Check That Radiator!

[FATCAT]

Just a FYI to those of you with older trucks who still have the original radiator ... check out the fins!



Just checked mine last night from the inside of the engine capartment and I was missing a few rows of fins!



When I went to touch a few with pen, some just crumbled like sand!!



This is just a heads up for those of you who haul anything or tow quite a bit, just before the spring/summer season comes up ... check that radiator. I'm having mine replace next week. Sure glad I happened to notice this, I could just see my self pulling a couple of tons of dirt/stone/wood in my hydraulic dump tailer this spring and start leaking anti-freeze all over the place ... that would be a nightmare!:{

 

[Okie-Go]

That reminds me. My truck is not 2 yet but at 40,000 plus miles I am thinking of flushing the radiator and adding new coolant before summer.

 

[shendren]

just curious, are you going to replace it yourself?



is replacing the radiator something that a novice can do? any special tools required? thanks. scott.

 

[Deezul1]

Its really easy

 

[Cummins Corvette]

How the heck did that happen? I have never seen that before. Yikes!



I think I am ok though, my rad is only 2 months old.

 

[barryg41]

All it really takes is dropping the coolant overflow bottle off, taking off the windshield washer resevior. Remove the top and bottom hoses, of course drain the system first. Take the bolts out of the fan shroud and the mounting bolts for the radiator. Then just lift it straight up. At the bottom of the radiator is rubber tits that help you stab the new radiator in the hole. One of the battery cables cross's over the radiator and when I changed out my brothers, I poped off one of the studs for the hold down clamps for the cable. It doesnt take much to pop one off.



Much easier than a any gasser that I have done. Oo.

 

[Doc Tinker]

Having been in the radiator business and a fleet mechanic for over 20 years, I've seen rotted fins like FATCAT is talking about quite often. The fins will deteriorate in time, due to heat and the elements and I'd say it's pretty normal. For a couple hundred bucks, you should be able to locate a new radiator, or have your old one re-cored. You can either take your radiator out (pretty simple) or take your truck to the local radiator shop. They can get you a new one, or re-core the old one for a little less money.



The deterioration of fins should not be ignored, since the fins allow heat to transfer from the tubes to the air that blows thru them. Also, if the fins are going bad I would venture to think that the tubes themselves are close to going bad too, which will appear in the form or leaks.



Painting the radiator, in my opinion, is mostly a cosmetic thing. It doesn't take long for the radiator's paint to fall off, especially the stuff that they use in radiator shops, after a repair job, and you can never get paint into the fins to cover them. I don't even think you'd want to cover the fins with paint, since it will probably prevent the heat form the radiator to disperse correctly. Without a sealant on the metal of the fins, obviously the fins will rot rather easily, kind of like what would happen if you didn't paint your hood. Bad radiator fins, in time, should be expected.



Doc

 

[barryg41]

Hey Doc, when I changed out a radiator on a 96'. I took it to a local repair shop and he said that it wasn't worth repairing the three or four leaks it had.



He said the old style (all metal) radiators were not just worth it and he wouldn't warranty the job. He said go buy the new style... alluminum and plastic.



Was he feeding me a line of crap?

 

[Doc Tinker]

Barry -



A radiator with several leaks indicates that it the tubes are rotting. You might be able to repair it, but it won't be long before new leaks will appear. I left the radiator business long before the plastic/aluminum era and I'm not sure I believe that the new radiators are better than the old copper/brass/lead ones. The industry has changed a lot.



I think I agree with the radiator guy, that you spoke to, as far as the need to replace the radiator. I think I would have suggested a re-core or direct replacement of the original radiator.



Replacement radiators are not always better than factory, by the way. I've seen cheap replacements. If you get a radiator with wide gaps between the folds of the fins, you know you got the cheap one.



Doc

 

[barryg41]

Originally posted by Doc Tinker

Barry -



If you get a radiator with wide gaps between the folds of the fins, you know you got the cheap one.



Doc

I dont know much about radiators but this little tid bit of information is one I will try to remember.



thanks!