Radiator & Cooling system - capacity?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,712
Likes: 31
From: Shreveport LA
LA Events Coordinator
Radiator & Cooling system - capacity?
What is the capacity of the radiator? the entire cooling system? I looked in different books and can't get a straight answer.
Plus, when you drain the radiator, does the entire system drain...from the engine block too...or just the radiator?
I plan to do just that this weekend and want to (1)get enough distilled water & (2) mix the right antifreeze to water %.
Plus, when you drain the radiator, does the entire system drain...from the engine block too...or just the radiator?
I plan to do just that this weekend and want to (1)get enough distilled water & (2) mix the right antifreeze to water %.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,712
Likes: 31
From: Shreveport LA
LA Events Coordinator
Racer
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 423
Likes: 7
From: Utah
If you drain just the radiator you will have around 2 gallons to replace, that's from a BB. The block will drain some from the lower hose, but there will still be plenty in the block (made a mess in the bed of my truck).
Should be obvious, use distilled water. Our water in Phoenix is horrible for cooling systems.
Should be obvious, use distilled water. Our water in Phoenix is horrible for cooling systems.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,113
From: Crossville TN
The entire system holds about 3 gallons (approx. 15 liters). If you 'backflush' the system, you can get all the fluid, etc. out of the block too (eventually). If the fluid is not contaminated/gunky, just replace what comes out of the radiator drain. If the old coolant is 'nasty', you should flush the entire system. If you see significant lime deposits on the ends of the fins when looking in the drained radiator, you should use a good radiator cleaner to remove lime build-up; this will greatly improve cooling efficiency.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
What I normally did was , drain the radiator,put the garden hose in and fill the radiator,run the engine with the garden hose on trickle until the water coming up ran clear,drain the radiator again,this leaves pure water in the block,put in the 2 gal of pure antifreeze,top with water,this always left the mixture on the high side of 50%.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 14,112
Likes: 28
From: Florida
I would suggest you drain the block, most have lots of crud in there that you don't want in the cooling system. Impossible to drain or even flush properly any other way.
First pic is of the plug removed and the crud blocking the hole.
2nd is bottom of a 5 gal bucket with about 1/10th of the crap in it.
3rd is the system cleaned out properly with engine still in the car, a good place to start with these old engines.
2 gal antifreeze plus distilled should keep the corrosion away.
First pic is of the plug removed and the crud blocking the hole.
2nd is bottom of a 5 gal bucket with about 1/10th of the crap in it.
3rd is the system cleaned out properly with engine still in the car, a good place to start with these old engines.
2 gal antifreeze plus distilled should keep the corrosion away.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
I would suggest you drain the block, most have lots of crud in there that you don't want in the cooling system. Impossible to drain or even flush properly any other way.
First pic is of the plug removed and the crud blocking the hole.
2nd is bottom of a 5 gal bucket with about 1/10th of the crap in it.
3rd is the system cleaned out properly with engine still in the car, a good place to start with these old engines.
2 gal antifreeze plus distilled should keep the corrosion away.
First pic is of the plug removed and the crud blocking the hole.
2nd is bottom of a 5 gal bucket with about 1/10th of the crap in it.
3rd is the system cleaned out properly with engine still in the car, a good place to start with these old engines.
2 gal antifreeze plus distilled should keep the corrosion away.
I agree I wouldn't want that crud in "my" engine "BUT" some of you guys need to consider the side effects of this super clean-out.
This kind of clean out can really open up a can of worms-consider if you need this and will it "improve" cooling , remember some guys fill this area of the block with EPOXY !
I'm sure when the engineers designed the cooling system and oil system, gravity and sediment areas was taken advantage of.
IMO sometimes this sediment is best left alone if you want to "drive" your car instead of work on it.
IMO the radiator is what you want squeaky clean.
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Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 14,112
Likes: 28
From: Florida
YUK
I agree I wouldn't want that crud in "my" engine "BUT" some of you guys need to consider the side effects of this super clean-out.
This kind of clean out can really open up a can of worms-consider if you need this and will it "improve" cooling , remember some guys fill this area of the block with EPOXY !
I'm sure when the engineers designed the cooling system and oil system, gravity and sediment areas was taken advantage of.
IMO sometimes this sediment is best left alone if you want to "drive" your car instead of work on it.
IMO the radiator is what you want squeaky clean.
I agree I wouldn't want that crud in "my" engine "BUT" some of you guys need to consider the side effects of this super clean-out.
This kind of clean out can really open up a can of worms-consider if you need this and will it "improve" cooling , remember some guys fill this area of the block with EPOXY !
I'm sure when the engineers designed the cooling system and oil system, gravity and sediment areas was taken advantage of.
IMO sometimes this sediment is best left alone if you want to "drive" your car instead of work on it.
IMO the radiator is what you want squeaky clean.
You wouldn't believe how many engines I've come across like this.
A good cleaning has cured many overheating problems other "fixes" couldn't by throwing all kinds of new parts and ideas at them. Keep in mind, all of the internals including the heads and radiator also have a crusty coating, not just the bottom of the block, reducing heat transfer.
The epoxy filled blocks from my knowledge are for drag racing, never have seen daily street use, especially down here in this heat.
I think the engineers recommended proper service maintenance and had no intention of the cooling systems crudding up anywhere near this degree.
Down here in this heat, cooling is by far the No1 cause of problems.
I wouldn't recommend leaving a newer alum radiator connected for a cleaning process, the tubes are too small inside.
