Cleaning A Radator

[camerondownunder88]

Hi,

Ok the 3K in my KE30 is getting old and well its starting to over heat on long hot summer day trips. Now the radiator in the car is a bit tired and I gotta spare here I wanna clean up paint, add thermo fan to and get it all going. Then hopefully do a motor swap so I can have reliable slow fun again.

 

But The spare radiator I have has been used a bit before (was not long recoed but and is still in top nick.)

 

But the radiator has a heap just bits of gunk, small pebble looking things, general radator crap in it. I wanna give it the best clean out possible.

 

How should I do this? I tried just pumping water through it no work :hmm:

 

I'm thinking a chemical of some sort. So if you have done it before I am keen to listen to how you did it as I need a fresh radiator soon.

 

Cheers

Cameron

[philbey]

Also keen to hear what people have done.

 

Pulling the tanks off and getting them cleaned out would be the best, but it's going to cost a fair packet.

[maxyboy55]

use a compressor and blast it with air :hmm:

or you could sit down with a jewelers screwdriver

[Jason KE30]

i've been havin the same problem with me 30.

the radiator in it was farked to hell and would leak everytime the weather went above 35 degrees.

then i found a commodore radiator that was in good nick lying around my place and i'm currently putting that in with a camry thermo fan.

i'm makin custom brackets to hold the radiator in if anyone is interested in some.

i'll make a 'how to' on it soon. within the next week i think,

hopefully have it done today.

[D1doony]

pay like $80 to get rad specialist to pressure test it clean it, re fin the centre paint it up etc, oh and also to flush it

[styler]

pay like $80 to get rad specialist to pressure test it clean it, re fin the centre paint it up etc, oh and also to flush it

 

never heard of re finning but a recore is about $200 for a 2 row and $300 for a 3 row.

 

i would use a radiator flush and let it sit in the radiator for a while then flush out with loads

of water, probably not much else you could do really?

 

pressure test is also a good idea, shouldnt cost much.

 

a new 2 row standard replacement ke20 radiator is $220 or so.

[Jason KE30]

as of now the radiator is 90% done in my ke30

i would actually recomend doin this cause all up it costs about $120-30

so if you're engine to stay cool go for a commo radiator.

just need to do a bit of work, i'm even considering manufacturing the brackets that i've made for other people on rollaclub :hmm:

we'll see how it goes

[camerondownunder88]

I looked into it a bit this arvo asked my dad who restores chevs and there are a few house hold chemicals that will do the trick Ill try them and post my results.

 

But I tried a radiator flush once styler and I though it was the biggest waste of cash just didn't do that good a job.

 

Cheers

Cameron

[KE30_KE35_KE55]

I looked into it a bit this arvo asked my dad who restores chevs and there are a few house hold chemicals that will do the trick Ill try them and post my results.

 

But I tried a radiator flush once styler and I though it was the biggest waste of cash just didn't do that good a job.

 

Cheers

Cameron

 

Radiator flushes i have found to be a complete waste of money, it is the flush with clean water and the run that does the most good, simple household vinegar is just as good .

 

A good old steam clean I found is the best for crystallized coolant, for general gunk back flush with water and bursts of compressed air.

[kangaroosa]

Just take it to a radiator shop and have them strip it down and clean it out. My RX7 radiator cost me $50 to have the lower outlet relocated, and the tanks pulled off to be properly flushed and all put back together with a final pressure test.

 

You said yourself the core is in good shape, so a re-core wont be necessary.

 

If it costs you anymore than $60, go and find yourself another radiator shop.