Radiator help......

-

Velocity111

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2017
Messages
148
Reaction score
43
Location
New York
this one is for those who are good with diagnosing issues with little info..lol

I’m working through an over heating issue, and we’ve address what we think it part of the problem. The other part is pictured here. Looking into the top of the radiator down the fill tube, you can see all these white granular things. At first I thought they were small stones, but after flushing the radiator, realized they were not. I still don’t know what it is, but it’s granular, white, and will separate when rolled or pinched in between your fingers - best description I have is it looked like wet dishwashing detergent. We are guessing it’s cutting down 10-15% of the radiators flow.

Does anyone know what this is, and even after the motor break That was done before motor install, could this still have come from the motor? - or other? Thanks in advance...from stumped...lol

346F7AAB-2AC5-44FF-A333-B7922EB875FA.jpeg
 
What year?
What engine?
What car?
What mods?
Electric or mechanical fan?
OEM fan shroud?


As for the particulate, could be calcium scale from inside the block, could be some form if stops leak.

Not a joke, what does it taste like?

Also IMHO if 10 to 15% blockage is causing over heating you have other issues more serious
 
Not sure what that is stuck in your radiator. Possibly a Vinegar Flush on your radiator and cooling system will break that stuff down so you can drain it out.

Look up on Google: How to flush your cooling system with vinegar. So you can learn how to properly do it.

Don't use vinegar with aluminum radiators and aluminum heads.

Can take the radiator out and turn it upside down and back flush it.

Then turn it right side up, put the garden hose in the top, the water should flow out the bottom exit just as fast as it is going in the top . . for a properly working radiator.

There also used to be an old radiator fix called "Rodding them Out" where a radiator shop pulls one of the tanks off and runs a wire down through each of the cores to get the lime deposits out. Then they resolder the tank back in again.
 
Hmm. Radiator tubes look clean except for that loose debris. Looks a bit too cylindrical to be scale.
Is it possible that "oil absorbent" like kitty litter granuals somehow found their way into the cooling system ports? Maybe from an overzealous person pouring it everywhere around an opened engine or on auto trans fluid while the radiator cap was off?
 
Last edited:
What year?
What engine?
What car?
What mods?
Electric or mechanical fan?
OEM fan shroud?


As for the particulate, could be calcium scale from inside the block, could be some form if stops leak.

Not a joke, what does it taste like?

Also IMHO if 10 to 15% blockage is causing over heating you have other issues more serious

72’ Dart with a brand new FHO 572” Hemi. Electrical pusher fan with no shroud. The main heating issues was an improperly assembled pedal assy, which sometimes let the brakes stay engaged so the extra work drove heat. I didn’t taste it. I just know this stuff ain’t supposed to be there...
 
Not sure what that is stuck in your radiator. Possibly a Vinegar Flush on your radiator and cooling system will break that stuff down so you can drain it out.

Look up on Google: How to flush your cooling system with vinegar. So you can learn how to properly do it.

Don't use vinegar with aluminum radiators and aluminum heads.

Can take the radiator out and turn it upside down and back flush it.

Then turn it right side up, put the garden hose in the top, the water should flow out the bottom exit just as fast as it is going in the top . . for a properly working radiator.

There also used to be an old radiator fix called "Rodding them Out" where a radiator shop pulls one of the tanks off and runs a wire down through each of the cores to get the lime deposits out. Then they resolder the tank back in again.

im running an alum radiator,heads, block, etc. so will likely not do the vinegar. Radiator is out and flushed the way you mentioned, my photo was taken after multiple flushes!!...doh!
 
Hmm. Radiator tubes look clean except for that loose debris. Looks a bit too cylindrical to be scale.
Is it possible that "oil absorbent" like kitty litter granuals somehow found their way into the cooling system ports? Maybe from an overzealous person pouring it everywhere around an opened engine or on auto trans fluid while the radiator cap was off?

anything is possible, but don’t know how they would have got there,and not sure they would disintegrate when rubbed.
 
So pusher fan and mechanical fan on engine no shroud ? I think no shoud is a big issue. JMO Any pics of fans and radiator?
After flushing did you get at least one peice to examine ?
 
I drove my 500 Stroker for a season running real warm. Checked into everthing but T-stat. Well wouldn't you know the t-stat wasn't opening fully.
 
looks like sand to me. didnt they use to use sand in the engine block mold process?
 
Radiator Shops have Ultrasonic Cleaning Tanks.

Can take the radiator to them, that should break up those small particles so you can rinse it out clean.
 
72’ Dart with a brand new FHO 572” Hemi. Electrical pusher fan with no shroud. The main heating issues was an improperly assembled pedal assy, which sometimes let the brakes stay engaged so the extra work drove heat. I didn’t taste it. I just know this stuff ain’t supposed to be there...

