Checking Radiator Cooling

thermostat, and dump in

acid? Autozone here only carries Prestone and the lable lists it as having "citric acid." I'm hesistating getting that because I just want to clean the sludge out, not remove rust.

acid types, I'll add some dishwashing powder and run it for a few days. Any negatives about that?

detergent for

Sounds like a good idea for a sound system. But not knowing how mine is right now, I'll stick with the soap and water flush and see how it holds up in 6 months.

shops that carried chemistry sets and components like this, but I guess that's considered "hazardous materials" these days.

orange colored coolant last time. I'll used green this time -- easier to see if there's a problem later on.

I am on my way! Coincidentally the place is right next to an ice cream store.

Have a cone for me while you are at it.

the heater core and

hesitant to use the

1997 radiator and it

the old rad. in

engine with clear

sure it's clean and

into the coolant.

flush of clean water

thermostat, and dump in

and crud. Stick

heater. Fill the

acid? Autozone here only carries Prestone and the lable lists it as having "citric acid." I'm hesistating getting that because I just want to clean the sludge out, not remove rust.

have acid types, I'll add some dishwashing powder and run it for a few days. Any negatives about that?

Sounds like a good idea for a sound system. But not knowing how mine is right now, I'll stick with the soap and water flush and see how it holds up in 6 months.

shops that carried chemistry sets and components like this, but I guess that's considered "hazardous materials" these days.

used orange colored coolant last time. I'll used green this time -- easier to see if there's a problem later on.

Well, the first fish store was out. The 2nd one was closed on Mondays. So that means another trip to the ice cream... er fish store tomorrow.

I am sensing that this radiator repair may take a while....

LOL!! Yes, this is my tinkering around car, so I'm doing a little tinkering with other things at the same time. Also, I have found that if I get up before Her Majesty does, get out there and grease up real good, it limits the honey-do items I'm qualified to do. And a couple of harmless but well-placed fingerprints on door knobs works like a "do not disturb" sign.

When I started to drain it, the pet crotch (in case there are ladies present) was so clogged it would barely drip out. I cleared the blockage and have drained, refilled & ran it 3 times now with just water. Once it's noticeably clear, I'll flush it good and swap out the radiator.

I have to be extra careful not to drip anything but water due to a city inspector who lives down the street.

LOL!! Yes, this is my tinkering around car, so I'm doing a little tinkering with other things at the same time. Also, I have found that if I get up before Her Majesty does, get out there and grease up real good, it limits the honey-do items I'm qualified to do. And a couple of harmless but well-placed fingerprints on door knobs works like a "do not disturb" sign.

When I started to drain it, the pet crotch (in case there are ladies present) was so clogged it would barely drip out. I cleared the blockage and have drained, refilled & ran it 3 times now with just water. Once it's noticeably clear, I'll flush it good and swap out the radiator.

I have to be extra careful not to drip anything but water due to a city inspector who lives down the street.

===

Well, I finally found a few minutes to slip away from repairs here at the old Hainey place. I drain a few times over the past day or so and last added a cup of Cascade and ran that for a day. Now I'm heading out to flush, replace the radiator, etc., etc. If anybody needs 8 gallons of slightly used might be good premixed & unfiltered coolant, let me know before I send it for recycling.

This is the kind of video I like - reminds me of myself. Have to take some of it with a grain of salt, but still much more useful than the scripted slick ones. I especially like the comment in Part 1 - "just flush it down the drain - sewer companies don't mind"... LOL!! And then the description he added later about - be sure to recycle!

the sewer is the only place we CAN put coolant here. Not the storm drain, of course. The sewer. The one we pay a bill for. No recycling like that.

GW

tinkering with other things at the same time. Also, I have found that if I get up before Her Majesty does, get out there and grease up real good, it limits the honey-do items I'm qualified to do. And a couple of harmless but well-placed fingerprints on door knobs works like a "do not disturb" sign.

present) was so clogged it would barely drip out. I cleared the blockage and have drained, refilled & ran it 3 times now with just water. Once it's noticeably clear, I'll flush it good and swap out the radiator.

city inspector who lives down the street.

at the old Hainey place. I drain a few times over the past day or so and last added a cup of Cascade and ran that for a day. Now I'm heading out to flush, replace the radiator, etc., etc. If anybody needs 8 gallons of slightly used might be good premixed & unfiltered coolant, let me know before I send it for recycling.

take some of it with a grain of salt, but still much more useful than the scripted slick ones. I especially like the comment in Part 1 - "just flush it down the drain - sewer companies don't mind"... LOL!! And then the description he added later about - be sure to recycle!

