Radiator Opinions?

[fng]

Hey all, been looking at the radiator some today.

It is the one that was taken from my current truck and showed no signs of leaking or steam cleaned areas so I'm thinking it may be serviceable.

I was wondering if it would help anything to dump a bottle of CLR into it and let it soak a while inside. I know it's pretty thin stock in the tubing and don't want to eat a hole in something. Idea's? Opinions?

Our one and only radiator shop folded up last year and I am looking at a trip an hour and a half away to find one. Also I'd prefer not to have to buy a new one but I've spotted one on ebay for 160 and free shipping too. The usual mods, including cutting out the brace's on the frame, I know it's small but I like the idea of keeping them for that little bit of extra strength.

Anyway, was really just wondering about the CLR....

[MrNeutron]

I have a spare radiator that has half of its cooling fins rotted away. And it doesn't leak. I figure it stays water tights from the sediment inside.

Also while installing a thermostat on my truck I noticed that the Hose adapter to the thermostat had a hole corroded all the way thru the aluminum and the only thing keeping it from leaking was the sediment plugging up the hole.

So I would avoid cleaning my radiator unless I was having cooling problems.

[Barrman]

I don't know if the older I get the more suspicious I get or maybe just more experience. Either way after doing so many 30-60 year old vehicles over the years. I pretty much now look at an older brass radiator as scrap money to put toward a new aluminum one. That isn't always in the budget though.

With that in mind. I have found any dishwasher soap to be a great non invasive cooling system cleaner. If you are careful about it. Nobody else in your house will even suspect they helped out on the project.

[Flingarrows]

If you are careful about it. Nobody else in your house will even suspect they helped out on the project.

Ha!