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Old 06-22-2013, 11:46 PM   #1
700rpm
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Default Back flushing the radiator

Can you back flush a radiator without removing from the car? If so, how?
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Old 06-23-2013, 12:10 AM   #2
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Default Re: Back flushing the radiator

By disconnecting the top and bottom hoses and applying water pressure to the bottom radiator hose neck. The catch is you are fighting gravity, a baffle, etc. You can do the block at the same time though.
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Old 06-23-2013, 12:24 AM   #3
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Default Re: Back flushing the radiator

you can, but to do it right you need a back flush tool, like the ones radiator shop use, its cone shaped so it can be wedged in the bottom radiator outlet, water and air hooked to it, the air creates turbulence to loosen crud, and the water to flow it out, check at your local parts store to see what it looks like, they may even have one to loan
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Old 06-23-2013, 04:36 AM   #4
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Default Re: Back flushing the radiator

Can some sone post a picture of this gizmo///
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...a back flush tool, like the ones radiator shop use.....
nevre seeen sucha thing overhere- I just use a water hosepipe and an airline ( nice job on a summers day)
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Old 06-23-2013, 06:36 AM   #5
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Default Re: Back flushing the radiator

As mentioned, you can somewhat do it, but I'd remove the radiator and turn it upside down to see if any rust flakes come out.

Have you tried Cascade to remove any grease, and 30 days of vinegar to remove rust and hard water deposits?
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Old 06-23-2013, 10:50 AM   #6
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Default Re: Back flushing the radiator

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As mentioned, you can somewhat do it, but I'd remove the radiator and turn it upside down to see if any rust flakes come out.

Have you tried Cascade to remove any grease, and 30 days of vinegar to remove rust and hard water deposits?
Hi Tom. I just put the vinegar in two days ago, after my question to you about it. As you suggested, I'll leave it in about 30 days and then drain it.
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Old 06-23-2013, 11:28 AM   #7
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Default Re: Back flushing the radiator

Ray, be sure to drive it several times during the 30 days, so it gets heated and circulated. Had mine not worked after 30 days, I would have tried an additional 30 days. After that I would have unsoldered the bottom tank and rodded it out.
Sure glad it worked out after 30 days of vinegar and removing the radiator to flush it upside down, as I didn't want to disturb an original radiator unless absolutely neccessary..
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Old 06-23-2013, 12:47 PM   #8
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Default Re: Back flushing the radiator

I built the two (2) PVC adapters shown in "The Restorer", September/October, 2012; pages 9 and 10.

One back-flushes the block, the other the radiator.

I took the magazine to my plumbing supply store and let a master plumber pull the necessary parts. He thought it was a great use of PVC Schedule 40.

After completing a month of Tom's Vinegar Spa treatment, I back flushed everything and watched the brown water flow!

My underdash Rexaco is showing a decidedly cooler system, even in the muggy and hot conditions in the South for the month of June!

I'd highly recommend building a pair of backflushers for the times when you don't want to demount the radiator.
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Old 06-23-2013, 01:40 PM   #9
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Default Re: Back flushing the radiator

Quote:
Originally Posted by roccaas View Post
I built the two (2) PVC adapters shown in "The Restorer", September/October, 2012; pages 9 and 10.

One back-flushes the block, the other the radiator.

I took the magazine to my plumbing supply store and let a master plumber pull the necessary parts. He thought it was a great use of PVC Schedule 40.

After completing a month of Tom's Vinegar Spa treatment, I back flushed everything and watched the brown water flow!

My underdash Rexaco is showing a decidedly cooler system, even in the muggy and hot conditions in the South for the month of June!

I'd highly recommend building a pair of backflushers for the times when you don't want to demount the radiator.
Thanks! Somehow I had missed that article. I'll get the parts tomorrow!
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Old 06-23-2013, 03:34 PM   #10
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Default Re: Back flushing the radiator

Tip: when back flushing the radiator, hook up the block flusher to the water pump side of the upper radiator hose. This way you can direct the gradoo from the radiator down under the frame rather than splashing all over the engine etc.
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Old 06-23-2013, 04:36 PM   #11
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Default Re: Back flushing the radiator

Gradoo?
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Old 06-23-2013, 05:35 PM   #12
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Default Re: Back flushing the radiator

It's a Southern thing for any icky stuff nobody wants on their clothes or driveway. In Louisiana I believe it is Gra-deaux.
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Old 06-23-2013, 06:01 PM   #13
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Default Re: Back flushing the radiator

I wondered if it was a Jawja term; I hear those occasionally from my wife's family (Meansville, Barnesville, Marietta), but I hadn't heard that one.
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Old 06-23-2013, 08:35 PM   #14
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Default Re: Back flushing the radiator

http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showth...ght=back+flush

Old thread covering this topic.
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Old 06-23-2013, 11:22 PM   #15
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Default Re: Back flushing the radiator

Quote:
Originally Posted by 700rpm View Post
I wondered if it was a Jawja term; I hear those occasionally from my wife's family (Meansville, Barnesville, Marietta), but I hadn't heard that one.
Do they ever bring up; "rise up outta the grave and snatch 'ya bald headed", or "that's some slap 'yo Momma (sweet tea, fried chicken, peach pie, corn likker, etc)

We're all "dumb like a fox" down here, so watch out!
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Old 06-23-2013, 11:29 PM   #16
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Default Re: Back flushing the radiator

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Originally Posted by roccaas View Post
Do they ever bring up; "rise up outta the grave and snatch 'ya bald headed", or "that's some slap 'yo Momma (sweet tea, fried chicken, peach pie, corn likker, etc)

We're all "dumb like a fox" down here, so watch out!
Yeah, sometimes I feel like I'm in another country when I'm there.. I love to drive the back roads and small towns in GA. Beautiful state.
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Old 06-24-2013, 09:52 AM   #17
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Default Re: Back flushing the radiator

The darn Vinegar treatment sure works well to loosen all the junk in the system so that it can be caught by the filter (The small tubes in the radiator). Ask me how I know. Doing the vinegar treatment without installing an in-line coolant filter (like a gano) in the top hose is a total recipe for disaster, that will result in having to rod out or replace the radiator and no amount of backflushing will solve it typically.
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Old 06-24-2013, 11:23 AM   #18
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Default Re: Back flushing the radiator

Gano?
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Old 06-24-2013, 11:39 AM   #19
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Default Re: Back flushing the radiator

I put a gano filter inline in my top radiator hose after I installed my rodded-out radiator, and blasted out my block. It is well mad brass construction but the mesh screens are to open so I added a piece of nylon hose and I am catching a teaspoon of fine sand like material and larger chunks every 20 miles or so.


http://www.ganofilters.com/

I plan on posting pictures soon
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Old 06-24-2013, 11:53 AM   #20
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Default Re: Back flushing the radiator

Out of curiosity, why place the filter on the top hose (where grit will fall back into the motor and gravity will work against the filter) as opposed to on the bottom hose (to keep grit from entering the motor and where gravity will keep sediment in the metal tube?
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