AA Radiator

AA Ford Discussion Group relating to the repair and restoration of your AA Ford.
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Farrell In Vancouver
Posts: 314
Joined: February 23rd, 2011, 6:52 am
Body Type: Deck
Model Year: 1931
Location: Vancouver BC Canada

AA Radiator

Post by Farrell In Vancouver »

Firstly
I wish the merriest of christmas's on you all, extended to all your kith and kin this holiday.
But this forum is about Fords Right?

So I want to clean and paint the rad but given it's extra depth, I have some concerns.
I want to lightly brush the fins (with glass bead (how much psi can it take?) but thoroughly clean the rusty outer frame without causing more damage.
I pulled roughly a 1/4 pound of old upper hose from the top tank (pretty gross and grim)
I hear Vinegar might help to clean the core, but I am hoping for some sage advice, right down to painting and finishing this AA Rad.
I am considering sweating off one of the tanks (top is easiest) and cleaning the cores. This was easy with an A but this is my first AA Rad.
Any wisdom from those that have gone, where this man has not before?
My thanks to all on the forum, again Happy Holidays and prayers to you and yours.
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gunmetal
Posts: 304
Joined: August 21st, 2010, 7:28 am
Body Type: 188-A
Model Year: 1929
Location: Milford, Indiana

Re: AA Radiator

Post by gunmetal »

If it was me I would take it to a radiator shop, have them acid dip it and check for leaks. The color they paint it is wrong so don't let them paint it. Model A supliers have the right paint.
SSsssteamer
Posts: 20
Joined: March 28th, 2012, 7:13 pm
Body Type: AA stake bed
Model Year: 1930

Re: AA Radiator

Post by SSsssteamer »

Dear Farrell, I have dealt with many old radiators. The last thing that I would do would to be to blast the old radiator with any type of air driven abrasive. The copper is thin, brittle, and about to leak as it is. In my mind, A good going over with any type of abrasive blaster is just inviting trouble. A good dip at the radiator shop was a very good suggestion. The last model A radiator that I had dipped at the radiator shop was last year, he also flow tested it after it was reverse flushed, and he only charged me $20.for everything. The radiator shop is located in Burlington, Washington. I am Pat Farrell in Sedro Woolley. We met at a B.C. car spring tour years ago.
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pyrodork
Posts: 166
Joined: February 21st, 2012, 4:10 am
Body Type: AA Stakebed
Model Year: 1930
Location: Minneapolis, MN

Re: AA Radiator

Post by pyrodork »

i used evaporust to clean mine. i rinsed it out, then put rubber pvc caps on the hose ends, filled it with evaporust, let it sit a few days, rinsed, filtered the evaporust and did it another couple times. water comes out clean now... but i think i've got a leak to address at a radiator shop.

the evaporust is biodegradable and you can use it over and over again for years. i found it at a farm supply store, but i know it's sold online, too.

if i were to do it again, i'd devise some sort of spout for it to drain out of the inlet without splashing everywhere.
Rumored to be an Early '30 AA...

"Pics or it didn't happen."



-- Scotty "It-Only-Sounds-Like-I-Know-What-I'm-Doing" Petersen, Esquire.
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Farrell In Vancouver
Posts: 314
Joined: February 23rd, 2011, 6:52 am
Body Type: Deck
Model Year: 1931
Location: Vancouver BC Canada

Re: AA Radiator

Post by Farrell In Vancouver »

Thanks for the replies and advice gents.
I repaired three leaks. the first was rock damage at the lower right side-front tubes. The solder was not sealing well so I sweat it it off and started to clean the tube better. this was tough as I was trying to save the fin running in front. I noticed some thread sticking out of the hole, so I grabbed my tweezers and pulled. Behold! about ten inches of rag stuffed up into the core tube. This must have taken somebody a long time to do this.
Once removed, I blew the tube out with a bent needle and compressed air. I could hear the chunks of solder shoot into the lower tank, and shook it out onto the floor.

Next time I filled it with hot water and this showed separated joints/seams on the front and back sides of the lower tank. I highly reccomend Hot Water. This expands everything and shows leaks up up fast.
I filled and refilled the rad four times before I got the seams/holes soldered up.
On the last fill, I dried the rad with blown air and ragged the tank down. waited a bit as the damp evaporated, then placed it on a clean dry piece of card board, standing straight up as it would on the truck.
Caution! These things are really heavy when filled with water. Get a helper and use your knees when lifting!
It takes about a hour for the water to cool and the tanks/tubes to shrink back down. When the fins were cool I moved the rad and found no more leaks or water showing.
I won't know for sure until I fire the engine, but it looks good to so far. I think I'll sand the outer steel bands
that encase the rad, and maybe try a little paint remover on the tanks. (must be twenty lavers of all kinds of paint), then give her a good coat of rad paint.
In the mean time I'll keep an eye open for a better tank, at least cosmetically better.
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