radiator questions

[EsperHamid]

here's a pic of my radiator neck:


I emptied this radiator and filled it with water like 10 times in order to clean it up before paying money, hoping to use an anti-freeze in a clean radiator and thus I have some questions:

1- how do I clean the radiator ?!

2- how can flush/clean the cooling system total volume, without using the 19mm draining plug !?

3- I am told not to straighten the radiator fins, is that true ?!

4- what about straightening the fins of the panel that looks like the radiator and is located in front of the radiator .. can I do that ?!

5- can I remove this panel without removing the radiator ?! I mean by unscrewing the grill and the upper metallic bar above it, the one attached to the latch/lock

( this is not my car)

[STOCKa6]

1and2) Truely you can't glush the entire volume without draining the block, but multiple flushes will get enough of it. prestone makes a flushing chemical for cooling systems, never used it myself though. I would be cautious of its use on this engine, I worry this gunk may be all holding the radiator, heater core, and head gasket together, and may spell their end. Even after cleaning sonethings need replacing, such as the thermostat, and ideally if the system is this beat all the hoses.

3) dont know bout that one myself.

4and5) If i understand you correctly that is a part of the raditor. Also behind the bumper is 2 pipes with fins for the A/C and P/S. removing the radiator or grill/bumper is neccesary to access this. While empty tsking out the radiators not hard. The bar your talking about as far as I know should usually only come iff if it being fixed/replaced after an accident.

Sorry if I told you stuff you already knew, just trying to cover everything. Any idea how it got like this?

[STOCKa6]

Sorry, its late. There is second "radiator" the A/C condensor, to the best of my knoledge the bumper and grill still have to be removed to gain any access to it.

[andrew22888]

OK this guy above me please read more on stuff before posting. A lot of your post have been misinformation and are out right frustrating me. Also its not a second radiator its a ac condenser. And you can flush the entire system without draining the block cause the flush kit will flush the block as well. go get a flush kit and just run water and the flush chemical through it like crazy and it should clean that all right up. Ya if it may cause a leak or bad head gasket of some sort. But so you really wanna be driving a car that is held together by a chemical. Unless you have no other choice fix it right the first time.

[2winRB25]

A fin comb can be used to straighten out the fins on the radiator if a large amount of them are bent. If not a whole lot are bent I would not mess with it.

You can drain the block or part of it. I was shown this a week or so back.

There is a plug in the back of the block by the oil filter for an OEM block heater. You can remove it and drain some of the coolant out. I don't know how much but I was told its a sizeable amount and well worth the time doing it.

First I would flush the coolant system with a coolant flush kit. Maybe run two bottles of flush through it as yours is pretty damn dirty. What can happen and has on a few occasions is flushing breaks a hunk of shit loose and clogs the heater core. I have heard of that happening but in your case it might be worth it. Thats your call. You can either leave it like it is or take the chance (IMO its a small chance) of something getting lodged some place you dont want it to be.

After thats done I would remove the block heater plug and drain the block.

Then I would take the radiator out. Its four 10mm bolts for the top brackets and two hose clamps the get the radiator hoses off (if your a MT anyways).

You can then remove the radiator and take a hose to run water through it for a while just to be safe.

If it were me I would take the chance on flushing it. What you have is a problem as it sits. If it clogs the heater core or does something else it will just have to be fixed. Thats just me. I fix anything no matter what the cost. Thats an odd thing to say but thats how I see it.

Make sure and use 50/50 antifreeze when you fill it.

[oyajicool]

As dirty as it looks through the filler neck, I wouldn't mess with flushing the system if the car was not overheating.

[2winRB25]

As dirty as it looks through the filler neck, I wouldn't mess with flushing the system if the car was not overheating.

So in the OPs case do you think he is just screwed or what? Are you saying its not that bad or is it too bad?

[STOCKa6]

I said second "radiator" in quotation marks to address the condenser because the OP was addressing a panel that looked like a radiator in front of the radiator. And it is a radiator for refrigerant technically, and I called it an A/C condenser in my post.

Flushing the system can be done eventually with out pulling that plug because it will continue to dilute the leftover coolant, and flush it out, however pulling that plug will take out more of the original bad coolant, so it won't take as long to flush out residual fluid in the block.

I told him that flushing chemical could make other parts in the cooling system fail, simply so he was aware of the fact that it has a chance of taking out these very key components. Just an FYI, this could potentially happen and cost you more money. Obviously its best to flush it out and if parts were held together by sediment, replace them when they leak and have it all fixed right. But if money were a pinch at the moment, maybe hold off on the chemical till the other parts which may become urgent can be afforded. I also told him some parts that should be replaced as well(hoses, thermostat) because they usually don't come clean enough, and after so many years should be replaced anyways.

I do know what I am talking about, I have serviced my cooling system, and have had my radiator out, and had my bumper off, and seen the condenser, and some other cooling fins in front of the condenser. Trying to tell him that no, he did not have to remove his radiator support to get at the condenser, but simply removing the bumper would give him access to that.

I do admit when I'm unsure, I knew a fin straitening tool existed, but was unsure as to whether after however many years of exposure to the environment if that would be a good Idea.

