Radiator question?

[89Suburban]

Damn that is nice! Let us know how the install goes if everything matches. Does it take the same rad cap too?

 

[Gramps]

I'll keep you posted on how it goes, I've been busy on some other car projects today, a Volvo with a bad serpentine belt, a subaru with a couple of flat tires, (that will teach me to go 4 wheeling on bald tires) so it may be next weekend before I get to work on the truck.

the radiator comes with a radiator cap, but will take your standard cap, nothing special there, I plan on using a Mr Gasket radiator cap with a thermostat built into it. see picture.

I run one of these on the subaru, and have had no problems with it in the last 40,000 miles.

I can tell you that I read some bad reviews about this cap on the internet, but for the most part, the bad reviews came from people that never tried the cap, and to me, those reviews don't mean squat, if I want to know how the cap preforms, then I'll buy it and find out for myself ....40,000 miles later on my subaru and I like it enough that I'll also buy one for the truck, the subaru cap is a 13 pounder, you can get a 16 pounder for the truck, if you don't trust your dash gauge, this will give you a real quick accurate reading of your coolant temp, just open your hood and look, that's all it takes with this cap.

here's a link to info about the cap: http://mr-gasket.com/domestic-thermocap-16-psi-blue.html

 

[89Suburban]

Damn that's neat! I want one.


Posted From Hell

 

[chengny]

I have always wanted a real thermometer that could screw into a truly representitive spot in the cooling system. Best spot is in one of the threaded bores at the forward end of the intake manifold.

Ashcroft will make a bi-metal thermometer to order.

Best fit would be a round 2" face, 3/8" NPT thread, 2 1/2" stem length with a range of 50 - 300 degrees farenheit.

I can't imagine the price - I'm guessing $150.

Something like this:

 

[chengny]

Order sheets:

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[Gramps]

I have always wanted a real thermometer that could screw into a truly representitive spot in the cooling system. Best spot is in one of the threaded bores at the forward end of the intake manifold.

Ashcroft will make a bi-metal thermometer to order.

Best fit would be a round 2" face, 3/8" NPT thread, 2 1/2" stem length with a range of 50 - 300 degrees farenheit.

I can't imagine the price - I'm guessing $150.

Something like this:

whoa, I like that idea, the gauge would be highly accurate, but the price would probably be high, I just paid 34 bucks for the Mr. gasket thermometer.

the one I run in the Subaru has done fine and seems to give me fairly accurate temperature readings.

I haven't forgotten about my little project, I'm still collecting parts, and wasn't able to go get the oven cleaner until a couple of days ago

I also picked up a 1/4 npt to 5/8th hose adapter so I can attach a garden hose to it and flush out the bottom of the block when I pull those two plugs out. (see pictures)

I also got a couple of Sierra marine Drain Taps (second picture) to replace those two plugs when I pull them out, so draining the block will be easier in the future.

with the radiator out of the truck, and nothing but water in the block, I need to do this soon, it may sit through the winter, but I (at the least) want the cooling system done.

 

[cbrodine]

can you post an ebay link to the exact radiator you bought for your truck? Id like to get one for my 73...but I could swear I saw the last link you posted to the one you were gonna buy was for a Bel air....?

 

[Gramps]

can you post an ebay link to the exact radiator you bought for your truck? Id like to get one for my 73...but I could swear I saw the last link you posted to the one you were gonna buy was for a Bel air....?

the model number for that radiator is an American Eagle AE161, and it happens to fit a variety of cars, (almost all being GM) I went shopping on ebay using the key words "ae161 radiator" that's how I ended up buying the one for the bel air, it happened to be the cheapest in on there and a direct fit for the truck. ..

you just want to make sure it's a 2 row with 1 inch tubes, if the ad doesn't state that it has 1 inch tubes, then it has the shorter 5/8 inch tubes which is what you don't want, so that's important, also make sure the inlet and outlet tube diameters are the same as your truck, mine was 1.5 inch both top and bottom, the ads will give you these dimensions.

