Cleaning radiator

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: Cleaning radiator
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Nick Miller on Monday, May 14, 2012 - 07:24 pm:

As there are suggestions to clean T radiators, I have a question: Our 1987 Mercedes SDL is running hot, does anyone think cleaning it with vinegar, out of the car would help? Don't want to have it worked on by a shop unless necessary. Thanks for any help, I really appreciate any suggestions.
Nick


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mack Cole ---- Earth on Monday, May 14, 2012 - 07:51 pm:

Check for a blown head gasket,bad thermostat,bad water pump.the radiator on that car,unless you have used water with iron in it,shouldnt be stopped up.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Aaron Griffey, Hayward Ca. on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 - 12:57 am:

'87 is getting old.
I've had newer cars with a plugged radiator.
That just shows to go ya, change the anti-freeze mixture every 3 years and the thermostst every 6 years. The hoses every 100,000 miles or 10 years.
In '99 our '88 car had to have a new radiator, it was so plugged up.
The check engine light would come on and the temp gage was quite high so I put in water wetter and drove it one more year and then put in a new radiator.
We got it used.
An aluminum radiator with plastic tanks on an engine with a cast iron block and aluminum head/s needs attention often to keep it like new.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bernard Paulsen, San Buenaventura, Calif on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 - 01:09 am:

Go to the dealer and buy the citric acid radiator cleaner. While you're there, buy 2 gallons of MBZ anti-freeze. It's almost clear.

I'm a Mercedes and a diesel freak. I have currently 3 MBz Diesels running in my household.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Nick Miller on Wednesday, May 16, 2012 - 02:20 pm:

All,
Thanks for all the suggestions. The car has 525,000 and does 3,000/mo. I would sell Mercedes if I could - they are great - but not as great as a T. It is the original radiator and always had antifreeze but recently heating up. I will try MB for the cleaner, thanks Berbard. Probably should change the thermostat at same time. Does the water pump wear out? I appreciate this forum. Where else does all this info flow.
Nick


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Patrick on Wednesday, May 16, 2012 - 04:33 pm:

It sounds like you are attached to the car and are planning to keep it, so, it may be worth the cost to take it to an authorized Mercedes service center and have a thorough diagnostic test done. On a car with that many miles on it, any number of things could be wrong with it. Once they give you the print out on everything that is wrong then you will know what to repair. If it is too serious to do yourself, then you can get estimates from several places on making the repairs that are too involved for you to do it yourself.

Get several estimates. Several months ago, I took my 1990, like new, Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo, with just 16,000 miles, to the Nissan dealership service center because the steering was pulling to the right. After doing all kinds of tests, they gave me a $4,500.00 estimate for replacing the entire front end, struts, bushings, torsion bars, etc. I knew that was impossible because of the low mileage, so I took it to Midas and the mechanic immediately found the problem. The right front tire had a bulge on one side, causing the car to pull to the right. I purchased two new tires for the front wheels and that solved the problem, saving me $4,000.00. Jim Patrick


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Craig Anderson, central Wisconsin on Wednesday, May 16, 2012 - 11:26 pm:

Jim.....did you go back to your highway robbery Nissan dealer and ream them a new one?
THAT story needs to be sent on to a district manager or an even higher level!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By JAMES STARKEY Naperville, IL on Thursday, May 17, 2012 - 12:04 am:

Nick,
I agree with you. They are both great cars. I like to keep one of each around myself. However the parts for T's are cheaper. Jimmy


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Luke Dahlinger on Thursday, May 17, 2012 - 12:55 am:

Aluminum rads with plastic tanks just don't last that long, especially here in FL. I recently bought & sold a '94 190E that was clean as a pin for $400 because the radiator tank cracked and they just wanted to get rid of the car. Put a new rad in, some cleanup of the car and the profits went into my T fund.

I work at a shop that specializes in Mercedes and we replace ALOT of radiators due to cracked tanks & plugged up cores.

If you run any type of cooling system cleaner, be prepared to see leaks where you never saw them before.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Patrick on Thursday, May 17, 2012 - 08:47 am:

Craig, I might do that, but I'd hate to get anyone fired in this economy and I was able to take care of it myself, but someone else who did not know to get a second or third opinion may have not been so fortunate. I think it was a simple matter of an over trained technician not seeing the forest for the trees and concentrating on the symptom, instead of the simple and obvious problem. For anyone in Central Florida, it was Hill Nissan in Winter Haven, FL that screwed up and kudos to Midas on South Florida Avenue in Lakeland, FL who saved the day. I now take all of my cars to Midas. Jim Patrick


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bud Holzschuh - Panama City, FL on Thursday, May 17, 2012 - 08:57 am:

Nick

You asked "does the water pump wear out". My answer would generally be no, at least not in the sense you mean. The bearings can wear out (usually can hear it), the seals can wear out (it will leak!) but generally the ability to circulate water remains the same. It us a very low head centrifugal pump using a metal impeller.

I have attempted to blame overheating on the water pump in many situations and in each case when I removed it, the vanes on the pump were fine and it turned out not to be the pump.

Somebody will jump in and mention that they took a pump off and the vanes were corroded or broken off, but I've never seen it in the 12 or so pumps I removed to check (and regretted doing it) ;o). Look elseware, most likely the radiator. You can buy a cheap infrared thermometer and measure the inlet and outlet radiator temps. There are specs on how much temperature drop there should be

Cheers
schuh


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