Preventing leaks in your brass radiator... a PSA.

[James_Lyons-WV]

I've had my unrestored 1915 touring for 20 years. I don't know how many miles we've toured, but I've run the wheels off it. In that time, I've had to pull the radiator and fix small leaks every 3 or 4 years. In 2019, I decided I'd had enough of that and made some changes that appear to have worked. I decided to isolate the radiator from any hard loads, essentially dampening as much vibration as possible. The pictures show what I did.

At the frame, I installed two layers of leather between the radiator support and the frame. Instead of directly bolting the radiator down, I used parts from the later mounting design which uses one mounting spring on each side and a retaining cup. When the car hits a hard bump, the shock is mitigated by the spring.

The radiator support rod also got modified. For this, I purchased a reproduction rod from Langs so I could save my original. I then cut a 1-inch section out of the rod and used 5/16 fuel line as a shock absorber. This also eliminates a "hard mount" attachment between the radiator and the car and dampens any shock that tries to enter the radiator. The rubber fuel line, along with the upper and lower radiator hoses are more than enough to keep the radiator securely in place.

Usually, I'm a stickler for being "correct". But in this case, I don't care about that. This car is a driver and I'd rather have the radiator stay together. So far, it's working like a charm.

[Craig Leach]

James,
You parked your T in a garage with a 69 Chevelle a 69 Camaro & a second Gen C-10. Then you made unauthorized modifications to your T for
reliability & OMG is that a water pump??? I'm so proud of you!
Craig.

[Mike Silbert]

While we are on the topic of saving the radiator I have a few reminders:
1) If you run straight water add an anti rust to minimize corrosion. And dont forget to drain in cold weather.
2) Use the cleanest most neutral water you can.
3) Brass radiator cars must use the proper antifreeze. A lot of "modern" coolants are made for aluminum parts and will eat the solder out of old radiators. Read the labels and make sure.
4) Dexcool antifreeze will eat out some silicone seals eventually. GM has had lots of problems with this so learn for yourself and plan accordingly.
5) Coolant does not last forever so give it the maintenance it needs to keep it working like it should. Color has nothing to do with the freeze and corrosion protection level remaining.
6) If you have an aluminum head or a mixed metal setup keep everything protected. These require extra protection. There are several thoughts on this including the sacrificial anode. Do your research and decide which way to go. Whatever you decide keep it in good condition.

And winter is here now so make sure not to freeze anything important.
Mike

[James_Lyons-WV]

Craig... Oh, man... Thanks for the laugh!! I'm proud of me too!
And as far as the water pump is concerned, I have them on both of my Model T's. They make a difference in these West Virginia mountains!

[TXGOAT2]

Be sure your radiator hoses are still pliable, especially the upper one. Some old radiator hose gets hard and brittle. Don't over-inflate your tires, and keep both front and rear springs clean and lubricated. Be sure the engine mounts are in good condition. Stiff springs will cause more frame flex and transmit more road shock to the car. Worn steering parts may add shock and vibration. Keep a little oil on the front engine mount.
The radiator on Model Ts is close to the engine, making the upper radiator hose short and stiff. You can't do much about that, but keeping the hose clamps as far apart as you can may help a little.

[Mike Silbert]

I forgot to add:
Keep an eye on your fan. There is no faster way to ruin you radiator and your day than having a blade hit the radiator. Bad bushings, broken blades, loose rivets or screws, plus having the hub come apart have ruined many radiators.
As usual the devil is in the details and there is always more to everything than it seems.

Mike

[Norman Kling]

I don't know what kind of water you have where you live, but here we have well water which has a lot of lime and calcium as well as some fine sand in it. So I go to the store and get distilled water for the radiator. I also use the Prestone Green antifreeze even though it rarely freezes here. I don't run a water pump on any of my cars and they don't overheat unless there is a leak somewhere. On one of my first tours on my first T, the previous owners had installed a water pump and we went up into the mountains around February. It was quite cold where we took a rest break and the other drivers were standing in front of their radiators to keep warm. My radiator was ice cold! After that I removed the water pump and have no overheating problems except a couple times when I had a very small leak behind the exhaust manifold where I could not see it. I filled up the radiator the night before I left on a tour and trailered it to a hotel. Then it sat all night so it was about 24 hours since I checked it and did not think to check it before leaving on the tour! I found out that one of the bolts was just a fraction of an inch too long and bottomed out before it was all the way down. I put a washer under the head and no more overheating problems. Anyway, problems can be caused by leaks or by sediment. So keep things clean and you should be OK.
Norm