recycling

Thanks for the info - I'll check with the sanitation district tomorrow. If that's OK here, that will save me from hauling 15 gallon jugs to the haz mat place. I despise dealing with the city about anything. They log every time you sneeze these days.

tinkering with other things at the same time. Also, I have found that if I get up before Her Majesty does, get out there and grease up real good, it limits the honey-do items I'm qualified to do. And a couple of harmless but well-placed fingerprints on door knobs works like a "do not disturb" sign.

present) was so clogged it would barely drip out. I cleared the blockage and have drained, refilled & ran it 3 times now with just water. Once it's noticeably clear, I'll flush it good and swap out the radiator.

city inspector who lives down the street.

at the old Hainey place. I drain a few times over the past day or so and last added a cup of Cascade and ran that for a day. Now I'm heading out to flush, replace the radiator, etc., etc. If anybody needs 8 gallons of slightly used might be good premixed & unfiltered coolant, let me know before I send it for recycling.

take some of it with a grain of salt, but still much more useful than the scripted slick ones. I especially like the comment in Part 1 - "just flush it down the drain - sewer companies don't mind"... LOL!! And then the description he added later about - be sure to recycle!

recycling

Thanks for the info - I'll check with the sanitation district tomorrow. If that's OK here, that will save me from hauling 15 gallon jugs to the haz mat place. I despise dealing with the city about anything. They log every time you sneeze these days.

===

Tuesday, I hooked up the flush kit and flushed it out until I ran out of empty buckets and jugs. Ended up with about 24 gallons.

Wednesday I had to use the car, so I filled it up with the cleanest old coolant from last weekend which was clear after I had let the mud settle out. It only took about 7 quarts, so I'm guessing the radiator is still pretty much plugged up.

Today, I was all set to finally take a whirl at this. Looked like a

1-2 hour job until I got to removing the trans fluid connections. Top one came loose fine. Other one is not budging. Will have to drop some penetration fluid on it and let it sit. Any other ideas about getting this loose? I don't want risk breaking the line if I can help it.

Also ran into trouble getting the fan clutch off the water pump shaft. I replaced this once before, and only had to push down on the belt to keep the pulleys from turning. This time, the belt must be looser because it's slipping. Belt dressing I have says not to use it on serpentine belts, so that's out. Manuals say there's a 2nd nut you can use to hold the shaft in place, but I can't see it anywhere. Nothing in front of the pulley for sure, and less than 1/8 in in back of the pulley.

Looks like there's enough room to pull the radiator out without having to remove the fan/clutch. Will try that first - after I get the trans lines both loose.

If I have to take all out, I'm going to look at drilling a 1/8-inch hole in that water pump pulley and one opposite it to balance it. So next time I can stick a rod through one and hold the pulley in place.

Feel free to chime in with all types of advice and insulting comments! Being married, I'm used to all that.

During this adventure, I found and fixed all sorts of vacuum leaks, connections, broken this and that. Enough work to keep me out of the house for weeks!

tinkering with other things at the same time. Also, I have found that if I get up before Her Majesty does, get out there and grease up real good, it limits the honey-do items I'm qualified to do. And a couple of harmless but well-placed fingerprints on door knobs works like a "do not disturb" sign.

present) was so clogged it would barely drip out. I cleared the blockage and have drained, refilled & ran it 3 times now with just water. Once it's noticeably clear, I'll flush it good and swap out the radiator.

city inspector who lives down the street.

at the old Hainey place. I drain a few times over the past day or so and last added a cup of Cascade and ran that for a day. Now I'm heading out to flush, replace the radiator, etc., etc. If anybody needs 8 gallons of slightly used might be good premixed & unfiltered coolant, let me know before I send it for recycling.

take some of it with a grain of salt, but still much more useful than the scripted slick ones. I especially like the comment in Part 1 - "just flush it down the drain - sewer companies don't mind"... LOL!! And then the description he added later about - be sure to recycle!

recycling

Thanks for the info - I'll check with the sanitation district tomorrow. If that's OK here, that will save me from hauling 15 gallon jugs to the haz mat place. I despise dealing with the city about anything. They log every time you sneeze these days.

===

Tuesday, I hooked up the flush kit and flushed it out until I ran out of empty buckets and jugs. Ended up with about 24 gallons.

Wednesday I had to use the car, so I filled it up with the cleanest old coolant from last weekend which was clear after I had let the mud settle out. It only took about 7 quarts, so I'm guessing the radiator is still pretty much plugged up.

Today, I was all set to finally take a whirl at this. Looked like a

1-2 hour job until I got to removing the trans fluid connections. Top one came loose fine. Other one is not budging. Will have to drop some penetration fluid on it and let it sit. Any other ideas about getting this loose? I don't want risk breaking the line if I can help it.

