Not sure if my radiator is in working condition yet. do i just block the openings and fill the radiator up with water and see what happens or get a pressure check done? what is the normal operating psi. thanks. Ken
0 psi is normal. The vent is always open. If you block the openings and it does not leak from gravity you are good to go.
A Model T radiator is not a pressure system, there is an overflow in the neck of the radiator that dumps excess water as the radiator gets warm and the water expands.
Just since the radiator does not leak does not indicate it will cool properly. It may be clogged and after a short drive it might boil????
You almost have to put it on the car and drive the car to see if it cools properly.
Thanks for the info Royce.
thank you for your help also Willie! I am doing a complete engine rebuild and trying to address everything. I'll probably have a case of the shakes when the time comes to do the first start up on this engine. what would be a good product to soak the inside of the radiator for a clean out? thanks again . Ken
Even though a radiator looks good, and holds water they may not cool. I have been told by several experienced T owners that the lead in the solder oxidizes with age, and looses the bond between the fins and the tubes. With out the tight bond the heat does not transfer from tube to fin as it should. I believe it, as I have restored a number of antique leaded glass windows, and after 50 or more years of exposure to the elements the lead gets very brittle, and looses it's strength
Doug
I agree with Doug. Just because the radiator holds water does not mean it is any good at cooling.
I had a radiator on a speedster that looked pretty bad. it had gouges an cuts, two dollar bill sized areas where fins were broken down to the tubes. But it seemed tight. I ran it through two 200 mile endurance runs, one of them with temperatures near 100 degrees. The only time it ever boiled was at my house on a (for here) hot day when I let the car sit and idle for about fifteen minutes.
When I sold the car, I told the buyer about how bad it looked, but that I never had trouble with it. I said that if he went to buy a new one, I would be interested in buying that ugly thing back.
All that is to illustrate that the look of the radiator is not what is important. I have seen great looking radiators that didn't cool worth a darn. I have had a couple that worked fine, and looked bad.
Good luck with yours!
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2
The quickest way to clean rust out of an engine block or a radiator is to mix 25% CLR with 75%water and leave it in for 20 minutes. Mix before pouring it in.
CLR or CRL (calcium, lime, rust)
Aaron, do you use this solution like a radiator flush on new cars, ie - run the car to operating temp and then flush it? Or do you use it with the radiator out of the car?
I used distilled vinegar to clean the cooling systems. Drive it for a few days or start it up and let cooling system get up to temp and shut off. Do this a few times over the course of a few days depending on how bad the system is. Back flush with garden hose the entire cooling system, make sure to flush well with water and once done use a 50/50 mixture of Distilled water/coolant
Here's a long discussion with lots of suggestions, including links to videos.
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/257047/285681.html