[andrew22888]

Basically everyone is saying flushing is the best option to do it right. If u just wanna get by leave it nasty and drive it. And also we are saying flush it at your own risk.

[EsperHamid]

practically apart from the war going on between andrew22888 and STOCKa6 ... I didn't get any answer to my questions ... I even doubt that any of you has read the whole thing ..... basically I will wait for more serious answers like how should I do it ?!.

as for Oyaji Cool, no I am not having any overheat whatsoever ... but I wanna see mine clean it is been like that since I bought the car ... and after fixing so many more important issues ( since there's no overheat ) in my CB7, I thought I give this one a go and I clearly mentioned " I don't want to use the 19mm draining Bolt/Plug behind the block !!!"

Also what is that about HEAD GASKET starting to leak if I wanna flush the radiator ?!?!... it doesn't make sense that each and every person who wants to flush their radiator/cooling system ... he wants to put a new head gasket !!

Note: I already changed my hoses and my thermostat is clean and operational, checked/tested it when I bought the fan cooling switches A and B

[oyajicool]

-------------------as for Oyaji Cool, no I am not having any overheat whatsoever ... -----------------

There's no external leak. There's no overheat. Why bother flushing in the first place? I'd rather save $$ for new radiator if it needs to be replaced in the future. As for now, fill the cooling system with pre-mix or fill with 50/50 with distilled water.

So in the OPs case do you think he is just screwed or what? Are you saying its not that bad or is it too bad?

Since there's no issue in function of the radiator, he is not screwed. And it is not bad enough to take action like flushing, is what I am saying. Well, this is my opinion anyways.

[wildBill83]

here's a pic of my radiator neck:


I emptied this radiator and filled it with water like 10 times in order to clean it up before paying money, hoping to use an anti-freeze in a clean radiator and thus I have some questions:

1- how do I clean the radiator ?!

2- how can flush/clean the cooling system total volume, without using the 19mm draining plug !?

3- I am told not to straighten the radiator fins, is that true ?!

4- what about straightening the fins of the panel that looks like the radiator and is located in front of the radiator .. can I do that ?!

5- can I remove this panel without removing the radiator ?! I mean by unscrewing the grill and the upper metallic bar above it, the one attached to the latch/lock

( this is not my car)

1. Take the radiator off and run hot vinegar through it a few times, this will clean the radiator.

2. You can use a cooling system flush kit and it does not require draining the block.

3. You can straighten the fins up to a certain point, it weakens the metal and can create pin hole leaks.

4. That is an A/C condenser. It is part of the pressurized and sealed freon system. It will be subject to similar pin hole leaks from fin straightening.

5. It is much easier to remove the radiator and work around this part than to remove it. To remove it you will have to evacuate the freon and then your A/C components will be subject to degradation as the system should not be exposed to air.


In this photo you can see I chose to leave the entire A/C system complete and work around it.

[EsperHamid]

There's no external leak. There's no overheat. Why bother flushing in the first place? I'd rather save $$ for new radiator if it needs to be replaced in the future. As for now, fill the cooling system with pre-mix or fill with 50/50 with distilled water.

thanks man, but isn't there a chemical that isn't harmful and could make it at least a little bit clean from what is now ... just for the good mood

about the fins, is it safe to buy that fin radiator/condensor comb and do the straightening without bending or breaking the radiator fins?!

[EsperHamid]

1. Take the radiator off and run hot vinegar through it a few times, this will clean the radiator.

2. You can use a cooling system flush kit and it does not require draining the block.

3. You can straighten the fins up to a certain point, it weakens the metal and can create pin hole leaks.

4. That is an A/C condenser. It is part of the pressurized and sealed freon system. It will be subject to similar pin hole leaks from fin straightening.

5. It is much easier to remove the radiator and work around this part than to remove it. To remove it you will have to evacuate the freon and then your A/C components will be subject to degradation as the system should not be exposed to air.




In this photo you can see I chose to leave the entire A/C system complete and work around it.

thanks wildbill for a more detailed explanation. so hot vinegar will do the job ... how many times, should I rinse it with water afterwards so my radiator doesn't smell like it's cooking something with vinegar

as for completing the system flush, after cleaning the radiator ... can I plug everything in and disconnect the upper radiator hose .... then run a continuous water stream from the radiator neck ?! ... for like 15 minutes ... will that be a good way of doing the rest of the system or it is not a good idea ?!

as for the condensor A/C thanks for the pic, really helpful but mine is empty it doesn't have any gas/freon in it ... if I open it up I get air inside the cabin but not cool air ... just air from the outside and sometimes hot air in summer.

[2winRB25]

Since there's no issue in function of the radiator, he is not screwed. And it is not bad enough to take action like flushing, is what I am saying. Well, this is my opinion anyways.

Ok, I understand what your saying now. So that slime and gunk crap does not hurt anything? Its not a bad idea to leave it in there?

I have seen other peoples car with that slime in the radiator but luckily never on a car I have owned. But I always thought it was bad as I know it is not normal.

I also know you work on air planes is why I'm asking you. Sorry if I'm asking too many questions.