picked up an old brass radiator for '82 '84 '85 (+ more?) from '85 6.2 suburban.
What procedure to go through to test it?
Another is available possibly
Click to expand...
Find plugs for the hose ports. Cap them off. Fill the radiator with water.
Use a radiator pressure tester pump and pump the radiator up to anout 15 or 16 PSI and look for the leaks.
Is there any portions that looks like they are corroding ? Thats a sign the tube is getting weak.
If a tube or two is leaking, use side cutters and snip it off on both ends then solder the stubs, from the tanks, shut.
If You can afford a shop then get a new core done to the problematic core.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top