To flush or not (radiator)

[tumbleweeds]

Noticed that our van is running a little warmer than it used to when we sit and idle. Thinking about a radiator flush but not sure if that will help. It may be way to many dead bugs in the grill or weak thermostat or ??? 2010 Chevy with 300,00+ on it 6.0. Heard that the power flushes done at Jiffy Lube and others can blow the head gasket and they won't cover the repairs. This makes me a little nervous. Any one have words of wisdom. It's not over heating but does start to climb a little when we sit. When this happens, the A/C blows warm air for a couple of minutes then blows cold again.

 

[Deville]

Drain & refill. If you feel the need run some clean water though the system idle the motors at 1200 to 1500 rpms for 10 mins. drain again refill with fresh 50/50.

Clean the radiator grille out as well with a hose & water. Don't use a pressure washer.

I wouldn't let a jiffy lube touch any of my equipment. This is a job you can do yourself in the driveway. I'm going to be doing my Truck & van in the next week or 2.

 

[davekc]

I would recommend cleaning the bugs out of the front of the AC condensor and the radiator.Check with a digital temp gun to determine blockage. Just run it acrossed the radiator and see if the temps vary any. A cool spot indicated blockage. If van has age, replace the radiator cap and possibly the thermostat. Easy cheap repairs that I would recommend heading into summer.

 

[westmicher]

I agree with Dave. When I replaced our radiator last year, I was stunned by the amount of dead bugs & other small trash stuck in there! Cleaning that out made a very noticeable difference.

 

[Murraycroexp]

Noticed that our van is running a little warmer than it used to when we sit and idle. Thinking about a radiator flush but not sure if that will help. It may be way to many dead bugs in the grill or weak thermostat or ??? 2010 Chevy with 300,00+ on it 6.0. Heard that the power flushes done at Jiffy Lube and others can blow the head gasket and they won't cover the repairs. This makes me a little nervous. Any one have words of wisdom. It's not over heating but does start to climb a little when we sit. When this happens, the A/C blows warm air for a couple of minutes then blows cold again.

Drain and fill with straight water a few times. Run it 10 mins each time. Then drain and fill with straight coolant. Don't forget you chant ever get ALL the water out so it will be a blend after you're done. Also soak the bug down with soapy water. Use an old plastic hairbrush to "take:brush" them out of the radiator. Just don't bend the cooling fins.


..XCV & an iPhone..that is all..

 

[davekc]

A great cheap cleaner is simple ammonia or glass cleaner. Spray liberally and the bugs will fall off. Ammonia eats the bug residue.
Rinse with a simple garden hose at low pressure. Water should flow right though the fins of both the condenser and radiator.

 

[Murraycroexp]

A great cheap cleaner is simple ammonia or glass cleaner. Spray liberally and the bugs will fall off. Ammonia eats the bug residue.

Excellent!!! I gotta do that. My van looks like a "murdermobile" after each rodeo!!


..XCV & an iPhone..that is all..

 

[Ragman]

My van looks like a "murdermobile" after each rodeo!!

 

[purgoose10]

All the above but when flushing the bugs out do it from the engine side forward. To much water pressure bends the fins blocking air. As said before about ammonia, spray a bunch let it soak and again wash from the engine side.

 

[BobWolf]

Stop by a Carquest or NAPA and pick up a radiator fin comb if any are bent over this will straiten them out and air will flow easier.

As said earlier onky use water to flush.

Bob Wolf

 

[spongebox1]

Harbor freight sells a nifty two foot blow gun and a 8 ft air hose for less then twenty bucks, most truck stops have a open air hose port around the pumps or by the shops, blowing out the radiator and condensor every week or every few days always helps keep it running cooler!

Sent from my VS910 4G using EO Forums mobile app

 

[tumbleweeds]

I would recommend cleaning the bugs out of the front of the AC condensor and the radiator.Check with a digital temp gun to determine blockage. Just run it acrossed the radiator and see if the temps vary any. A cool spot indicated blockage. If van has age, replace the radiator cap and possibly the thermostat. Easy cheap repairs that I would recommend heading into summer.

Did clean out radiator and condensor at the carwash and it did help. I will do the other stuff this week. The temp gun is a good idea. Thanks

 

[guido4475]

The way I do it is first empty the system of antifreeze and than flush the cooling system using Calgon and water. Trust me, it works. Gentle enough not to harm anything, and yet strong enough to remove any deposits inside the cooling system Hissong Kenworth uses this, and it works awesome. When that is done, and the system is rinsed out, then I remove the radiator and spray that and the condenser with a/c coil condenser cleaner, spraying the heck out of the whole thing.Everything. Any kind of cooler there.I let it sit for 10 minutes and rinse with the garden hose.It is amazing how much fuzz and junk collects there over a years time.The problem with rinsing the outside of the condenser and radiator while it is still in the van is that you cannot get to every area of each 100%, and the area between the radiator and the condenser is limited.While all of this is out of the van then I check all belt driven accessories and the belt, replacing as needed, while cleaning the engine as well.Then I will usually replace all of the hoses as well. This pretty much gets rid of any water left in the system from flushing.Then I use the proper coolant. This usually takes a Saturday to do, but so much worth the un-rushed time it takes.

 

[Zoli]

Noticed that our van is running a little warmer than it used to when we sit and idle. Thinking about a radiator flush but not sure if that will help. It may be way to many dead bugs in the grill or weak thermostat or ??? 2010 Chevy with 300,00+ on it 6.0. Heard that the power flushes done at Jiffy Lube and others can blow the head gasket and they won't cover the repairs. This makes me a little nervous. Any one have words of wisdom. It's not over heating but does start to climb a little when we sit. When this happens, the A/C blows warm air for a couple of minutes then blows cold again.

Radiator flush...waste of money.Did you check the fluid level in the radiator?Check the radiator (when engin is cold) not the plastic overflow reservoir