Radiator flush in 80s model ford

[Brady D]

Is it safe to put radiator flush liquid to flush my radiator or will it cause problems

 

[number two]

Why do you think you need to use it?
Just Asking!

 

[Brady D]

Why do you think you need to use it?
Just Asking!

Tractor gets very warm on light work with the correct amount of fluid

 

[4570Man]

What’s your definition of “very warm”? Does the tractor have a working temperature gauge?

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Does it get warm enough to blow water out? Does it have a new cap correct pressure?

 

[rScotty]

Those Fords are nice basic tractors. Hard to beat in the size.

I periodically use a garden hose, dish soap, and a soft brush to clean outside of the radiator fins from the fan side forward. That always makes a difference in cooling that I can see on the gauge. Another thing is making sure that I am using 50/50 ethylene glycol and water instead of 100% ethylene glycol. 50/50 has much better heat transfer. If those don't work I take the thermostat out and check it in a pan of hot water with a candy thermometer to see if it opens at the temperature stamped on it.

And yes, if none of those keep the temperature down then I will use a radiator flush if I'm deaing with an older style copper or brass radiator from roughly the 1990s or before. Not with aluminum or plastic radiators. But I only do it with half the concentration of flush for half the time they recommend.....and purge the sytem with a garden hose for twice as long as they say.
enjoy,
rScotty

 

[Lineman North Florida]

I flushed out one that had been neglected and I suspect had never been serviced and it took me flushing it 3 times to get it clean to my satisfaction, each time it looked a little better, I have done on several old 70-80's model trucks that I have owned thru the years and never had a problem,I wouldn't hesitate to start there if I was having an overheating problem if I had already cleaned or blew out the radiator fins to make sure I was getting air flow, usually a good external cleaning of the radiator combined with flushing it out will either solve your overheating problem or let you move on to thermostat or water pump impellar etc, you aren't gonna hurt it.

 

[Brady D]

I flushed out one that had been neglected and I suspect had never been serviced and it took me flushing it 3 times to get it clean to my satisfaction, each time it looked a little better, I have done on several old 70-80's model trucks that I have owned thru the years and never had a problem,I wouldn't hesitate to start there if I was having an overheating problem if I had already cleaned or blew out the radiator fins to make sure I was getting air flow, usually a good external cleaning of the radiator combined with flushing it out will either solve your overheating problem or let you move on to thermostat or water pump impellar etc, you aren't gonna hurt it.

I figured it would be worth a try

 

[Brady D]

Those Fords are nice basic tractors. Hard to beat in the size.

I periodically use a garden hose, dish soap, and a soft brush to clean outside of the radiator fins from the fan side forward. That always makes a difference in cooling that I can see on the gauge. Another thing is making sure that I am using 50/50 ethylene glycol and water instead of 100% ethylene glycol. 50/50 has much better heat transfer. If those don't work I take the thermostat out and check it in a pan of hot water with a candy thermometer to see if it opens at the temperature stamped on it.

And yes, if none of those keep the temperature down then I will use a radiator flush if I'm deaing with an older style copper or brass radiator from roughly the 1990s or before. Not with aluminum or plastic radiators. But I only do it with half the concentration of flush for half the time they recommend.....and purge the sytem with a garden hose for twice as long as they say.
enjoy,
rScotty

Thanks for the advice