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And not just a radiator ! I would think the engine could do with an overhaul. Certainly rust like that indicates lack of use of anti-freeze with corrosion inhibitors, so there is likely a large amount of rust and crud in the coolant passages of the engine.
there should be a spigot ( faucet ) on one side of the engine block, silver color. It is used to drain coolant from the block. Located behind the exhaust manifolds towards the rear.
Open it and collect the liquid, that will tell you what is circulating inside the engine.
you will need to flush and reverse-flush the engine.The radiator might not be worth the trouble, get a new one.
Does not look good when you see that amount of rust in the coolant system. You have to ask yourself where would it be coming from.
If the incorrect coolant has been used ie just water for a length of time then that could be all the metal surfaces coming away. The block is cast iron and will rust. The inside of the radiator and the cooling matrix can rust. Some of the metal water pipes at the rear of the engine are iron and can rot.
As others has suggested the whole system needs to be flushed as soon as you can with a high power stream of water from a hose. Disconnect all the lower hoses to the radiator and block and drown the system in clean water. Let it run until it is clear water once more. Might take half an hour but you will be amazed at how long the brown rusty water just keeps flowing.
Once you have flushed the system and got all the debris out go to your local food wholesaler and buy a couple of gallons of white vinegar. Vinegar has a mild acidic quality to it. Attach the bottom hoses and fill the system with the vinegar. Start and run the engine until it is warm and the thermostat has opened. Open the heater valve so hot vinegar can get into the heater matrix. Then leave it over night or longer if you can. This should clean out a lot of the surface rust but only do this if you want to face the circumstances of leaks. The all ready rusty areas such as the block plugs and radiators might already be so thin that the vinegar will remove the rust that is stopping the leaks and you will have holes. The chances are that the bottom inch of the radiator for instance would have been full of a solid mass of rust. Once removed it might show holes but you have to get rid of the rust. After a couple of days of soaking drain the whole system again and once more run a strong hose through the system to clean out even more rust. Refill the system with the correct ratio of water and antifreeze or use a waterless coolant. I flush my system every couple of years at my main service. I good clean system will reduce running temperatures and do your engine the world of good.
there is a product made by Prestone called Super Flush that is safer than vinegar in this situation. However, that radiator is not worth spending money on. Aluminium radiators are being sold in eBay for the same cost of servicing and recoring an old one.
And not just a radiator ! I would think the engine could do with an overhaul. Certainly rust like that indicates lack of use of anti-freeze with corrosion inhibitors, so there is likely a large amount of rust and crud in the coolant passages of the engine.
what would you do as an overhaul of the engine? Thanks
there is a product made by Prestone called Super Flush that is safer than vinegar in this situation. However, that radiator is not worth spending money on. Aluminium radiators are being sold in eBay for the same cost of servicing and recoring an old one.
Yes, also wanted to know if the aluminum radiators are a good replacement?
Personally I think Alloy radiators are rubbish, yes they are cheap but. Normally made with cheap materials in China. No advanced science used in their design and when you open the bonnet they look awful. If you have a leak have your original radiator recored. You even have the choice then of having extra fins put in for better cooling.
there is a product made by Prestone called Super Flush that is safer than vinegar in this situation. However, that radiator is not worth spending money on. Aluminium radiators are being sold in eBay for the same cost of servicing and recoring an old one.
What is not safe about using Vinegar Jose?
Any original part on a Jaguar is worth spending the money on if you are keeping the car original.
Buy a cheap radiator and have a cheap radiator.
How is your engine rebuild coming along Jose you have not posted about it recently?
how would I know if those aluminium radiators are any good? They sure look correct if nothing else. For the money I would buy it. Made in China? no problem. The chinese are making excellent products and inexpensive. My only problem with China is the South China Sea and Taiwan, bur they don't want a war with USA, UK, AU, Japan, Vietnam, Phillipines, etc. not to mention Taiwan who is armed to the max. If there is a war, China will lose it. Otherwise, they have taken over world markets including the musical instruments market. They are producing world-class musical instruments for pennies on the dollar. Fool is the musician who has not realized this fact. Besides, Ford, GM, Chrysler and others have their parts made in China. You go to a Ford Dealership and buy a pair of disk brake rotors in a Motorcraft box and when you pull them out of the box they are "MADE IN CHINA".
Cass about my 3.8 engine: it had to be completely rebuilt. Completely. The block is getting assembled along with the cylinder head, new intake valves, you name it. I should have it back in a week or so. then comes the final assembly. l am fighting with the assembler as he wants a completely new oil pump and I tell him all that is needed is to gauge it for heaven's sake. He also wants a new water pump but I had already replaced it back in 2007. I still have the old one and the new one but he wants a shiny new one. I am trying to save for the Dynamator.
you said it yourself Cass, it is very corrosive and will make weak parts weaker..
