The Ford Barn

Seth Swoboda · 04-24-2026, 11:36 AM

The major item to look for is rust blocking the radiator tubes. I know it's hard to see and nearly impossible, especially on a radiator with a baffle near the fill neck. One thing you can do is a flow test. remove the lower hoses, take a garden hose and start filling the radiator. Get a good visual on the rate of flow coming out the bottom compared to if and how quickly the radiator "backs up" while doing this.

A good thing to have done is have a radiator shop "rod out" or clean these tubes. They can un-solder the tanks and have a go at it. Having said that, finding a competent radiator repair shop is getting hard to do. If not nearly impossible. Sad times we are in when you can't find a radiator shop.

There was a shop near me that had a sign. "Jimmy's Radiator, A Good Place To Take A Leak". All they did was sell new plastic radiators. Pathetic. I changed the name to protect the innocent as they say on Dragnet.

04-24-2026, 11:36 AM	#8
Seth Swoboda Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 4,213	Re: coolant clean out. WOW The major item to look for is rust blocking the radiator tubes. I know it's hard to see and nearly impossible, especially on a radiator with a baffle near the fill neck. One thing you can do is a flow test. remove the lower hoses, take a garden hose and start filling the radiator. Get a good visual on the rate of flow coming out the bottom compared to if and how quickly the radiator "backs up" while doing this. A good thing to have done is have a radiator shop "rod out" or clean these tubes. They can un-solder the tanks and have a go at it. Having said that, finding a competent radiator repair shop is getting hard to do. If not nearly impossible. Sad times we are in when you can't find a radiator shop. There was a shop near me that had a sign. "Jimmy's Radiator, A Good Place To Take A Leak". All they did was sell new plastic radiators. Pathetic. I changed the name to protect the innocent as they say on Dragnet.