Radiator Replacement?

[Zeph]

Hi all, a couple of mechanics told me this last year that my radiator looked like it needed to be replaced soon. Some of the core fins are bent/crushed and there's some corrosion. Recently it sprung a good-sized leak so I figured I should replace it.

The cost of a new radiator on this vehicle seemed prohibitive so a friend picked one up for me at a junkyard for $175 but now that I'm looking at it closely it looks like the fins are in worse shape than the one I'm replacing!

My question is, how important is it that the fins be in good shape, and is there a way I can make sure this one doesn't have any leaks or other problems before I go to all the trouble to swap them? Or am I just being stupid and should spend the money on a new one?

Thanks for your thoughts,
Zeph

[waytoomanytoys]

i dont know a whole lot but you can take it to some parts store or radiator shops and they can pressure test it to make sure it is ok to use.

[Greenie]

The foil fins are really important for cooling. I had a radiator that never leaked but did make the engine run hot. The fins had disintegrated from salt road spray. Once replaced with a new radiator the hot running engine problem ended.

Most of the radiators available now are made in China. Forget about the warranty; there's a whole bunch of loopholes that will make the warranty worthless unless you dot every i and cross every t.

[chuckster57]

Most auto parts stores have a "fin comb" that you can buy for just a little bit. It is very important that air flows through the radiator with the least amount of resistance. Pressure test would be a good thing and then use the "comb" to straighten out the bent fins. My are a new radiator is about $400-500.

[Zeph]

Thanks for the replies.

A friend pointed out that some of the fins on the junkyard radiator are not only crushed, they're corroded and flake off when I brush them with my finger. He's heard this is a sign that it was attached to a hot-running engine and that it's been fried. Anybody know about that?

The other option I've considered is whether or not my existing radiator is repairable. Is it worth the effort to try to fix a leak in a radiator once it really gets going? Can they be soldered or something?

The idea of spending 4 or 5 hundred on a new radiator kind of makes me gulp.

[RLDSL]

Originally Posted by Zeph

Thanks for the replies.

A friend pointed out that some of the fins on the junkyard radiator are not only crushed, they're corroded and flake off when I brush them with my finger. He's heard this is a sign that it was attached to a hot-running engine and that it's been fried. Anybody know about that?

The other option I've considered is whether or not my existing radiator is repairable. Is it worth the effort to try to fix a leak in a radiator once it really gets going? Can they be soldered or something?

The idea of spending 4 or 5 hundred on a new radiator kind of makes me gulp.

If those fins are corroded and flaking off, chances are, there's a leak in the vacinity.

You know the history on your old radiator, it may be the better choice if you are going to have to resort to a fix. If it's a factory original, do not get it rodded out. It can have the tanks removed, chemical flushed and tanks resoldered, but rodding on a factory rad is a no no for a bunch of these things. Most rads the tubes are smooth inside, the factory jobs had turbulators inside the tubes, rodding them out will tear them up.
A good pressure test will tell you a lot. If you are thinking at all of using the boneyard rad, have it pressure tested to 20 psi ( which is what the rad shop is going to test it to anyway unless you stop them )and if it blows, get your money back, failed pressure test.

If testing your old one, don't test it that high, it can be an almost gauranteed recore job for rad shops testing this kind of rad at that pressure. The cap pressure options are 7 and 13 psi so really don't need to pressure test for much more than that. Not wise to run more than the 7 lb cap on an older rad anyway, so if you can test out for 13-15 and run the 7 you should be in good shape