My Repower Adventure

Golden_HVAC wrote:
Hi,

Another thought about the radiator. My buddy recommends running a coolant filter - and I installed one on my new 97 Bounder. It also has the 460" engine. I put one on my 75 pickup with the 460 too. After 1 year, it had collected a lot of sand looking stuff, and I have changed it yearly on my motorhome. I did not drain the radiator or change the fluid, until at year 10, when I replaced all the larger diameter hoses, but not the heater hoses (still original) and replaced the fluid then.

THe coolant filter is Napa # FIL 4070 while the holder is #FIL 4019.

My guess is that Ford installed a slightly larger than required radiator, to reduce warranty problems? Also after the radiators are 10 years old, they can have a lot of fowling, or dirt inside that prevents heat transfer. I am glad that mine is clean as a whistle! I agree, I never overheat, have the Banks system, and that oil cooler is a HUGE help to keep the engine cooler. My guess is that the cool oil takes away about 20% of all the engine heat. . .

My buddy's Mitsubishi Montero used to overheat, but he installed a industrial sized oil to air cooler in front of his radiator, and now it runs very cool. The cooler is about 18" tall,4 pass with 3/4" tubing. I think it belonged to a large hydraulic crane type of cooler. ..

Have fun putting it all back together!

Fred.

Thanks Fred,

I purchased the ol Bounder in Jan. 2003 and changed the anti-freeze that spring. When I pulled the block drain plugs, there was no build-up in the bottom of the water jacket. A couple of years later I had the radiator end tank gasket changed and the radiator was spotless. I suspect that I am one of the lucky ones with NO casting residue in the cooling system. With the replacement engine and radiator re-do, I suspect I'll not have to worry about crud in the cooling system. The whole trick to keeping a water filled system from oxidizing is to keep the pH above 8.5. Always mix the coolant with distilled water. I've had the privilege of some boiler maintenance training and access to high end pH meters and have had to clean up boilers that were not maintained properly. So I am aware.

Richard