Radiator cleaning?

[Gadgetman]

Hi!

Does anyone know of a way of getting rid of the accumulated deposits in the radiator?

Had to do a lot of 'low gear' and generally hot driving recently, and the temperature was climbing rather faster than I like. (The fan did kick in, so it didn't boil, but it wasn't far from it)
Pump is recent(around 2K Km on it.) Thermostat is similar, and radiator hoses are brand new.
(The lower hose is a bitch to swap in the 1.4i )
So, not much else that can be the cause, really?

Or do I have to get a new radiator?
(Yes, I've tried the 'radiator flush' stuff on small bottles)

[geoff]

I'm tempted to say just replace the radiator ...... easier in the log run .......... How old / how many miles done ?

[Gadgetman]

15 years, 200K Km(124K Miles)

[geoff]

I'd fit a new radiator for the low price of new ...... but then I see you are in Norway, what are prices like there?

[Gadgetman]

The models I've found are from 1100NOK to around 1750NOK, and assuming around 250NOK shipping...
(One GB£ is approx 10NOK... )
Not too certain which model fits.
When I try my car registration on a parts dealer I get the choice of 5 different ones.
(Need to check the part number on it soon. anyone know where on the radiator its stamped?)

I'd buy it on eBay or an international parts dealer, except anything costing over 200NOK is subject to T®OLL, and that means a quick 25% on both part price and shipping cost, and a handling fee which can easily hit 230NOK.

Frankly, I'd rip off one end piece and use a metal brush(the types made for guns, maybe?) on the channels, except I doubt I would be able to put it back together.

[addo]

At your mileage, it is possible the head gasket is expiring unless its been done.

That aside, some proper radiator shops have a fixture for re-crimping the ends of core sections. You can do it by hand with a bead of slow curing sealant but the result may not be perfect.

[Gadgetman]

Head gasket is also a recent affair.

A 'not perfect' result when you fix a radiator is also known as a leak or 'engine damage waiting to happen'...

I may just buy a new one(hopefully, it's on the lower end of the price scale) and install.
Then I can experiment all I want on the old one.
(Never hurts to fix up old parts to keep around as spares)

[addo]

Your radiator is like mine, with the extended filler neck and one white-ish tank, one black tank, right?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Car-Parts-/988..._PrefLoc=3
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_sacat=..._PrefLoc=3

A new Valeo one for me equals 1280 Norwegian pesos.

[Gadgetman]

Pesos?
NOK = Norwegian Krone(Crown)
Does the 1280 also include the 230NOK that the T®OLL people take for mutilating the package?

Yes, my radiator has a white reservoir end, and the other end is made of black plastic.
That doesn't mean much, though, as colours can change between manufacturers or even between batches. I'll see if I can find the original part number on the old one tonight.

[addo]

We "receive" (in the way one always enjoys a visit to the proctologist) a 10% tax on sales; I am loathe to import a single radiator ever as there is a 110% possibility it will be damaged by gorillas, usually after arrival.

So my 1280 equivalent is a local "trade counter" price for Valeo of $215 plus ten percent tax. Walk in with the money, walk out with the radiator. A fellow in either Lithuania or Latvia had some black market Valeo stock but shipping risk negated the $100 saving.