Rustiest Radiator Thick Slimy RUST... How To Clean???

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

You could always ship it out. I don’t know how you feel, but it’s imperative to me that I don’t lose my factory rad. My car has an aftermarket plastic one, and unless you pay to keep it going, it turns to junk. I paid and saved money in the short term, but I’m worried that more tubes will start leaking at the tank over time.

 

[Frankenchevy]

Cost of refurbs on radiators vary considerably based on location. I’d have to check my build thread, but mine was $250ish in northern ca. Glad I kept the original, though.

 

[Obwonkonobe]

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but what kindof mileage were you getting with a 700 and 3.08s? That's the same setup I have now, just curious

 

[Snoots]

Just for the sake of not having any headaches, I'd take it to a shop and have them clean the entire system, block, heater core, radiator and all.

 

[Blue Ox]

If you're really desperate you can try to find this stuff:

http://penray.com/products/2015-off-line-cooling-system-cleaners/

I think "pure evil" is in the ingredients list. Use in a well ventilated area is an understatement.

 

[hatzie]

If you're really desperate you can try to find this stuff:

http://penray.com/products/2015-off-line-cooling-system-cleaners/

I think "pure evil" is in the ingredients list. Use in a well ventilated area is an understatement.

Not evil but I'd be very very respectful of it.

2010 is a powdered acid (Cleaner)
2011 is a powdered base (Neutralizer)

The data sheet calls out SULFAMIC ACID in the list of ingredients for the 2010 powder.
For those of you that remember high school chemistry...
Sulfamic Acid is H3NSO3 an intermediate compound between battery acid (sulfuric acid) H2SO4, and sulfamide H4N2SO2

I think I'd rather stick with the lighter duty acids that won't aggressively eat the copper and iron in the cooling system.

This stuff may be the same as the old two-part Prestone Heavy Duty Cooling System Cleaner. IIRC the Prestone cleaner powder was an odd post-apocalyptic orange... I was always pretty careful of that stuff.

 

[Blue Ox]

IIRC the Penray is purple/blue.

It's rough to work with. Dissolving the powders in water is like trying to dissolve sand. And the smell,... I think I was still smelling it for days. Then again I couldn't taste my breakfast for days after I used it either so who knows if I could smell at all. As I said, things have to be pretty desperate to require it.

One of the biggest problems with these things is the lack of block drains. It's very hard to get packed up crap out of the water jacket in the block when it's a dead end.

 

[CORVAIRWILD]

The radiator is a newer copper brass, the coolant was prolly just plain tap water, I don't think it was an issue of mixed coolant types. Scotty Kilmer has a good primer on the different types of coolant, worth watching on ytube.

Maybe I'll watch this...

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I can't find the Scotty video describing the different types of coolant

 

[MikeB]

But luckily the tstat was removed before I bought it, and it never ran more than 130 degrees.

If no one else has mentioned this, a coolant temperature below ~185 degrees is not good for an internal combustion engine. That's certainly true from the standpoint of wear, probably even with 5W20 weight oil. And at a low coolant temperature like 130 degrees, there is all kinds of moisture condensation in the crankcase (= contaminated oil). Also, I'd expect combustion efficiency (=fuel efficiency) to be reduced.

I agree with Crispy above who said, "flush, flush, flush, flush." No way do you have a radiator problem if the engine ran at only 130 degrees! When you get the system cleaned, pop in a 180 degree t-stat ASAP.

Finally, aluminum radiators with plastic tanks have obsoleted brass/copper. If you don't believe that, check out virtually any new car. My '82 C10 has a $120-something model from O'Reilly Auto Parts with a lifetime warranty, and has worked just fine for nearly 4 years so far.

 

[CORVAIRWILD]

Fuel mileage ? 15 once. More like 12-13 @ 60-65-70, lite footing it. My 6.2 always get 15+, but never hit 20 like so many folks claim