Radiator ???

[mvftw]

I went to a car show on Saturday and asked a Radiator vendor about having mine boiled out. Since it doesn't leak and runs cool. (I'm going to replace my cooling system this spring...all original w/92k miles). He said that boiling out a copper radiator is very bad. The acids to more harm then good. He said either replace it, re-core it, or leave it alone. I said since it's original, I'll have it re-cored with a Modine unit. Has anyone heard of this...I thought boiling was safe? I just don't want to drive around this summer with a 92K mile / 25 years old cooling system.

 

[Willis76]

why not just leave well enough alone?

 

[JimS]

A replacement from http://www.radiatorbarn.com is just over $170 shipped. I used them and had great service.

-JimS

 

[paintdaddy]

Id buy a new one unless your doing the "ncrs thing then have yours recored.Ive never heard of having them boiled hurts them.People have done that for years.:eyerole

 

[mvftw]

I don't want to leave well enough alone because 25 years old & 92K miles, summers do hot in NY. Plus I want to clean/paint up the raditor support area. I think it's foolish to put back the same raditor. The car is 90% stock and I'm trying to keep that look for show/resale value. I'm going to ask other shops about the boiling issue...I never thought it was bad, but I never really asked. I may go with a re-core, it seems the best of both worlds. Thanks for that raditor shop tip, that's a Great price!

 

[Don&Kelly]

We had our '81 original radiator re-cored last summer & we added an additional row when we did the recore ... it's working fine ...

 

[hdflh67]

My 34 year old radiator is still clean and doing fine!

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

 

[Jack]

I went to a car show on Saturday and asked a Radiator vendor about having mine boiled out. Since it doesn't leak and runs cool. (I'm going to replace my cooling system this spring...all original w/92k miles). He said that boiling out a copper radiator is very bad. The acids to more harm then good. He said either replace it, re-core it, or leave it alone. I said since it's original, I'll have it re-cored with a Modine unit. Has anyone heard of this...I thought boiling was safe? I just don't want to drive around this summer with a 92K mile / 25 years old cooling system.

Maybe semantics. Some of the cleaning/boiling chemicals used by shop (also old-style over the counter rad cleaners) do eat away at the metal. If rad's thin anyway from years of subtle corrosion, then the shop's probably offering sage advice ... such situation/advice is common & accepted. If you're going original, then a Modine recore is an excellent choice ... sometimes an additional row can be retrofitted during a recore ... ask first. If you're NOT sticking with originality ... you can fit a new 2-row aluminum rad for about same money as OE-type replacement or recore ... and it'll cool better than either. Virtually all modern cars are fitted with aluminum cores ... but most are one-row. No, you cannot recore brass-copper tanks & headers with an aluminum core.
JACK:gap

 

[mvftw]

Thanks Jack, I hate to put back the same radiator. I want to take it out so I can remove leaves at the bottom and the radiator support I'm sure needs attention...like metal prep & POR15. If can get a Modine re-core and painted for $150, I would feel a lot better. If it wasn't so original, I would have a 383 & aluminum radiator in it