Radiator Cleaning And Coolant Flush
 

I pulled my Rad out of the truck, replaced the thermostat to a 180 deg (part number 3967195) and flushed the block and heater core. I have to say that my temps were getting above 204 deg while pulling my 20' enclosed car hauler. I had a 190 deg t-stat in there. When I pulled it out, the rubber diaphragm had cratered and disintegrated; it was in my Rad when I back flushed it.

The Rad was caked with crud on the front side. I even have my breather relocated to the trackbar. I will post pics of it just after I started to wash it down. I washed it with degreaser 4 times and also used an entire can of brake cleaner on it.
I re-filled the cooling system with Fleetguard ES Compleat 50/50 premix (part number CC2825X). 4.5 Gallons is what it took.

Pulling the rad was pretty easy. Un-clip the shroud, take the overflow tank off and the window fluid tank off, undo the 4 bolts (2 on each side), take the pos battery cable off the top of the rad, 2 bolts that hold the rad to the front clip, and take out. I recommend 2 people lifting it out.

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i4...leaning003.jpg
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i4...leaning001.jpg
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i4...leaning004.jpg

Little late now, but it seemed to help leaving it soaked with Super Clean overnight. Come back the next day with a garden hose hooked up to the water heater. Cleaned er right up!!

Nicely Done !

Leaving it overnight would be a good idea if you have the time. I just don't have the time to leave it overnight.
I am glad I did it. I highly recommend doing it to your truck if it is over a few years old and especially if you haven't done anything with your blow-by tube.

is it safe to use a power washer on it?

One on my dads 6.2 I had to. It was way worse than Marines rad. It didn't damage any tubes or fins. Have to be extra careful around the plastic I imagine, older ones were metal, so I didn't hold back.


Bill

I suppose it depends on the pressure washer. If you kept the nozzle far enough away It would be ok.

Yeah, the ones that will eat a hole through 6" on concrete for example.

i work on farm equipment and i pressure wash all radiators i touch. set pressure washer to 500-1000 psi, use a 10-25 degree nozzle and stay generaly pointed square to the surface so u dont bend the fins. usualy takes a couple hrs to get a bad one perfect but well worth the effort. can go from seriously overheating over nothin to billowin black all day and never movin the temp gauge

I'm wonderign what that radiator looks like on the inside though? If it was that bad, I'm not sure cleaning the outside will do much. :humm: