my 1991 F-250 has 255k miles on. While she runs fine I am a little concerned about my cooling system. The reservoir is broken where the hose enters it so it does not create a seal. The radiator leaks about a gallon of fluid every 3-4k mi. Looking in filler hole I can see all the fins encrusted with white gunk. She has never overheated on me but should I be worried about cavitation? I do not have a turbo system. What do y'all think?
my 1991 F-250 has 255k miles on. While she runs fine I am a little concerned about my cooling system. The reservoir is broken where the hose enters it so it does not create a seal. The radiator leaks about a gallon of fluid every 3-4k mi. Looking in filler hole I can see all the fins encrusted with white gunk. She has never overheated on me but should I be worried about cavitation? I do not have a turbo system. What do y'all think?
You need to have the radiator repaired. some can be rodded out while others may need a recore. The leak can be soldered.
get it soldered, flush the radfiator out good and add new coolant and Napa cool. Since its not over heating now, Its probably good. With that leak in the reservoir, you cannot run a pressure cap.
that is exactly the way mine is i was just wondering if it mattered that the plastic was broken where the hose enters and there is a little plastic protrusion where it clamps around the hose.
now what about the cavitation should i be worried about that? does it matter that it is gunked up inside can i just add the stuff or do i need to get it recored?
now what about the cavitation should i be worried about that? does it matter that it is gunked up inside can i just add the stuff or do i need to get it recored?
I do not believe cavitation is related to the white stuff inside the radiator, unless that means the system was not well taken care of, so it probably doesn't have the good anti-feeeze in it.
My radiator is in the same condition. I took mine to a radiator shop, but he would not touch it. Besides the white stuff inside, it also had white stuff growing on the outside at the bottom. He said this is a sign it's been seeping at the bottom, and the hard water(the white stuff) has been somewhat sealing it off. He said if he dipped it to clean it, it would surely leak and would be too far gone to fix.
He told me to get a new radiator, or I could try and keep running this one and see how long it lasts. I am saving up right now to buy a new one. They are about $350 at the local parts stores. I am still running the old one, but I also have to add coolant to the overflow bottle once in awhile. I also put a 7lb cap on it to help it out a little bit.
Dont add the SCA's if you have regular coolant. You need to be running a low silicate antifreeze and distilled water. The SCA's mix with the silicates in regular antifreeze and the minerals in tap water and can form a slugde plugging up portions of your cooling system.
I am going through the process of changing out my cooling system since I dont know what the PO was running. I had to replace my water pump, but I am getting the radiator cleaned and will remove as much coolant from the rest of the system as possible. I went to the cummins shop and got 8 gallons of 50/50 fleetguard antifreeze which already has the SCA's added to it.
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1993 F-250 HD XLT Lariat SC 4X4 7.3/5spd ATS Turbo 173hp/335tq
1986 F-250 HD XLT Lariat SC 4X4 460/C6
1985 F-250 HD XLT Lariat SC 4X4 460/5spd
1974 F-250 HD 2wd-360/C6
1967 Ford Mustang-351W/4spd
I have just been using the prestone green stuff and distilled water. so if i flush her out and put in the heavy duty truck stuff that they have that would be sufficient? i forget the name of it. i used it in our boat before we sold it. is there a good flushing chemical i should use?
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