Picked up a 44 M a couple weeks ago. It will overheat after only about 10 minutes running time, so I start with checking out the thermostat. Yup, thermostat is all corroded and bent out of shape. Took a look down in the radiator since it was drained and....there is some kinda fiberous material across the top of the tube sheet, looks almost like wet white fiberglass insulation???? Never seen anything like it. It is obviously plugging a bunch of the tubes. OK so radiator has to come out and go to the shop, but tractor has IH wide front and it looks like that has to come off to get to the radiator mounting bolts. Is gonna be a pretty big job, so I'm trying to think of a way to flush this crap out without pulling radiator. Anybody have any sucess in flushing these or similar radiators out in place? I was thinking of hooking up hose to bottom of radiator and backflowing water from bottom to top. Any other suggestions?
- Thread starter Senator
- Start date
IAtractorKid
Member
Don't scimp, do the work now and do it right. Take the radiator off and have it boiled. I would still run the flush through it before hand to help clean the block. Then pull the radiator and have it boiled. Flush the block out as best you can with a hose, replace the thermostat and all radiator hoses. Little extra work now means you won't have to redo or have it apart again in a couple years. Just my thoughts...
Harry Klever
Member
Get food grade vinegar, that's 99.00% pure . If at all possible!
gene bender
Well-known Member
Why not unhook the bottom hose and back flush then fill it with vinegar or something and let it soak for a while then more back flushing to see what comes out last resort would be to remove and boil but do some easy stuff first.
lowell66dart
Member
Try some LIQUID automatic dishwasher detergent. Dump it in and drive it around then drain.
your money, your choice.
I've successfully flushed some real nightmare cooling systems because the junk tractor wasn't worth spending money on.
But, it is not a 5 minute process.
Flush water first one way then the other, many times.
summertime, plain water and some vinegar or whatever, drive it around and then do it again.....and again.
block drains open, hoses removed, waterpumps off if applicable,
back and forth with the water under as much pressure/volume as possible.
(radiator much less of course)
even tapping on the block with a rubber hammer as the water is back flushing.
Takes forever, and pick a warm day, as you will get soaked.
But it will help.
ever see a fast moving stream? moving water will wear away solid rock if you give it enough time.
ps don't forget water pump passages and the inside of cast 'hoses'
sticking the high pressure end of your garden hose in a block drain hole will give you a bath but really belches out the muck. (have the hoses off when you do this, so it doesn't plug up other things.)
I've successfully flushed some real nightmare cooling systems because the junk tractor wasn't worth spending money on.
But, it is not a 5 minute process.
Flush water first one way then the other, many times.
summertime, plain water and some vinegar or whatever, drive it around and then do it again.....and again.
block drains open, hoses removed, waterpumps off if applicable,
back and forth with the water under as much pressure/volume as possible.
(radiator much less of course)
even tapping on the block with a rubber hammer as the water is back flushing.
Takes forever, and pick a warm day, as you will get soaked.
But it will help.
ever see a fast moving stream? moving water will wear away solid rock if you give it enough time.
ps don't forget water pump passages and the inside of cast 'hoses'
sticking the high pressure end of your garden hose in a block drain hole will give you a bath but really belches out the muck. (have the hoses off when you do this, so it doesn't plug up other things.)
notjustair
Well-known Member
And when you have that radiator clean pull the water jacket cover off behind the carb. Do it outside by the hydrant. Take a spray nozzle and wash all of the gook out of the block that you can. There will be quite a bit in there.
Phil Tibbetts
Well-known Member
If it has sat without the radiator cap or the hoses removed I've seen mice make an awful mess in a radiator. The crap they put in there looks like cotton batten.
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