Radiator question?

[HotRodPC]

Go Home 89S !!! You're drunk !!!

 

[89Suburban]

Time for bed.

 

[Gramps]

I'd use the kind with the cap if I had one of those sealed radiators where you check your coolant at the bottle, otherwise, I like the sight glass.

Oh god I am hitting on Hotrod now. Cut my xxxx xxxx off somebody please.

I kinda prefer shot glass myself, and yes, it's always nice to see in the bottle so you can tell how much you got left ...oh, radiators? we're talking about radiators? ...dang, I get side tracked easy .....

 

[HotRodPC]

I kinda prefer shot glass myself, and yes, it's always nice to see in the bottle so you can tell how much you got left ...oh, radiators? we're talking about radiators? ...dang, I get side tracked easy .....

As you can tell, that happens to all of us on this forum. Every now and again, I find myself going back and cleaning up threads. Whutta you do? It's gonna happen with a good group that get's along well and tend to shoot the **** while working on their rigs. We do pretty much draw the line on the Tech write up threads and build threads though. We don't want those muddied up and pretty much to the point.

And usually on threads like this, all the good info is at the beginning, it's been installed now and the problem is pretty much solved, so after resolve if they tend to get a bit off topic, we'll clean up as needed.

 

[Gramps]

this is a good forum, that's why I joined, its the best one I found for the old square bodies, and fits perfect with what I got, and I belong to a few forums that cover my cars and hobbies

 

[HotRodPC]

this is a good forum, that's why I joined, its the best one I found for the old square bodies, and fits perfect with what I got, and I belong to a few forums that cover my cars and hobbies

So you're saying you're half nuts too !!! Then there's a few there are all out nuckin futs all together. No halfway about it.

 

[Gramps]

So you're saying you're half nuts too !!! Then there's a few there are all out nuckin futs all together. No halfway about it.

half nuts? oh no, I'm completely gone off the deep end, no turnin back now, whack-o nuts, but then we already knew that, that's why I'm here ...

a little group therapy never hurt anyone ....at least that what they was sayin back at the home before they left the door open and I wondered off ....

I hear the dogs commin ...I gotta go ...be back later

 

[Gramps]

ok, back on subject .....

I'm getting the block ready to flush out, I removed the thermostat and chucked it, and I removed those two 1/4 npt block drain plugs (with the 9/16 head), but it would appear that either I pulled the wrong plugs, or I pulled the correct plugs and the bottom of the block is pretty well plugged solid, nothing comes out at all, no water no coolant, nothin.

looking at the pictures, can you tell if I might have pulled the wrong plugs?

 

[robert8096]

Those are the correct ones, you may need to poke the holes with a screw driver because the crud buildup will block the holes.

 

[Gramps]

Those are the correct ones, you may need to poke the holes with a screw driver because the crud buildup will block the holes.

ok, thanks, just wanted to make sure I was pulling the correct plugs before i did any more, I had heard horror stories about getting those plugs out, and mine came right out, no problem at all.

my next question is, can I back flush through those lower drain ports without wrecking anything? ie: to much pressure on a head gasket or something causing something to rupture.

I picked up the 1/4 npt to 5/8 garden hose adapter in the picture (below) to screw into those lower drain ports so I can back flush with the garden hose.

I just want to make sure I ain't gonna wreck nothin before I do it.

 

[chengny]

From post #39 - regarding the lower engine block drain plugs:

When you pull them be aware that the coolant passages behind them will be absolutely jam packed with sediment. It will take some serious digging just to get a trickle started - and then for quite a while after they will keep getting plugged up again.

But eventually you will get a good solid stream of clear water flowing out. Then, after you flush your cooling system remove them again - but don't be surprised if they are packed solid with more crap.

It is actually a good idea to back flush up through the drain plugs and out the thermostat opening halfway through the cleaning process.

That was before I realized how serious you are about doing a proper flush of the engine block coolant passages. To really do the job right will require a bit more time and equipment. The most important thing you'll need is a circulating pump of some type.

The rig you show in the previous post is a good start. You'll need 2 of them - one to screw into each drain hole in the block.

Tee them together and connect the common line to the discharge side of a small pump.

Lead the hose on the suction side of the circ pump into a bucket.

At some convenient opening at the top of the engine (the heater hose nipple on the intake manifold is good) attach a hose. Run that hose back down to the bucket.

Block off any other openings to the coolant system.

Add about 2 gallons of city water into the bucket and start the pump. The level in the bucket will drop. At some point water will start to flow back into the bucket - from the hose that connects to the manifold. Add water to the bucket as necessary.

Let it run until all air pockets are purged. It is easier to tell when this happens if the end of the hose is beneath the level in the bucket.

When no more bubbles are observed stop the pump.

Now you can add a strong flushing agent to the reservoir in the bucket. Put in whatever descalant you prefer. It can be a commercial flushing agent like Prestone Superflush. Or, if you want to save money, you can use a CLR product.

Again, like the oven cleaner, go with ZEP. They sell a gallon of calcium lime rust remover that is great. It is cheaper than CLR and way more effective:

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Add a quart to the bucket and start the pump. The descalant will start to work as it circulates with the water. Any deposits that are removed from the watersides of the coolant passages will start to show up in the bucket.

At some point the solution will become so thick with removed deposits that you will have to dump the it and make a new batch.

I realize that this is not the most detailed procedure I have written, and I apologize. But I am in the process of reshingling the homestead (scraping the old shingles/felt and laying down 40 squares) and time is tight.

Finding the right size pump will be the challenge.

 

[Gramps]

That was before I realized how serious you are about doing a proper flush of the engine block coolant passages. To really do the job right will require a bit more time and equipment. The most important thing you'll need is a circulating pump of some type.

OK, so I have a bit more shopping to do, I'm waiting till this weekend to get the super flush stuff to do the heater core (payday) so I guess I'm going to get another one of those lower block fittings, (I found the last one on ebay) and figure out what to do about a pump ...I think I might be able to find something that will do the job through harbor freight, or maybe the Bilge pump out of my boat?

I'm dead serious about doing a proper flush, when I'm done with this truck, it's going to be our get away weekend camping rig, and I don't want to get stranded somewhere because I neglected something, so I'm willing to do what it takes, (within my budget) to get it fixed correctly ...

now, about that pump ..... I'll pull the one out of my boat and get some pictures up here and lets see if that will work ... there's also, Harbor Freight, man I love that place .....

Can I take the cheap way out and use something like this 2600 GPH submersible dirty water pump?

maybe drop it in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket?

a quick edit here ....just was thinking ...using the bucket, pump and cleaner method, I could do the same thing to the heater core and get it really clean to huh?


http://www.harborfreight.com/1-horse...oat-69300.html

 

[Gramps]

ok, I just ordered another one of them 1/4 NPT hose fittings.

I can get a gallon of ZEP CLR at home depot this weekend

still need to figure out what to use for a pump .....

 

[chengny]

Harbor freight has a nice 12 volt utility pump - about 5 gallons per minute - $38:

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-volt-marine-utility-water-pump-94639.html

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It gets really good reviews - for a HF pump.

 

[Gramps]

Harbor freight has a nice 12 volt utility pump - about 5 gallons per minute - $38:

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-volt-marine-utility-water-pump-94639.html

You must be registered for see images attach

It gets really good reviews - for a HF pump.

is that going to push enough volume to get the job done?

also I have a couple of 35 gallon rubber maid plastic trash cans at home I can use for a water tank.