MTFCA Forum

My 1914 t with 26 engine is starting to overheat . Is there any newer chemical that anyone would recommend? I flushed it just with water with no improvement. It has a leak proof water pump which I’m removing. Brass works radiator is about 6 yrs old.Thank you in advance!!! Tim Franko

Drain enough to see the top of the tubes. Look inside. You can see a few of the tubes. A bore scope would be a better way to see more of the insides. If you see rust flakes blocking, remove the radiator & flush water thru from the bottom. Look into the water outlet on the head. Any build up of rust chunks can be removed with a shop vac & magnet.

If you See calcium build up around the tubes, a chemical flush can be done. A can or 2 of Coke will do a good job of cleaning as you drive. There are common commercial flush products also.
When you get the system clean, use distilled water with your coolant/anti rust product.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSLn4KeT3do

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnOZ2MZt5FY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ3nkPm87X0

I have had good results with vinegar. Drain cooing system, fill with 50/50 vinager and distilled water. Run, let sit overnight, run again, drain, and flush with water. repeat as needed. when done fill with 50/50 antifreeze.

Why do you think it is overheating? filling the radiator to the top and driving will cause the coolant to run out the overflow tube, and if you keep topping it off it will continue to overflow when hot, that is not overheating. When you shut down the engine and hear coolant gurguling that is also normal and is not an indication of overheating. Coolant bubbling and water vapor around the radiator cap is normal if you do not have a gasket under the radiator cap, but is not overheating.

Removing the water pump is a good move.

The radiator may not be the issue.

The following can cause overheating:

- ignition timing/retarded spark
- fuel mixture too lean
- not enough oil in crankcase

Hi Tim,
I use Zep Calcium, Rust & Lime remover for cleaning out radiators, blocks, heads & removing rust from parts before bead blasting.
You can find it at the big box hardware stores. I use it straight and drain & strain it and use it over many times. If you delute it then
its not very reusable. Be carfull with it use gloves & eye protection. It will etch concrete & kill grass. Evaporust makes a cooling system
flush that I have heard good things about but have no personal experience with it.
Craig.

A six year old Brassworks radiator seems WAY too new to have calcium build up much less be a source of over-heating, particularly when I cannot find anywhere in posts that you are using well-water or coolant or whatever.

In any event, I believe that a good check with a contact thermocouple thermometer of both the top fins and the bottom fins of the radiator is in order to provide hard data. That will tell if your radiator is cooling and by how much. It will also show if you are over heating (or not) or are simply carrying your coolant level too high and are burping out excess. The thermocouple probe is suggested because reflectance can cause errors in readings and you are running a radiator which may cause an IR thermometer to mis-read and give false information.