Sorry I thought you said it was not safe.
I think any product you use to clean the rust out of a radiator is likely to make holes as the point is to remove the rust back to clean metal. My warning is that if the rust is bad and has eaten all the good metal then you are going to have holes when you remove it.
Oh dear ~ what a mess. You can save the brass top & bottom tanks of the radiator. It will be required to be completely re cored and will be better than new. Stay away from junk radiators. Wrote this this morning our time & then our internet went down.
Please follow that top pipe back to the thermostat housing. Remove the thermostat housing & thermostat. Take a photo and post. It will be most insightful. I want to see if most of that mess has come from a hopelessly corroded water pump housing from standing.
I do however believe if that thermostat housing is a mess that the engine will require complete stripping. Cleaning in a chemical bath & undergo a comprehensive evaluation. I expect some head welding will be required & the chaincase behind the water pump.
I recommend long life OAT or HOAT coolants in these engines. Keeps everything shiney new.
The best thing to flush an engine with aluminium components is citric acid. Available at you Mercedes dealership for peanuts.
Take a pic of that thermostat housing for us & post.
Example. Try & shoot as directly into this housing as possible or a few angles. The slit is the bypass port.
Last edited by Glyn M Ruck; Sep 22, 2021 at 04:13 PM.
BTW ~ Rob's recommendation of vinegar is not a bad one. Citric acid just does a better job with aluminium components.
BTW ~ With China & I've spent a lot of time in China's Industry. It was my job. You get what you pay for in China. Want it cheap & they will make it cheap & it won't last. If you are prepared to pay they will match any quality. I would rather have a Buick from Shanghai GM than one built in the US. Standard of finish is vastly superior. They have cleaned up all the shoddiness of US component suppliers. Few complain about their iPhone etc.
So with Chinese material be guided by price.
A Caterpillar component built by Asiatrak Tianjin in China is every bit as good as one built elsewhere right down to local steel quality to Cat spec.
Last edited by Glyn M Ruck; Sep 22, 2021 at 03:33 PM.
The existing radiator can be re-cored, as the top and bottom are brass and will be OK to reuse. The rust we see has come from the engine and also, probably, the steel heater pipes. I replaced them on my Mark 2 with copper pipe. First step in my view is to lift the cylinder head and have a look at the top of the block and also the matching face of the cylinder head. At the moment we know little about the car other than it is a 1967, the last year for the 3.4 litre Mark 2, it became the 340 in 1968 and production stopped shortly afterwards. It would be very unusual for the engine to remain untouched since then, so is there any service and repair history with the car at all ? As well as rust, the aluminium parts will be corroded as well where they are in close proximity to iron or steel.
Working on these engines is quite satisfying provided you have the right tools.
Yes Fraser. my steel heater pipes were shot & rusted. Replaced with Stainless steel. I'm with you that the rust has likely come from the block. That's why I want to see the thermostat housing. I'm pretty sure the water manifold from the block is going to be full of rust. Just delaying the inevitable of removing the head for inspection & likely needing of some welding. I wonder if this car has seen any coolant since it left the factory new. Likely just poor quality water. I've never seen so much rust (as opposed to aluminium corrosion by product ~ that white fluffy stuff you can see in my pic)
Last edited by Glyn M Ruck; Sep 22, 2021 at 04:19 PM.
BTW ~ there is a lot of crap written on the internet about vinegar (acetic acid) & citric acid. Don't leave it in the system for days. Use as directed on the packaging & flush with plenty of water after use. Then fill with coolant. If either cause a leak they have done their job & exposed holes clogged with rust & corrosion.
It's the old flat wheel syndrome. I flushed my radiator & it caused a puncture in my left rear tyre. And no it can't break any metal component on your vehicle that's not broken already. SMH! e.g. people will say it took out their water pump. No Sir it did not. Your water pump had finished it's useful life already.
Last edited by Glyn M Ruck; Sep 23, 2021 at 10:25 AM.
Here's my 2 cents...
I used CLR, undiluted, drove it for a few days, flush, drive, flush drive.
Kept adding hose water until it stopped flushing scale out.
Here it comes; I used straight Muriatic acid on the rad, left it over night, and kept up until the scale was gone.
I used lots of water and baking soda to neutralize the acid.
The rad was out of the car of course, far away as possible from the house, I was also wearing a full face respirator, fully clothed and had on heavy duty black rubber gloves that went up my arm.
The rad survived and is still in the car _ nice and clean.
Do not try this on an aluminum rad of course and don't pore acid in the engines coolant ports.
It is likely that there will be a substantial amount of rust within the engine block. I spent half an hour with a pressure washer cleaning out the block with the freeze plugs removed before the water ran clear..
