What is the best way to clean out a radiator? This one is full and I mean full of rust, the po used the wrong antifreeze and severely neglected this thing. I have been running hot water and soap thru this thing over and over and the water is still red. I am letting it soak tonight and will try again tomorrow. What cleaners have you used to clean out your radiator?

 

You might want to either think about getting a new one or taking it to a radiator shop and having it dipped in the tank.

Then they could say it is not worth trying to save hard call to make without seeing

If it is as bad as you say you might spend all this time cleaning it only to have leaks start all over the place.

If this is still the original it might be time for a new one.

I can only think how bad the rest of the engine is

About all you can do is just let the water run through till it comes out clean

 

Agree with the above post. And while you're at it, flush out the cooling ports in the block and have a close look at the freeze plugs (at least the ones that are easy to get to.).

 

Vinegar! Apple cider or white. Do some research on it, I think you have to let it soak submerged, which for a radiator would be easy. There's some YouTube videos of it being done. It's what I would try first.

 

It's cheaper to replace it that mess with it. Do some searchs there was a good source for them posted recently but it's not coming up in my history.

 

Watch out heater core is probably just as bad. The rust will cause problems if allowed to run through engine. I removed both the rad and core had good luck flushing them. After I learned the hard way and had to replace my head gasket too.

 

I guess that I forgot to mention that the motor is out and being replaced with a reman from Dennys Machine Shop. I also plan on either pulling the heater core or flushing it the same way. I have a sneaky suspicion that the rust had a little help with the engine failure. I wish I took some pictures to show you. The radiator overflow tank was filled with this stuff and I was breaking it out in chunks. It was almost like red clay. needless to say I am trying to clean every possible hose and passage that the cooling system is using. I will check with my local shop and see what they can do.

 

If you had a 3VZ-E, be sure to clean out all the piping on the air chamber. Mine has a decent amount of buildup (similar situation with radiator, PO didn't change the antifreeze) but was able to clean and flush most of it out. I recommend running A LOT of water through the engine once you get the old/new radiator hooked up again. Run the engine till it's warm and keep it running for a good 10 min or so like you are doing a coolant flush, only with water. You can always drain some to check to see if it's coming out clean.

 

Definately get a new radiator if you're getting the motor rebuilt. Did you tell Denny I sent you??

 

Definitely a good and green idea and worth a try.

Agree, safest to disconnect from engine. Also flush opposite the way coolant flows.

Agree 110%.

 

you're better off replacing it. Then clean the old one as a spare.

you can put screens and filters inline to remove some of the gunk from everywhere else.

 

Hockey, I told Denny that i got his name from the yotatech forum, i wasnt sure if i told him the name hockey that he would know you.

As for the radiator, i have been cleaning it and running water thru it, the water seems to be clean and I am now soaking it with vinager. I will continue to flush and maybe even take it to radiator shop and see what they can do.

If your married then you can understand this part. It is hard to convince the wife that I need a new one, especially after i just purchased the engine. You see every little purchase i make for my toys cost me double. Cause whatever i get she has to spend the same amount for something that she wants so you can feel my pain

 

I find excuses for my wife to drive my 88 truck every once in a while. The tires were bald, the brakes and shocks were bad. It only takes a few times with her behind the wheel and I get the check book.

 

Do u live within driving distance to drop it off or did u ship it? Just curious.
And I'm Kevin from PA, he did mine last month.

 

Just dropped the radiator off at the shop, I was able to get it clean enough to where the water flowing thru was almost clear. They are going to tear it down and clean it, soak it, rebuild it, test it for $75. Thats a pretty cheap insurance policy for me. He should have it ready for me to pick up tomorrow.

 

And how did the heater core turn out?

 

I would use CLR it cleans rust really well

 

The heater core is with the truck, which is parked out on some land that I have in town. I have been working on the engine and componets out in the garage. As soon as I get all the parts together I will bring the truck back here to install. I will clean heater core then.

As for the CLR I am not sure you should put that in the radiator. I asked the guy at the shop about me using the vineger and he said "that was fine but people sometimes try these other rust removers and they call all kinds of damage"- I might not try that method.

 

Not sure what truck you have but if you have the 22r, lowrange offroad has a full aluminum for the 22r for 128$

http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/index...-radiator.html

 

I would go all new i got as good a radiator as you could ask for for only 150 from a company called radiator classic. U dont want that rust to cause your new motor to run hot an blow a headgasket. The one i got is a 3row aluminum core, the rows are considerably bigger than the factory ones. The tanks are alot bigger as well an they are all aluminum so you dont have to worrie about them cracking an breaking like plastic ones