Just got my radiator back in

[Bob Lawrence]

Thanks for the reply, Tim.
I will pas this info on to Powell.
My rad was in good condition and just needing rodding and new
gaskets. Cost was $300.
Richard, who did the dirty deed of removing the rad and all the hoses
was great! Having worked with these engines and all hydraulics for 40
years, there isn't much he hasn't seen.
Bob Lawrence
84 PT36
Padre Island, Texas
>
>
> Bob, did you need a new radiator or was it rodded. I notice a big
diff
> of opinions between radiator shops on trashing a core over rodding
one.
> Sounds like you found the guy for members to make the trip to
perform
> this dirty dreaded maintenance task. I rod our trucks every several
> years.
>
> I dropped our 94pt radiator
>
<http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Wand...sage/36506>
> and sent it for rodding.At 90% plugged, one shop said it was
> trash($3,800) and one other was able to clean it up($700). The
94pt has
> a three piece radiator; top tank , bottom tank and core. on many
cars
> and light trucks the tanks are soldered on. Heavy trucks and bus
apps
> the tanks are stainless steel bolted-on with cork gaskets.
> Rodding <http://www.sancarlosradiator.com/images/rodout30.jpg> is
a
> process where a service shop takes one tank ($500) or tanks ($700)
off
> and inserts flat strap rod pipe cleaners thru the several hundreds
of
> journals running thru the center core.
>
> You can see the foil fins that are solderd (attached?) to the
outside of
> these journals. The exterior fins should be first inspected to see
if
> they are screwed. often hidden deep in the exterior core ,you may
find
> a spot or two of degraded foil finns. often the result of; some
caustic
> cleaner, fluid or overpressurized cleaning or build up of road
salt. the
> union of the foil finn and journal pipe is where leaks develop. if
too
> much of the foil is off the journal pipe when fluid passes that pipe
> will stay hot as the foil heatsink is detached, heat will not
disipate.
> This is not a prob on better built cores because the journals are
of a
> thicker wall and the temps will not melt them.
>
> There is a small hose that runs from radiator top to the expansion
> tank where we put rad fluid. I assumed it was a equalizerline
between
> that FillTank/ExpansionTank pressure cap and the radiator when I
assumed
> FillTank to be a PukeTank. it turns out that the line is prob a
> secondary air vent to the Expansion/Fill tank?????? in any event
that
> thin line is full or like pressure and become a more vaunerable link
> than just a puke connection line. If you use a overbuilt rubber
line for
> replacement it may be hard to clamp a perfect seal on the thin ID.
>
>
> GregoryO'Connor of Tim&Greg 94ptca
>