Hi,

Ok the 3K in my KE30 is getting old and well its starting to over heat on long hot summer day trips. Now the radiator in the car is a bit tired and I gotta spare here I wanna clean up paint, add thermo fan to and get it all going. Then hopefully do a motor swap so I can have reliable slow fun again.

 

But The spare radiator I have has been used a bit before (was not long recoed but and is still in top nick.)

 

But the radiator has a heap just bits of gunk, small pebble looking things, general radator crap in it. I wanna give it the best clean out possible.

 

How should I do this? I tried just pumping water through it no work :hmm:

 

I'm thinking a chemical of some sort. So if you have done it before I am keen to listen to how you did it as I need a fresh radiator soon.

 

Cheers

Cameron

Also keen to hear what people have done.

 

Pulling the tanks off and getting them cleaned out would be the best, but it's going to cost a fair packet.

use a compressor and blast it with air :hmm:

or you could sit down with a jewelers screwdriver

i've been havin the same problem with me 30.

the radiator in it was farked to hell and would leak everytime the weather went above 35 degrees.

then i found a commodore radiator that was in good nick lying around my place and i'm currently putting that in with a camry thermo fan.

i'm makin custom brackets to hold the radiator in if anyone is interested in some.

i'll make a 'how to' on it soon. within the next week i think,

hopefully have it done today.

pay like $80 to get rad specialist to pressure test it clean it, re fin the centre paint it up etc, oh and also to flush it

pay like $80 to get rad specialist to pressure test it clean it, re fin the centre paint it up etc, oh and also to flush it

 

never heard of re finning but a recore is about $200 for a 2 row and $300 for a 3 row.

 

i would use a radiator flush and let it sit in the radiator for a while then flush out with loads

of water, probably not much else you could do really?

 

pressure test is also a good idea, shouldnt cost much.

 

a new 2 row standard replacement ke20 radiator is $220 or so.

as of now the radiator is 90% done in my ke30

i would actually recomend doin this cause all up it costs about $120-30

so if you're engine to stay cool go for a commo radiator.

just need to do a bit of work, i'm even considering manufacturing the brackets that i've made for other people on rollaclub :hmm:

we'll see how it goes

I looked into it a bit this arvo asked my dad who restores chevs and there are a few house hold chemicals that will do the trick Ill try them and post my results.

 

But I tried a radiator flush once styler and I though it was the biggest waste of cash just didn't do that good a job.

 

Cheers

Cameron

I looked into it a bit this arvo asked my dad who restores chevs and there are a few house hold chemicals that will do the trick Ill try them and post my results.

 

But I tried a radiator flush once styler and I though it was the biggest waste of cash just didn't do that good a job.

 

Cheers

Cameron

 

Radiator flushes i have found to be a complete waste of money, it is the flush with clean water and the run that does the most good, simple household vinegar is just as good .

 

A good old steam clean I found is the best for crystallized coolant, for general gunk back flush with water and bursts of compressed air.

Just take it to a radiator shop and have them strip it down and clean it out. My RX7 radiator cost me $50 to have the lower outlet relocated, and the tanks pulled off to be properly flushed and all put back together with a final pressure test.

 

You said yourself the core is in good shape, so a re-core wont be necessary.

 

If it costs you anymore than $60, go and find yourself another radiator shop.