Ok,

In my 79 F-150 I have a radiator that is at least 6 years old (but at that time its very possible it was a used one that was installed)

Now I was told that its "nearing the end of its life" I have not seen it once leak anything, I've overheated it once when I got my truck stuck in mud trying to turn my family's camper around. At that time anti-freeze came out the overflow and onto the ground (as there is no container there)


Now, I am a poor student who likes his truck alot, that said I have 25,000KM's on this engine (even though it leaks oil like a ****) and I dont want to seize it. Should I drop the 264$CDN (discount included as well as tax) and get the new rad. Or should I let it go?

My indash temp only gets above the "normal" line on the left at an idle for an ext. period.

My water temp is about 200C ? I believe according to my aftermarket water temp guage.

Someone shed some life on this for me, the importance etc; Because I could use a little bodywork done (for 300$ I could probably get my floor done) and I could use new rear shocks, as I've concluded thats the reason I cant load up more then 500lbs worth of stuff without the truck being on the ground.


Thanks in advance guys!
Chado

 

Sounds like your radiator and cooling system is OK to keep your water temp around 200F. Don't fix it if it ain't broke. Pushing out a little fluid under a severe load is OK. These trucks were not built for a closed system. You can put in a puke bottle but the system will not pull the fluid back in without the proper cap with the proper seals.

Your rear shocks do not have anything to do with your load "incapacity", -your springs hold up the load. Shocks just absorb the "bouncing"

 

hmm well I can push on the bed with my hand and compress it pretty good I thought that might be the shocks...the springs that weak? I took a look under a newer tighter 89 and it had the same size leafs as mine...

I checked and didn't see anything cracked...gotta be a reason why my payload blows so bad?


Chado.


And how will I know when the radiator is shot? Is a hole the only way to tell or is it just the temperature I should look at?

I check under the hood after long drives (I drive pretty far back and forth to work) and when I pop the hood sure its warm, but the corvettes I've driven (76's) for 20mins got 10x hotter in just that short period!


And I do pass people on my way home (all backroads, alot of tractors...slow people (50 in an 80) etc


Thanks,
Chado

 

Well, it sounds like your truck is having a few problems. Your truck doesn't sound broken to me. It sounds like you have a new replacement radiator with nothing wrong with it. Did somebody say that you needed it flushed? Now, for leaks - our 78 and 79 both leak everything - gas, oil, coolant, PS fluid - you name it. As I always say "If it don't leak, its broken." As for your load capacity - try helper springs.
PS A while back you wanted to see my truck, well, visit my gallery.

 

I actualy just checked it out this morning.

I love the flood lights >

And other then thats its definetly a cool truck! I love coming out after work and looking over at my truck, the only truck over 25 years old in the parking lot, and smiling at it


As for the leaking I'm getting grief from the house owner here, aka my mother, about leaking on the driveway. We live in the city...and until I can get her to move us out into the middle of the no where (hopefully next year, she just got a new job that requires a lot of driving so a move is in the near future) and hopefully a gravel driveway then this card board under the truck is iritating.

I've had a few leak problems. But on a 25,000KM engine I dont think it should leak all this oil I'd prefer it to look like a street rod engine...clean. clean clean. I used to clean my integra engine once a week. Not to the point of eating off it but just so that it had "new car look" :-)


Chad



Note: I still live in the city, a big hot rod city at that. Nice shiny paint and loud exhausts with chromed engines galore. No respect for farm trucks :P

 

Trust me, gravel driveway's suck to work in. I have spent many a hour under that truck, and have the rock indentations in my back and skull to prove it. It does absorb oil better though...

And - Exactly how much oil is your truck leaking? Have you located the source of the leak? If not, try engine dye. Have you tried stop-leak? Thats the easy way to fix the problem, if its not serious enough. My truck was leaking a qt every 125 miles - turned out being the rear oil pan seal - had a rock in it. If its a rebuilt engine, there is the possiblity of error.

 

Chad, One way to tell if the rad is getting fatigued is to do the index finger test.
Take your index finger and lightly run it down the vanes in the middle & each side to see if the vanes Bend Over when doing this.

If the Rad core is rotten they will bend over easily.
If the Rad core is fine the vanes will be more difficult to bend.

 

Collossus: I have a really nice Snap On creeper that I use for laying under the truck. On gravel it wont slide well but I figure a sheet of plywood would fix that? And as for the leaks there small but I swear there is 5 of them!!!! rear main, valve covers!? I cant even tell. It's disgusting. I think they just didn't know how to seal gaskets right. So my thought is to just replace them one at a time.


Dennis: I think I will try that tomorrow, thats bascially what happens then? They rot? Like I said I am pretty sure it was used when it was put in in 98. I dont know what life expectancy is but the new one that I had ordered (didn't pay, dont have to pick up) was a 5year warranty so I figure they should last at least that long


Chad

 

Yes they rot,.

With the amount of heating (expansion) & cooling (contraction) they do over the years they just plain Fatigue.

Why not find a place that will guarantee it for lifetime as long as you own the truck?

 

Didn't know they did that.

I thought the Modine 5 yr warranty was good. That was at part source. I can buy it at either Canadian Tire or Part Source. I like my discount =) But if you know of a better place let me know, we must have similar places in Ontario that you do in Alberta?

Chado

 

Look for a specialty rad shop.

 

They were kinda soft when I touched it Dennis :/ Does that mean I need to replace it? Or just keep an eye on the temp? I just got home and it never got over 200 when I was on the highway. When it was hot and I was idling it got up to 240 the other day.


Chad

 

It usually means that it can go anytime you have a built-up pressure.
It can blow out seams, upper tank,Or out the tubes.

It's usually the owner's call.

 

So thats the polite way of telling me I should probably change it as soon as I can save up the $


CK

 

No...It was another way of saying .....

"The 460 radiator is the most powerful truck Rad in the world & it can blow your hood clean off....So you have to ask yourself,
Do you feel lucky ? Well....do you punk ?"