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Radiator Cleaning Advice?

so I took out radiator and cleaned and have it all back in. is there a certain way to refill the water? fill it from the top hose hole?

Im planning to just use small percentage of coolant with water wetter and distilled water. already had green coolanf but I cleand some orange sludge out of the radiator.

to clean I did use garden hose and compressed air no issues. to clean out inside I just poured in some prestone rad cleaner and poured in steamy water. blocked off all the holes except top heater hose small one, opened petcock and put 40psi air into the heater hose input and let it fly out the petcock. I did this 3 times.
 
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buddy said:
so I took out radiator and cleaned and have it all back in. is there a certain way to refill the water? fill it from the top hose hole?

Im planning to just use small percentage of coolant with water wetter and distilled water. already had green coolanf but I cleand some orange sludge out of the radiator.

to clean I did use garden hose and compressed air no issues. to clean out inside I just poured in some prestone rad cleaner and poured in steamy water. blocked off all the holes except top heater hose small one, opened petcock and put 40psi air into the heater hose input and let it fly out the petcock. I did this 3 times.
Click to expand...

That sounds like a pretty good method. Thanks for the suggestion!

-Rob :)
 
40 psi? Your cooling system isn't rated for that much... that would be why your rad cap pops at 15psi.

20psi, max, IMHO. You don't need to be stressing joints in your rad.
 
JiFaire said:
40 psi? Your cooling system isn't rated for that much... that would be why your rad cap pops at 15psi.

20psi, max, IMHO. You don't need to be stressing joints in your rad.
Click to expand...

Another common sense point from the Canuck. Thanks, Jim!

-Rob :)
 
Well, no issues, 20psi would have worked though for the inside. Everything is running very cool. When cleaning inside the radiator to block off the large radiator ports I used caulk tubes, they were the right size to either slide into the hose or over the port (hose clamps around each too). The water was shooting out of the petcock like 20 ft so 20psi would have been adequate.

System probably pops at 15 or 18psi to keep hoses from bursting or water pump shredding some bearings and locking up belt.

All of my coolers were in surprisingly great condition, except for one very small vertical one on drivers side was pretty rusty.

I also put in the plastic Dmax fan, replaced my 6 blade steel fan. seems to keep it really cool at idle.
 
Good work, Buddy! Nobody EVER complained about having their 6.5 run cooler!

Thanks for sharing!
Jim
 
The Plasitc and aluminum radiators in these trucks will lose their ability to cool well after some serious miles.

My DaHoooley would overheat easily in warm weather.

A fresh Visteon radiator can be had for about $300 I paid Jobber for mine at $235

As good or better than OEM

Just put one in the Burb too. Works sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet

For the $$$$ to open up and clean an old one, I would not waste the $$$$ on it.
get a fresh one and be COOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
 
What's the correct flush direction if you still have the OE quick connect? where should you be putting water in and where should it be draining from?....

In thru the upper rad connection and out from.......?
 
buddy said:
Well, no issues, 20psi would have worked though for the inside. Everything is running very cool. When cleaning inside the radiator to block off the large radiator ports I used caulk tubes, they were the right size to either slide into the hose or over the port (hose clamps around each too). The water was shooting out of the petcock like 20 ft so 20psi would have been adequate.

System probably pops at 15 or 18psi to keep hoses from bursting or water pump shredding some bearings and locking up belt.

All of my coolers were in surprisingly great condition, except for one very small vertical one on drivers side was pretty rusty.

I also put in the plastic Dmax fan, replaced my 6 blade steel fan. seems to keep it really cool at idle.
Click to expand...

Small verticle one is Power Steering cooler probably FWIW.
 
dangerousdave said:
I DO know that Simple Green is stronger than most think, we used to use in in a parts dip tank, and forgot some pieces in it over a weekend. S.Green stripped the plating off some, the paint off another.
Click to expand...

Interesting sidebar on Simple Green, in the 80's the original formulation was pitched to the USN as an eco-friendly decontamination agent for ships that had been exposed to chemical-radiological-biological warfare agents.

My Dad was part of the evaluation team, it wasn't qualified, I don't remember why is did not get approved for that use ultimately, but do remember Dad commenting on it what it came out later as a commercial cleaning product that is was "good stuff", I prefer the Purple Power over the SG, but if I can't get Purple, I'll use the Green.
 
Turbine Doc said:
I prefer the Purple Power over the SG, but if I can't get Purple, I'll use the Green.
Click to expand...

Is Purple Power similar to Castrol Super Clean? I've found that Super Clean will strip just about anything down to bare metal. It WILL dull paint (don't ask how I know). I've used it with good success on super-greasy engine bays.

-Rob :)
 
Purple power is the same thing as superclean, i researched that a couple of years ago as purple power is a lot cheaper here in GA. Both WILL take your fingernails off with some soaking, so use gloves when cleaning with it. Also avoid paint you want to keep if you can, it's not as strong as stripper but pretty nasty when used straight. But once water hits it, it's safe and biodegradable from the MSDS sheets.
Don
 
I think we should all take a look at our fan clutches when considering cooling system maintenance. I took a near 3 hour trip this month, and got hotter than I wanted, and couldn't hear the fan engaging. Here is why!

Clean that little metal strip!
 

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Veg_Out said:
I think we should all take a look at our fan clutches when considering cooling system maintenance. I took a near 3 hour trip this month, and got hotter than I wanted, and couldn't hear the fan engaging. Here is why!

Clean that little metal strip!
Click to expand...

Thanks Veg for the reminder. I wonder if 'Purple Power' or "Castrol Super Clean" would have worked on your caked-on gunk.

-Rob :)
 
Think your rad is dirty?

This spring I decided it's time to clean out the rad.

Here's the "compost" that I found stuck between the A/C condenser and the rad.
IMGP1001a.jpg

I was surprised how much there was. This is what i was able to sweep up. Much was washed away.

Goes to show how much stuff it collects. (leaves, twigs, birds, small import cars, hockey sticks, moose antlers... the typical things on Canadian roads.:lol:)

If you haven't cleaned it, perhaps its time.
Cheers.
 
When I cleaned my rad last month I put a 1/4 cup of cascade automatic dishwasher detergant in the rad. and drove it for two days w/o t-stat, I emptied it through the petcock into a drain bucket and was amazed at how much crap was in the drain pan. Little black balls of greasy crap among other things like sand and ufo's. With that done twice and the install of new t-stat, and vac, in between the cond/rad and coil clean the ext. of them it now runs 10* cooler.
 
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