Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Testing a radiator #3052714
06/23/22 01:46 PM
06/23/22 01:46 PM
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 900
Washington
H
hemienvy Offline OP
super stock
hemienvy  Offline OP
super stock
H

Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 900
Washington
Speaking of overheating, is there a way to test a radiator for flow or blockage, without trying it on a running engine ?

Radiator out of car, if you stick a garden hose in the inlet and all the water goes out the outlet without backing up,
what have you learned ?

If the outlet water is discolored but seems to be flowing, there's probably some sediment but you cannot know how much, or where in the core it is.

And I agree, the real test is hook it up in the car and see if you get overheating.

So barring a "rebuild", what kind of bench test can you do that would be useful ?

Re: Testing a radiator [Re: hemienvy] #3052719
06/23/22 02:10 PM
06/23/22 02:10 PM
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 847
Avondale AZ
Prodart440 Offline
super stock
Prodart440  Offline
super stock

Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 847
Avondale AZ
If you are questioning the radiator, take it to a radiator shop and have them flush it out.


Aaron

68 Roadrunner 383/AT
69 Dart GT Conv. 383/AT
05 Dodge Ram 4x4 Cummins
06 GoManGo R/T Daytona #757
68 Coronet 440
Re: Testing a radiator [Re: Prodart440] #3052746
06/23/22 03:28 PM
06/23/22 03:28 PM
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,239
north of coder
moparx Offline
"Butt Crack Bob"
moparx  Offline
"Butt Crack Bob"

Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,239
north of coder
sadly, radiator shops around here are few and far between.
beer

Re: Testing a radiator [Re: moparx] #3052801
06/23/22 07:55 PM
06/23/22 07:55 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,486
Freeport IL USA
poorboy Offline
I Live Here
poorboy  Offline
I Live Here

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,486
Freeport IL USA
Nearest radiator shop to here is 45 miles away.

Back in the old days, the test for water flow was to cap off the upper hose outlet, leave the bottom hose outlet open, insert a 5/8" garden hose into the radiator cap, and turn the water on full volume. If the water didn't back up through the radiator cap, the radiator was deemed good. If the water backed up through the radiator cap, you replaced or repaired the radiator because it was at least partially plugged. There was a time limit on how long the water could flow before backing up and still have an acceptable radiator flow, but we were dirt track racing, any backup was unacceptable. A partially plugged radiator will show up pretty fast, usually in less then a couple of minutes. The 5/8" garden hose at full volume was the same volume of engine coolant that could flow through an open thermostat. Gene

Re: Testing a radiator [Re: hemienvy] #3052803
06/23/22 08:03 PM
06/23/22 08:03 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,474
N.E. OHIO, USA
A12 Offline
Too Many Posts
A12  Offline
Too Many Posts

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,474
N.E. OHIO, USA
An infrared temperature gun will give you a lot of information. The radiator once up to temp should be fairly even in temperature around the entire radiator. I had the radiator in my '68 Road Runner puke coolant after a short drive and if you looked into the radiator you would have thought it was like new. Took the temp at various spots and the whole passenger's side was stone cold half way down. Re-cored it and no more problems. The temp gun will let you know if there are any restrictions in the core, temp should be uniform for most of the area of the entire radiator.

Re: Testing a radiator [Re: hemienvy] #3052817
06/23/22 09:02 PM
06/23/22 09:02 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,197
Omaha Ne
T
TJP Offline
I Live Here
TJP  Offline
I Live Here
T

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,197
Omaha Ne
Originally Posted by hemienvy
Speaking of overheating, is there a way to test a radiator for flow or blockage, without trying it on a running engine ?

Radiator out of car, if you stick a garden hose in the inlet and all the water goes out the outlet without backing up,
what have you learned ?

If the outlet water is discolored but seems to be flowing, there's probably some sediment but you cannot know how much, or where in the core it is.

And I agree, the real test is hook it up in the car and see if you get overheating.

So barring a "rebuild", what kind of bench test can you do that would be useful ?


Google and You tube are your friends "RADIATOR FLOW TEST"
beer wink

Re: Testing a radiator [Re: A12] #3052846
06/23/22 11:10 PM
06/23/22 11:10 PM
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,745
Phila
P
PhillyRag Offline
top fuel
PhillyRag  Offline
top fuel
P

Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,745
Phila
Originally Posted by A12
An infrared temperature gun will give you a lot of information. The radiator once up to temp should be fairly even in temperature around the entire radiator. I had the radiator in my '68 Road Runner puke coolant after a short drive and if you looked into the radiator you would have thought it was like new. Took the temp at various spots and the whole passenger's side was stone cold half way down. Re-cored it and no more problems. The temp gun will let you know if there are any restrictions in the core, temp should be uniform for most of the area of the entire radiator.


Makes perfect sense & checks it while in car & use.
Everyone should have one of those IR tools

Re: Testing a radiator [Re: PhillyRag] #3052918
06/24/22 10:51 AM
06/24/22 10:51 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,197
Omaha Ne
T
TJP Offline
I Live Here
TJP  Offline
I Live Here
T

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,197
Omaha Ne
Originally Posted by PhillyRag
Originally Posted by A12
An infrared temperature gun will give you a lot of information. The radiator once up to temp should be fairly even in temperature around the entire radiator. I had the radiator in my '68 Road Runner puke coolant after a short drive and if you looked into the radiator you would have thought it was like new. Took the temp at various spots and the whole passenger's side was stone cold half way down. Re-cored it and no more problems. The temp gun will let you know if there are any restrictions in the core, temp should be uniform for most of the area of the entire radiator.


Makes perfect sense & checks it while in car & use.
Everyone should have one of those IR tools


What most don't know about the IR guns is they are an "indicator" meaning they can vary unless calibrated for the surfaces they are measuring. Paint, the thickness of, types of material all come into play. For a gross difference as mentioned by A12 great idea / choice beer

Re: Testing a radiator [Re: PhillyRag] #3052919
06/24/22 10:51 AM
06/24/22 10:51 AM
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,239
north of coder
moparx Offline
"Butt Crack Bob"
moparx  Offline
"Butt Crack Bob"

Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,239
north of coder
even the cheapy hobo-fright guns will work for this.
beer

Re: Testing a radiator [Re: moparx] #3053125
06/24/22 07:49 PM
06/24/22 07:49 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,486
Freeport IL USA
poorboy Offline
I Live Here
poorboy  Offline
I Live Here

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,486
Freeport IL USA
The IG guns are used to check the temp differences across the radiator core, doesn't really matter if the temp is 180, or 220, or even it the temp read is accurate or not, it is the difference in the temp across the core you are looking for, An inaccurate gauge will still be able to determine the difference between one place on the core compared to a different place on the same core.







Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.1