looking for a good used 26-27 radiator

[NY John T]

Hi All,
Sorry to put this in the general discussion forum, but time is short for Hershey. I'm looking to replace my now useless radiator. I would like to find a good, used, NOT leaking radiator for the 26-27. I will be going to Hershey next week on Thursday and can pick it up then if anyone has one. Please contact me here or at: jkillelea@optonline.net
Thanks.
John

[Steve Jelf]

Sorry to be a wet blanket, but why is that used radiator for sale, and not still on a car? A 94-year old radiator can have no leaks and still be kaput. You can take a chance that it's OK, but I wouldn't gamble very much on it.

[Professor Fate]

See this ad yet??
https://mtfca.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=23975

[John kuehn]

Beware of a good or decent looking radiator at a swap meet or anywhere else. Looks can definitely fool you.Especially if it’s a round tube. If it’s a good radiator why is it for sale? Ask the obvious question which is does it cool or WHY it was taken off a T.
Sure it’s possible to get lucky but most of the time luck doesn’t happen.
Old or original radiators for Model T’s are just that. Age and time takes the cooling efficiency out of radiators.
To save money if you have a radiator you can save money by having a new flat tube core put in it but not a great amount.
Good luck in you quest to find a good one. Sometimes it happens but———-

[NY John T]

The radiator I have has leaks in a bunch of places. A rad shop will re-core it for the same cost as a new one. So I'm not sure that's a long term savings. The radiator does not look like an original; it has a honeycomb core. I'd not seen one like it before.
John

[John Codman]

You get what you pay for. Old Model T radiators are famous for not leaking and not cooling either. Steve Jelf is correct. Ask me how I know.

[TXGOAT2]

Looking for a good original 1926-7 radiator is like looking for a good redline wide oval from 1970.

[Mopar_man]

So how do you know if your radiator is not cooling correctly? Do you look for steam? How can you tell?

[Steve Jelf]

My 1923 touring came with an aftermarket honeycomb radiator. It didn't leak. It also didn't radiate. After a few thorough cleanings it still didn't work. The solution was a new Berg's. No more cooling troubles. I had my 1915 brass radiator recored because I wanted to keep the original appearance. It also cost a few Benjamins less than a new one. But with a black era radiator I'll go with Berg's every time.

[Steve Jelf]

So how do you know if your radiator is not cooling correctly? Do you look for steam? How can you tell?

It boils. Not just the normal little gurgle for a minute after shutdown, but a seething Yellowstone boil, sometimes with steam shooting out of the overflow tube. You may not hear it when you're driving, but you sure do when you stop.

[Mopar_man]

Thanks Steve. Now I know. So far so good. My car had a water pump that I got rid of when I redid my engine. I drove the car up and down the street for a while and didn't hear or see anything.

[speedytinc]

Silly question? Is there any way to make an old radiator regain it cooling ability?
Like stripping, acid washing & dunking into a bath/coating to encourage/regain heat transfer to the fins once again.
I would think such technology exists & @ $600 + for a new one, might be economically feasible. Rambling thought.

[John kuehn]

If it’s not leaking you can drive on down the road. Coming back home or wherever coming back from it will gurgle, steam or give a bubbling sound and etc.
Sometimes you can fill it to much and lower the water level until it’s just over the core top and drive it that way. But it will still get to hot and you can sure tell it by listening for gurgling sounds and so on.
Everyone wants to save money but in the end buying a new or finding a newer radiator that you know works is the way to go.
This comes up from time to time as it did with me years ago and going through several radiators until the light bulb came on to buy a new one. Overheating issues for my T’s are over with as far as my cars are concerned.

[TXGOAT2]

It would be very difficult to clean an old radiator inside and out such that you could re-tin the whole thing. Most old radiators have internal corrosion and many have external corrosion as well, not to mention old repairs and proabably metal fatigue. If you got such a radiator really clean, there might not be a lot left of it. An NOS Ford radiator would be a good bet, but you're not likely to find one.

[TRDxB2]

If he doesn't have one try these links
https://mtfca.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=23975
http://www.bergsradiator.com/modelt.html

[John Codman]

Silly question? Is there any way to make an old radiator regain it cooling ability?
Like stripping, acid washing & dunking into a bath/coating to encourage/regain heat transfer to the fins once again.
I would think such technology exists & @ $600 + for a new one, might be economically feasible. Rambling thought.

As a practical matter, no. The horizontal fins become thermally detached from the vertical tubes. The radiator loses it's ability to dissipate heat. Unfortunately (as was mentioned earlier) a Berg's new radiator (in the $800 range) is the only solution. Again, ask me how I know.


















As a practical metter, there is no fix.

[speedytinc]

Silly question? Is there any way to make an old radiator regain it cooling ability?
Like stripping, acid washing & dunking into a bath/coating to encourage/regain heat transfer to the fins once again.
I would think such technology exists & @ $600 + for a new one, might be economically feasible. Rambling thought.

As a practical matter, no. The horizontal fins become thermally detached from the vertical tubes. The radiator loses it's ability to dissipate heat. Unfortunately (as was mentioned earlier) a Berg's new radiator (in the $800 range) is the only solution. Again, ask me how I know.



Do you suppose the fins could be thermally reattached with a tin plating dip?














As a practical metter, there is no fix.

[Erik Barrett]

A 90 year old radiator can look great and not leak but still won’t cool. Eventually you will give up and buy a new radiator. It’s up to you how much money you waste before then. There is a reason original ones become available. People get tired of boiling the coolant.