FuzzFace2 Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 Radiator is brass / copper. It has the typical "white crust" on the upper tubes. I have not seen any flow out of the tubes, but do feel the lower ones have flow (hot) and why the question. We know the flush products you can get, either 1 part or the 2 part ones, don't do crap on cleaning the crust. What I am thinking of doing is pull the radiator laying flat with the cap on and filling it vinegar and letting it sit for a few days. Being a mild acid I think it would work on the white crust and break it down and then I could flush it out. If it did not work after a few days I could do it longer and try flushing again. Or do you have something else you would use and if so what is it? and no I don't want to take it to a radiator shop, or know of one, to have them tell me it's no good and try and sell me one. So what you say? Thanks a head of time. Dave ---- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpin Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 Sounds like a good plan, in research I have done, some suggest vinegar. I think that's a good idea because it's mild as you said. I always use distilled water now, didn't when I was younger and always in a hurry! (i.e ignorant!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ford F834 Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 If your shop won’t do what you are asking (un-solder, rod out, re-solder) then consider a different shop. The problem is this once common practice may now cost more than a new unit. It certainly won’t hurt to try vinegar, and there are stronger “cleaning strength” bottles available, but I wouldn’t hold my breath that it will open up clogged tubes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PetesPonies Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 If you can find oxalic acid . . it will clean your radiator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rembrant Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 The problem is this once common practice may now cost more than a new unit. Ain't that the truth. I had no idea until recently. I was checking around with radiator shops to get mine cleaned up and painted, etc. My rad was the original 1984 unit, and the local shops wanted $400 to rehab it. (I think a brand new one was around $200). One guy told me that the only people paying to have them redone anymore are the classic car guys that want the 100% period correct radiator. In any case, the replacement turned out to be a decent unit, or at least it appeared to be. It's all metal, same as my original. Only difference was that it had actual ports (plugged) for trans cooler lines, and my original did not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuzzFace2 Posted July 13, 2018 Author Share Posted July 13, 2018 If your shop won’t do what you are asking (un-solder, rod out, re-solder) then consider a different shop. The problem is this once common practice may now cost more than a new unit. It certainly won’t hurt to try vinegar, and there are stronger “cleaning strength” bottles available, but I wouldn’t hold my breath that it will open up clogged tubes. Its not that the shop will not do it I don't have one or know of a shop around here as I am some what new to the area and never needed to look for one. The other thing is most shops are only open M-F 9-5 and when you are out the door 4am and not out of work till they are long closed. Truck driver so cant take an hour to run out either. Up north the radiator shop I used was like you said, cost more to rod then for new and why I replace a radiator in a car 2 times because of low flow. I got nothing to lose but a few $ trying the vinegar. Thanks, Dave ---- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 If your shop won’t do what you are asking (un-solder, rod out, re-solder) then consider a different shop. The problem is this once common practice may now cost more than a new unit. It certainly won’t hurt to try vinegar, and there are stronger “cleaning strength” bottles available, but I wouldn’t hold my breath that it will open up clogged tubes. Its not that the shop will not do it I don't have one or know of a shop around here as I am some what new to the area and never needed to look for one. The other thing is most shops are only open M-F 9-5 and when you are out the door 4am and not out of work till they are long closed. Truck driver so cant take an hour to run out either. Up north the radiator shop I used was like you said, cost more to rod then for new and why I replace a radiator in a car 2 times because of low flow. I got nothing to lose but a few $ trying the vinegar. Thanks, Dave ---- Give it a try and let us know. How much vinegar will it take? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuzzFace2 Posted July 13, 2018 Author Share Posted July 13, 2018 If you can find oxalic acid . . it will cleaning your radiator. I Google Oxalic Acid and it looks like I can get it thru Amazon. Will see if the wife can order some. The other thing that came up was TSP? I have used it to wash cement floors before painting but I cant see it doing any cleaning of the crust inside the radiator. Will let everyone know how it goes. Dave ---- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuzzFace2 Posted July 13, 2018 Author Share Posted July 13, 2018 Give it a try and let us know. How much vinegar will it take? Will do. As a start I picked up 2 gallons. I have also been tossing around using a small pump and back flow it from the bottom outlet up and out the top outlet. Stay tune Dave ---- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted July 14, 2018 Share Posted July 14, 2018 Give it a try and let us know. How much vinegar will it take? Will do. As a start I picked up 2 gallons. I have also been tossing around using a small pump and back flow it from the bottom outlet up and out the top outlet. Stay tune Dave ---- A pump would probably help as it would cause flow, and therefore agitation, at the top where you know there are deposits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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