Also ran into trouble getting the fan clutch off the water pump shaft. I replaced this once before, and only had to push down on the belt to keep the pulleys from turning. This time, the belt must be looser because it's slipping. Belt dressing I have says not to use it on serpentine belts, so that's out. Manuals say there's a 2nd nut you can use to hold the shaft in place, but I can't see it anywhere. Nothing in front of the pulley for sure, and less than 1/8 in in back of the pulley.

Looks like there's enough room to pull the radiator out without having to remove the fan/clutch. Will try that first - after I get the trans lines both loose.

If I have to take all out, I'm going to look at drilling a 1/8-inch hole in that water pump pulley and one opposite it to balance it. So next time I can stick a rod through one and hold the pulley in place.

Feel free to chime in with all types of advice and insulting comments! Being married, I'm used to all that.

During this adventure, I found and fixed all sorts of vacuum leaks, connections, broken this and that. Enough work to keep me out of the house for weeks!

PS -- A fellow shade tree master mechanic says to put something between the belt the pulley to hold it in place. So I'll try that tomorrow.

I checked out the "special tool" that Ford recommends at the auto parts place. It's just a $20 wrench with a long handle. Not much other use for it other than this. So I think I'll give my BFW and a length of

2-in pipe a shot at it first.

they have to take your poop after an all night burrito binge, right?

they can take dirty coolant

GW

It depends on the burritos. If they came from Albertos, they'll send the SWAT team to get you. LOL!!

Here's some photos .... every screw or nut was a bear to remove. Spent most of Saturday on it but finally got 'er done. Old radiator was original, made in Canada like most parts on this van and lasted 17 years. New one is from China, so it's anybody's guess.

Only comments I have is that whoever designed that fan clutch without a lip to help you line it up with the shaft ought to have his balls shot off at high noon.

Took a few snap flash photos...

age=1

Welp! It's been about 3 weeks since replacing the radiator, it's been running cool. Temp gauge comes up just past the N in Normal and stays around there, running or idling.

Then last night .. I was at a drive thru and the temp started shooting up again. After getting a jumbo burger, extra large fries -- and a diet Pepsi (I have to watch my weight), I pulled over and popped the hood. First thought was a leak. Put a lot of rags over the cap and cracked carefully the pressure release. No pressure. Slowly opened it and the water level was about 3-4 inches from the cap, but no pressure. Radiator inlet hose was as hot as normal and squeezing it made the level move. Only sign of leakage that I could see was a pea-sized drop on top of the reservoir, next to the inlet hose. Reservoir was about the same level as always.

So I ate my delicious burger, read the paper and let it cool off. Cleaned the cap gaskets and the mating radiator faces. Spring was strong. Heading home, temp started out about 1/3 of the gauge and started creeping up again. Driving in 2nd brought it back down.

I'll pick up a new cap tomorrow and have them check out the old one. Old cap is 2 years old. Hope that's it - if not, I'll be back....

Did yopu put the fan shroud back on? How close is the fan to the rad?

been running cool. Temp gauge comes up just past the N in Normal and stays around there, running or idling.

shooting up again. After getting a jumbo burger, extra large fries -- and a diet Pepsi (I have to watch my weight), I pulled over and popped the hood. First thought was a leak. Put a lot of rags over the cap and cracked carefully the pressure release. No pressure. Slowly opened it and the water level was about 3-4 inches from the cap, but no pressure. Radiator inlet hose was as hot as normal and squeezing it made the level move. Only sign of leakage that I could see was a pea-sized drop on top of the reservoir, next to the inlet hose. Reservoir was about the same level as always.

Cleaned the cap gaskets and the mating radiator faces. Spring was strong. Heading home, temp started out about 1/3 of the gauge and started creeping up again. Driving in 2nd brought it back down.

Old cap is 2 years old. Hope that's it - if not, I'll be back....

Yes, no parts left over. Fan same as before - don't remember, but will check it tomorrow. Fan is strong enough I can feel a good air flow in front of it.

"Guv Bob" wrote in news:H_2dneIajOStYTnOnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.com:

I am more than a little suspisus of your temp gauge. The multiple overheats may have finished it off. I would verify the over heat before doing anything else at this point. If there was no pressure you probably were not actually hot. KB

DEFINITELY get a pressure test done on the system - and have the cap tested too. Very simple test with the right (very common) equipment. If there are no leaks and the cap is good, you were not hot if there was no pressure. If the coolant wasn't low, a leak is rather unlikely

- but I wouldn't rule it out without a test.