Boiling/rodding radiator vs. replacement?

[bullwinkle]

Hi all, got a somewhat stopped-up copper/brass radiator on the old F-SuperDuty, looking for advice/experience on having it rodded vs. replacing it. Cheaper to have it rodded ($95) than replacing it ($265 or so)-but the replacement one would have a "lifetime" warranty, would be an all-aluminum one from Spectra Advance. Anybody have any luck having rodding done on an old radiator & how long did it last?

 

[440Magnum]

I have very low confidence in the quality of most aftermarket brass core radiators these days... that said, Spectra is one of the few I'd trust (verify where its actually manufactured- probably Canada). I've had many old brass radiators rodded and re-assembled- it works just fine and lasts as long as the original radiator did before clogging, so long as the radiator is in basically good condition apart from being plugged.

 

[FL_Rob]

If your current rad is all copper brass (All metal) I'd have it rodded out and re-brazed.Once that is done there will be little question as to longevity.You'll probably good for the rest of the life of the truck with proper maint.

 

[powayroger]

Copper/brass? Better not post your address or someone might coem and take it to sell the metal!!!!

 

[Donald]

Take it to a shop and ask. Fewer and fewer of those shops around with the big tank. They will tell you the deal in less than one minute.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: bullwinkle

Hi all, got a somewhat stopped-up copper/brass radiator on the old F-SuperDuty, looking for advice/experience on having it rodded vs. replacing it. Cheaper to have it rodded ($95) than replacing it ($265 or so)-but the replacement one would have a "lifetime" warranty, would be an all-aluminum one from Spectra Advance. Anybody have any luck having rodding done on an old radiator & how long did it last?

here's how it works: fix the old radiator and be back next year with the same issue. OR get the new one and go a minimum of five years or more with no problems. That's from a fleet owner. We no longer service them, we replace them.

 

[Ojustracing]

As someone that has 26+ years in the Automotive Cooling industry. Replace it. Normally radiators that need to be rodded out, so to speak have issues elsewhere too. $95 bucks to remove a tank, spending the time to run a rod through each tube, clean/prep, re-soldier the tank, pressure test(if the radiator makes it without leaking) and paint. I'd charge you $250-$300 bucks to do that. Also some of the older Super Duty Ford radiator were Dimpled tube which can not be rodded out>!!!!

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted By: bullwinkle

Hi all, got a somewhat stopped-up copper/brass radiator on the old F-SuperDuty, looking for advice/experience on having it rodded vs. replacing it. Cheaper to have it rodded ($95) than replacing it ($265 or so)-but the replacement one would have a "lifetime" warranty, would be an all-aluminum one from Spectra Advance. Anybody have any luck having rodding done on an old radiator & how long did it last?

Those are great prices! We wont touch that radiator for less than $150. Those have small tubes and rodding them out takes a whole afternoon. We often get 5 or more years before we see the Radiator again and usually they are plugged up again but not leaking. Our Rodout includes resoldering the tubes to the header which is where most leak.

 

[bullwinkle]

Well, an update-apparently you guys were right about not being able to rod it out-apparently low-flow radiators can't be rodded. They did boil it out for a few hours for $50, and (they said) the flow improved from nearly nothing to halfway decent and no leaks opened up, so it's going back in with new green AF, SCA-2, radiator hoses, and distilled water & I'll give it a shot. Thanks for all the responses!