Old Be Cool radiator cleaning?

[bigbluedodge]

Is there such a thing as cleaning out an aluminum radiator? I have a Be Cool radiator in my Barracuda that doesn't seem to cool like it did (It's over 20 years old). My Charger has Summit radiator in it and more motor than the barracuda and cools down quicker between rounds. The Barracuda has a Meziere water pump and the Charger has a CSR in an aluminum housing. Looking at the 2 radiators the Be Cool should be the better radiator.

In the old days I'd take the radiator to a radiator shop and get it "rodded" out. Doesn't seem possible these days.

Is there a cooling system chemical cleaner that might work?

Bry

 

[pnora]

Most use the ultrasonic cleaning. Rodding is a thing of the past for most shops.

 

[71Beeper]

Plug off the inlet and outlet and put some of this in it.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

You can use Prestone engine flush from autozone

 

[Budnicks]

Yeah do a serious flush to it, should help

I did it & drove around about 30 or so min.s before doing the full flush
of the system so it was warm, got to about 185*s
then did a flush with the garden hose
took the plugs out of the block down by that pan,
a bit of rust did come out at 1st, ran it & did it again, drained it & radiator fully...
Had the hose (good pressure here, running thru the rad for a while,
I had no bottom rad. hose on it (30-ish min.s maybe),
so all the stuff from the lower part would clear
got a lil' white scale stuff out of it, at 1st, in a bucket
before just pure clear water came out,
before putting my reg. deal of (Royal Purple) Purple Ice additive & distilled water, back in...

I did do a 'Prestone Super Flush' to mine about 5 years back
as a preventative measure, seemed Ok...
Didn't seem very dirty, doesn't really get hot either, just a preventative measure really...

 

[Budnicks]

That seems like a good idea too...
never even thought of that stuff

works on house plumbing stuff too
shouldn't be harmful to aluminum (I wouldn't think)

Plug off the inlet and outlet and put some of this in it.
View attachment 1883027

 

[PROSTOCKTOM]

I've always just used vinegar when it comes to calcium (lime) removal. Cheap and easy to get.

Poured many gallons of it in the water jackets on blocks over the years and let it eat on the lime that deposits on the bottom.

I've never tried any of the fancy products mainly because vinegar has always treated me well.

Tom