I had to take a break from my project for a wee bit of surgery and physical therapy.
Fortunately, I’m back in the garage and autumn temps are down to a comfortable mid 70s to mid 80s.
Now all I have to do is figure out what I was doing before I put my tools away.
Lets see, there’s some new radiator hoses and clamps that need to be installed.
The outlet casting at the top of the engine has a lot of deposits that imped sliding the hose on and I’m not sure what the best way the clean it off is.
I took a wire brush to it, but didn’t even make a dent in the crud. I may try course sandpaper next.
I’d be grateful for any suggestions.
Coarse sandpaper did the trick!
Vinegar will clean the cooling system very well. You just install one gallon of vinegar - the cheapest white kind from the grocery store - then fill the cooling system with water. Drain the vinegar the next day and then flush with water until it runs clear.
Thanks for the tip! I’ll have to give it a try.
Better never than late, but for the next time a rusty outlet is encountered here’s what an old time radiator shop man once told me.
Reader’s Digest version here: bead blasting is best, otherwise clean the rust as best as possible. Using new hose(s) judiciously spread some black RTV over and around the outlet filling in the “craters”. Install the outlet then slide the hose over the outlet which will leave RTV in the craters. Wipe off the excess RTV and tighten the hose clamp. I recall an especially pitted outlet that took two hose clamps to “git 'er done”.
Hope this helps if there’s a next time.
Here’s a new development! I installed the new radiator petcock with PVC tape
–the yellow stuff for gas lines --was all I had on hand but I expect it to work just fine, and now I’m ready to fit the hood, stick the gaskets on the castings with Permatex No.2 align the plumbing and cinch everything down.
When I unbolted the inlet/outlets from the engine block the lower gasket crumbled, but not for one for the fitting that goes to radiator’s top tank, so I set it aside.
Since I want to get the inlet/outlets glued to the engine block before continuing I got out a new gasket set which I already ordered. These gaskets are paper-like, not like the one I remember setting aside, so I dug that one out to compare. After cleaning the old gasket, it appears to be metallic!
Is this how it’s supposed to be?
Is this an aftermarket improvement or shade tree expedient?
Should I reuse it?
After cleaning it up, it looks to be in excellent condition.
Or should I replace it with the paper-oid stuff?