Radiator cleaning

O

offrink

Well-known member
I know this has been talked about often but I didn’t see any answers to a couple questions. What is the best cleaning solution when leaving the radiator on the tractor? I’ve read washing soda but how much? Also I read that some people “power wash” the inside of the radiator but do they just use a hose and a spray nozzle or an actual power washer? Seems like it would be easy to damage the radiator. Any tips? It will be the first clean out of the radiator in probably 20+ years.
 
Hi,
Below is a page from the 1950 Cub owner's manual, telling what IH recommended then, on the right side of the page. I think I have read on here that it does work.
It's not in the 1955 Cub owner's manual, don't know why, if they didn't want to use it anymore, or just left out.

http://farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.clea ... e%2026.jpg

It's probably important that the engine gets fully warmed up, so the water circulates, there is no water pump.
After doing what the manual says, or using other cleaning products, I would leave the drain plug out, and run clean water in the radiator, and rinse it out some, then put in the plug, fill it with water, then remove the plug again, that will rinse the engine some.
Some of the people on here remove the lower water elbow, by the starter, and flush out the block with water through the hole there. You probably would need a new gasket, and maybe a new piece of hose for there. :)
 
Does the soda wash and water hurt/kill grass? It doesn’t seem to harsh but wanted to make sure before I kill the grass. Would working the engine by driving it around/mowing help or should I just keep it warm but not hot and wash it twice.
 
I used Blue Devil last fall, with what I considered to be great results. I simply followed the directions on the bottle. I will use it again. Besides cleaning the slime out of the radiator, there was also about a cup of sediment in the bottom of the pail when I drained the water and Blue Devil after use. I ran my Cub on high idle for a good half hour during use of the mix. Next time, I will let it run a good hour. Just food for thought.
 
Hi,
I would think that mowing to get it hot would help, the washing soda and water needs to circulate in the system.
Don't make fast temperature changes to the cooling system. Let it sit and cool down before you drain the water out of it, be sure the engine is cool before putting cold water in it again.
Engines can crack from putting cold water in, when they are hot.

I'm not sure if the mixture kills grass. Maybe someone knows, and will write. :)
 
Well plans didn’t go well. The radiator plug is stuck and most/totally rounded off. Any suggestions? Obviously heating won’t work to well!
 
Hi,
If the plug is rounded off, and needs replacing, you could try using a vise grip wrench, get the wrench really tight on the plug, so it doesn't slip, if possible. A vise grip with flat jaws usually works better, for me.
Be sure you are turning the right way, the plug is upside down. If you were sitting in front of the Cub, with the wrench on the plug, and the wrench was out to the left side of the Cub, you would need to pull it towards you to loosen the plug. :)
 
:lol:
Glen, that is the kind of explanation that seems so simple, but we have all done the "upside down" or "using the left hand" kind of error!!
 
Yes standard lefty loosey righty tighty. I tried that and it rounded off worse. Sprayed penetrating oil on it and will work on it tomorrow. Plan on filing opposites to be able to get a wrench on it better.
 
Oh, and something that has worked for me in the past is taking a grinder or file and making two good parallel flats on what is left of the plug, assuming it is still sticking up. Then you can use an open end or big crescent or even get a better grip with the vice grips.

You can remove the water inlet and drain the radiator, and THEN weld a nut onto it, also.

Good luck!
 
Hi,
Too bad it is that tight. Some of the people on here have written that their plugs were so tight, they had to drill them out.
 
I ended up filing the edges flat and took an adjustable wrench to it. Still rounded it. Took a pipe wrench to it. Still didn’t go. Ground it flat. Took an easy out to it with an impact driver and two full battery charges and 20 minutes of “impacting”. Nothing even budged. I ended up drilling it out and using a tap to get an ok cleaned out hole. I am thinking that it was job welded or permanent thread locked was put on. The tap didn’t hit the threads exactly right but the last half is still original and clean. Leaked a drip every 2-4 seconds but I figure I can put a sealant on it but it not be permanent.

Used wash soda to clean it out and mowed for about a half an hour. Wasn’t nearly as dirty as I thought it should be. Will do another washing before I seal the plug.

When I feel up the drain plug there is a ridge. Should that be there to stop the plug from going to deep or is something still stuck in the plug.
 
I may be wrong...and I'm certain someone will point that out if so! :lol: ...but I believe what you are feeling is the "tube" that goes through the bolster, through which the handcrank goes.
 
I wish I could reach in that far! It’s just at the end of the threads. It tapers down to about 1/2-2/3 the size of the bolt thickness.
 
It is probably rust that formed in the threads that the previous plug didn't reach quite into. As much as you have, I would reach in with a screwdriver or better yet the handle end of a file to scrape out what I could. Then finish cleaning it up with a pipe tap. Don't go crazy with the tap. Remember that the threads are tapered. The deeper you run the tap, the deeper the plug will have to be installed. I suggest using a Teflon thread sealer (pipe dope) to seal the plug when you finally install it.
 
Well did a second wash and mow today. Dot it nice and warm. I was surprised that the radiator cap was hot (not that part of the surprise) but the drain plug wasn’t even that warm. Maybe 100-110*. I’ve grab a wrench that was sitting in the sun that was significantly hotter! That was after 45 minutes of mowing. Drained and washed the system out well and let it sit and then took a torch to dry the plug hole. Used some blue loctite (removable) and let it sit while I topped off the grease in the tractor and mower. Refilled with some antifreeze slowly and no leaks so I filled her up and ran it for 30 minutes or so and was dry. Good day!

The overall amount of crud that came out was a little surprising. There was a good bit at first but every wash out there was more brown rusty water at first and then clean. All I know is it’s cooling system is way happier!
 
offrink":31eyzijd said:
........ Took an easy out to it with an impact driver and two full battery charges and 20 minutes of “impacting”. Nothing even budged. .........
Click to expand...
Must be a pretty wimpy impact driver. Anything with more torque than a three year old can muster would have broken most easy outs.

Now please do yourself a big favor and get rid of your easy outs before you do break one. There are many threads on here about them. My short version of the reasoning is; you twist off a rusty bolt trying to remove it, you drill a hole in that bolt, you insert an obviously smaller diameter piece of metal into that hole, you are going to have to apply more force than you already have to break it free, and you expect the smaller piece of metal to NOT break when the bigger one already has????????
 
I didn’t use a true “impact driver” like the ones used for lug nuts but more like an impact screw gun. I knew better than to use a impact drive with hundred plus ft lbs of torque. It does have enough torque to snap a 1/4” lag bolt in half. Also it’s the sharp hits of the impact driver that does the work.

Also the head didn’t break. It was to soft and deformed. Left handed drill bit would go 1/4” into the bolt in less than 5 seconds. I wasn’t worried about breaking it and if it did I could take a chisel and break out the rest. Again, it was glued with some thread sealant that I couldn’t identify.
 
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