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Technical What is in this radiator?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Casey Riley, May 31, 2020.

  1. Casey Riley
    Joined: Jun 27, 2018
    Posts: 543

    Casey Riley
    Member
    from Minnesota

    I found a NOS radiator for my '51 and it has some kind of residue in the cores. Have you seen this before? Sort of looks like it might be soap, or flux from manufacturing.
    Thanks for looking.[​IMG][​IMG]
     
    chryslerfan55 likes this.
  2. 73RR
    Joined: Jan 29, 2007
    Posts: 7,174

    73RR
    Member

    Is it hard? soft? does it flake off? are the tubes clear?

    .
     
  3. I'd have it flushed/cleaned and pressure tested.
     
    lurker mick likes this.
  4. Do you know the history of what type of antifreeze, additives, or lack of antifreeze/additives, distilled or hard local water has been used?
     

  5. He states that the rad is NOS, so no water additives and such
     
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  6. Joe Blow
    Joined: Oct 29, 2016
    Posts: 1,480

    Joe Blow
    Member

    Being NOS, maybe a soapy solution residue when it was pressure tested at the factory?
     
    Casey Riley likes this.
  7. Positive the radiator is nos? Seen the same issue but the argument was never settled on what it was. Some said stop leak, some said oil. IMG_1336.jpg
     
    chryslerfan55 likes this.
  8. Could've been slightly used and pulled because of the stuff that's in it
     
  9. Ebbsspeed
    Joined: Nov 11, 2005
    Posts: 6,250

    Ebbsspeed
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    When I sneeze, I try to cover my face with a rag, not my hand.....;)
     
  10. lippy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2006
    Posts: 6,825

    lippy
    Member
    from Ks

    Looks like you blew a seal........naw it's just ice cream.:D
     
  11. Casey Riley
    Joined: Jun 27, 2018
    Posts: 543

    Casey Riley
    Member
    from Minnesota

    The hose fittings look like they've never had hoses on them.
     
    Lloyd's paint & glass likes this.
  12. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,931

    squirrel
    Member

    Do you have the radiator? or just pictures of it? I ask because we get folks here asking questions about stuff that is really for sale that they are thinking of buying, and we blindly answer the questions as if they actually have the part in front of them, but it's not, so things go haywire.

    Because if you have it, and can poke and prod and rinse it, then we can help. If it's only pictures, then we an only guess.
     
  13. Casey Riley
    Joined: Jun 27, 2018
    Posts: 543

    Casey Riley
    Member
    from Minnesota

    Yes I have the radiator. What ever this stuff is it is very weak and thin. It's only at the top of the core tubes. Bottom of tubes are clean. This dried residue is very easily broken. It seam like dried foam. Here's a pic of the bottom of the core. [​IMG]
     
    Desoto291Hemi likes this.
  14. Casey Riley
    Joined: Jun 27, 2018
    Posts: 543

    Casey Riley
    Member
    from Minnesota

    Here's another pic of the top after I picked the stuff out of one of the tubes.[​IMG]
     
  15. Inked Monkey
    Joined: Apr 19, 2011
    Posts: 1,834

    Inked Monkey
    Member

    Just rinse that shit and use it
     
  16. Ebbsspeed
    Joined: Nov 11, 2005
    Posts: 6,250

    Ebbsspeed
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Calcium.jpg Likely just calcium from water that was used in the radiator. You don't know for sure it's unused, correct? You see the same crap inside of faucets and such, especially on the hot water side, which is also "kinda" like the top of the radiator where the water is hotter. It's usually pretty easy to remove, and a little vinegar applied directly to it will soften it up and turn it to slime.
     
    Last edited: May 31, 2020
    loudbang and Casey Riley like this.
  17. Is it water soluble? If it mixes with water, it should rinse right out...
     
  18. Casey Riley
    Joined: Jun 27, 2018
    Posts: 543

    Casey Riley
    Member
    from Minnesota

    I'm really thinking it's never been used but I could be wrong. It looks like it's never been installed. [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]
     
    Joe Blow and Desoto291Hemi like this.
  19. Looks like residue from radiator mating season.
    :eek:
     
    warhorseracing and firstinsteele like this.
  20. I’m with you,,,,it’s clearly never been bolted into anything .
    I’m also with the others,,,,,wash it out and go .

    Tommy
     
    arkiehotrods and Casey Riley like this.
  21. BamaMav
    Joined: Jun 19, 2011
    Posts: 6,707

    BamaMav
    Member
    from Berry, AL

    May be flux from where they soldered it together.
     
  22. 73RR
    Joined: Jan 29, 2007
    Posts: 7,174

    73RR
    Member

    Cap the bottom and fill with citric acid, let it sit for a day or two.
    If it is calcium it won't last long.

    .
     
  23. 5window
    Joined: Jan 29, 2005
    Posts: 9,514

    5window
    Member

    ah, but then the question is 'Why hasn't it been used'?
     
    Lloyd's paint & glass likes this.
  24. Why hasn’t it been used,,,,you know that’s a good question .

    I’m guessing because it is NOS,,,,and has never been used .
    That’s the only kind of NOS parts I buy,,,the ones that haven’t been used before .

    Tommy
     
  25. theHIGHLANDER
    Joined: Jun 3, 2005
    Posts: 10,244

    theHIGHLANDER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Clearly that radiator is "NOS", how come the rest of y'all can't see it? Top of those tubes have Nasty Old Shit in em...;)
     
  26. oldolds
    Joined: Oct 18, 2010
    Posts: 3,407

    oldolds
    Member

    When my local radiator guy was alive, he set the radiator in his tank so the water was about to the top of the fins before he soldered the tank on. The water usually had remnants of water from the radiators he had done before as well as some acid. I would guess the factory had something similar. That may be what the residue is from.
     
    Casey Riley likes this.
  27. Casey Riley
    Joined: Jun 27, 2018
    Posts: 543

    Casey Riley
    Member
    from Minnesota

    Thanks for the responses. I'm going to clean it out with some kind acidic solution and then have it pressure checked.
     
    Joe Blow likes this.
  28. big duece
    Joined: Jul 28, 2008
    Posts: 6,830

    big duece
    Member
    from kansas

    Looks as if someone did a MacGyver trick with with an egg to seal it up. jwbZE-1480605935-6896-list_items-mac_eggradiator.png
     
  29. Los_Control
    Joined: Oct 7, 2016
    Posts: 1,125

    Los_Control
    Member
    from TX

    Are you sure you are a Texan? Far as I know we would flush, clean and pressure test ourselves, then shoot anyone that interfered.
     
  30. Joe Blow
    Joined: Oct 29, 2016
    Posts: 1,480

    Joe Blow
    Member

    This has been beat to death and the OP has it taken care of.....but Brice Thomas says they still make copper/brass radiators like they were made back in the day (they've been around since 1956). Interesting at 6 minutes in.....not out of the question, if NOS, that it was missed and wasn't rinsed at all or just barely hit at the manufacturer. Maybe or maybe not and not that it matters....just sayin.

     

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