I went looking for the cheapest one I could find, you would be amazed at the price difference between sellers, I saw from 165 to about 350 for the same radiator.

also American eagle and champion are the same.

ok here goes nothin, I got me some zep oven cleaner, a toilet brush, and a really cheap pressure washer, let the spraying begin.

I have no idea why I kept putting this off, call it lazy, or just not wanting to do the job ...who knows, but here it goes anyway

 

[Gramps]

holy cow that zep ovan cleaner works good! I bought 3 cans of it thinking that may not be enough, and I'm a quarter of a can into the job, and got this kind of results already, here's a before and after picture of the first cleaning:

 

[chengny]

Who's your Daddy?

 

[89Suburban]

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[Gramps]

Who's your Daddy?

yup, you had it right, that ovan cleaner is unbeliveable, thanks for the suggestion ...

ok, next step in the cooling system over haul, and I need a little help with this one although I think I might know the answer.

the first thing I'm going to do is back flush the heater core, I've already removed the hoses and have it ready to back flush but I'm not sure what direction the coolant flows ..

I did notice the heater core uses two different size hoses, looks like the bottom hose is maybe 5/8 and the top 3/4?

looking at the two pictures posted below, am I going to flush it from the top outlet or the bottom? I think the coolant flows in through the top and comes out the bottom, but I may be wrong, con someone clarify the correct way the coolant flows?

I figured on sticking a garden hose to the heater core and letting the water run for a good half hour or more.

oh yeah, I'll be doing more engine cleaning as I pull it apart, the water pump is going to come off, going to have to move the alternator and the power steering pump, I figured once I get that out of the way, I can do some serious cleaning and painting before I put it back together.

 

[Gramps]

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hahahaha ...."like a boss" ...hahaha .....I should put that on my facebook page!

ok, I'm flushing the heater core, not sure if I got it flowing the correct direction, but I can tell you, a whole lot of really nasty crud has come out of it.

 

[chengny]

I just helped a kid with this yesterday - he wanted to know:

One more question on the heater hoses, does it matter what which hose is connected to either nipple? I know one is smaller but following the hoses to the fire wall, does it matter which one is going in and which one is going out?


Yeah, it matters - for a number of reasons:

1. The supply to the heater core from the engine needs to be connected to the nipple in the intake manifold. This area heats up the fastest and the coolant is at it's highest temperature in the system here.

2. It is on the discharge side of the water pump. While the coolant system is actually all at one pressure, the water pump provides circulation through the engine. Coolant is pushed to the heater core by the circulating effect of the pump.

3. The supply to the heater core (like most simple heat exchangers) is designed to come in at the bottom and exit at the top. The reason for this is to ensure that the coils remain "packed" (i.e. completely full of coolant). If the flow is from the bottom up and out the top, any entrained air that enters the coils flows to the top and is carried away. Also if the coolant came in from the top it would be more likely to begin "laning" - following the quickest way out instead of flooding the coils to provide the best heat transfer.

But maybe the best reason is - because the 5/8" nipple is on the bottom and the 3/4" one is at the top.

ok, I'm flushing the heater core, not sure if I got it flowing the correct direction, but I can tell you, a whole lot of really nasty crud has come out of it.


The way you have the flushing operation set up is the normal direction of flow (i.e. hot water in the bottom, flows up though the matrix and exits at the top - at a reduced temperature).

But be advised, flushing of tube type heat exchangers is most effective when the direction of flow of the flushing solution is backwards as compared to normal flow.

Just be sure to alternate the dflow direction a few times.

To get the watersides of the matrix really clean get some Prestone Superflush in there and let it sit overnight.

Attach a short length of 5/8" hose to the bottom nipple. Raise the other end to a point above the outlet nipple and secure it somehow. Get a funnel and pour Superflush down the hose until it issues from the top nipple. That indicates that the matrix is full. Let it stay overnight and then flush the heck out of the coil in both directions.

 

[Gramps]

ok, I need to pick up some of that Prestone Super flush, and some sort of adapter so I can hook up the garden hose to that top 3/4 inch heater core fitting.

I also want to address doing a thorough back flush of the block, including flushing out the two lower drain ports on the block.