I had the same thing, not as bad and would circulate thru the tubes , And no way in hell I`d taste it .
Mine seemed to accumulate at the rad cap, ,and I would wipe them out w/ a rag every time I`d check the rad. .
Thinking it was stop leak / antifreeze/water wetter -stuff, I shimmed my rad cap gaskets to beef it up and havent noticed any lately---------??
Your front pusher may be blocking air flow ,wondering if mine does ------------
 
I have a pusher and mechanical with shroud. Pusher is set up with T-stat to only come on at 200' if I'm stuck in traffic.
 
DO NOT TASTE IT. Good god people are dumb.

It looks like one of those desiccant pouches broke. You know, those little pouches that say “do not eat” that you get in various different shipping boxes, beef jerky, etc. They’re there to absorb moisture. Most are a silica granule of some kind.

As for how to get them out, man, that’s tough. It’ll probably need to go to the radiator shop. And you’ll have to flush the heck out of the block too.

37A98008-3453-4602-9E2F-0A3B606ACB82.jpeg
 
DO NOT TASTE IT. Good god people are dumb
No, not dumb.... I don't mean sprinkel it on your corn flakes, I mean touch it to your tongue, if it tastes salty, sweet, tart, etc it helps guide you as to what it is and how to get rid of it.

My money is that it is calcium / lime scale (crumbles when pinched between fingers, I bet it has a salty taste, and would desolve readily in vinegar)
 
So pusher fan and mechanical fan on engine no shroud ? I think no shoud is a big issue. JMO Any pics of fans and radiator?
After flushing did you get at least one peice to examine ?

Just a pusher fan. There is not enough room between the water pump and radiator to put anything. I had a number of these pieces get flushed out, and again best description i can give is it's wet dishwashing detergent.

IMG_0699.jpg
 
I drove my 500 Stroker for a season running real warm. Checked into everthing but T-stat. Well wouldn't you know the t-stat wasn't opening fully.

I pulled the stat and boiled it on the stove and confirmed its' a 160 stat that opens at 170-175. ran it for a day with no stat, but a buddy who I trust is going to load a disk in there to slow the churn but nothing mechanical to slow things down too much.
 
I had the same thing, not as bad and would circulate thru the tubes , And no way in hell I`d taste it .
Mine seemed to accumulate at the rad cap, ,and I would wipe them out w/ a rag every time I`d check the rad. .
Thinking it was stop leak / antifreeze/water wetter -stuff, I shimmed my rad cap gaskets to beef it up and havent noticed any lately---------??
Your front pusher may be blocking air flow ,wondering if mine does ------------

Could very well be stop leak, and the pusher could be hurting more than helping, the real test will be when I get the radiator cleaned out. In truth i think a big part fo the issue was solved with the brakes, as before i pulled the radiator I drove it and it never got above 175 - so i'm happy with that. Once the radiator is cleaned out, it'll only run better hopefully.
 
DO NOT TASTE IT. Good god people are dumb.

It looks like one of those desiccant pouches broke. You know, those little pouches that say “do not eat” that you get in various different shipping boxes, beef jerky, etc. They’re there to absorb moisture. Most are a silica granule of some kind.

As for how to get them out, man, that’s tough. It’ll probably need to go to the radiator shop. And you’ll have to flush the heck out of the block too.

View attachment 1715547322


Initially I thought these particles might have been these silica balls, but silica does not soften in liquid, and my particles will disintegrate in your fingers...
 
No, not dumb.... I don't mean sprinkel it on your corn flakes, I mean touch it to your tongue, if it tastes salty, sweet, tart, etc it helps guide you as to what it is and how to get rid of it.

My money is that it is calcium / lime scale (crumbles when pinched between fingers, I bet it has a salty taste, and would desolve readily in vinegar)

Possibly, but again I don't think lime scale/calsium softens when in liquid - I could be wrong?? I woudl also pass on the vinegar as i'm running an aluminum radiator, heads, block, etc and those two don't mix well.
 
My experience with scale is when dry it crumbles, when wet it smears.

I wasn't suggesting you put vinegar in your engine, I was suggesting putting some of the chunks in a dish and adding vinegar and see if it disolves
 
My experience with scale is when dry it crumbles, when wet it smears.

I wasn't suggesting you put vinegar in your engine, I was suggesting putting some of the chunks in a dish and adding vinegar and see if it disolves

If thats the case, then this could very well be scale.
 
Possibly, but again I don't think lime scale/calsium softens when in liquid - I could be wrong?? I woudl also pass on the vinegar as i'm running an aluminum radiator, heads, block, etc and those two don't mix well.

You have an alum. block ??
 
-
Back
Top