71CutlassSupreme

Hi all, well today I got my rear differential cleaned,oil change,and transmission seal fixed...I was also going to get my coolant replaced,but my mechanic told me when he unscrewed the bolt to let the coolant drain hardly anything came out.

So,he did some investigation and noticed I had calcium deposits in my radiator. Apparently,its pretty bad and he suggested I get a new radiator.

With all this said,I would like to keep the car stock, it's a 71 cutlass supreme-automatic-350, he call his radiator guy to see if he could just rebuild/clean mine,but the guy said he didn't want to take the chance cuz the cleaning process(rodding) would be hard on the radiator&due to the age of my car there's a chance the cleaning process could destroy my radiator.

W/all this info I have some questions:

1) will puting in an aftermarket radiator affect value of the car
2) do y'all have a recommended place to buy a replacement radiator? Or is autozone/oreilly's sufficient?
3) would y'all recommend I look for a salvaged/parts car & get an oe radiator from that?
4) is there a place that sells oem replacement radiators for 71 olds?
5) I did some research and read that vinegar can clean out all calcium deposits in a radiator,is this true/recommended?

Please help me out as im learning this car. Thanks in advance

Shizzy

does the car run hot? has it overheated on you? what were your complaints when you brought the car to him?

This is a typical thing with repair shops. I'm sure there is some buildup in your radiator, unless YOU noticed an issue, I would just go with the coolant flush.

Also, many times the petcock (drain screw he is speaking of) is plugged with crud and you need to stick a small screw driver in the hole to clear out the crud.

Oldsmaniac

It is very common to have the white build up on the outer part of the tubes inside the radiator. If it is cooling fine leave it alone. Most old radiators can be recored using the original side tanks and replacing the center. I dont see why yours cannot be done this way. Maybe call some shops and ask about a recore.

71CutlassSupreme

Hi shizzy, thanks for you response.
Actually,the car wasn't running hot at all. This car pretty much has sat in the garage for years w/very very minimal driving...like once a week..sometimes once a month. Now,that I have some time I wanted to start upkeeping this car and decided to start w/the basic oil change,coolant change etc.
The calcium deposits only got noticed cuz he was going to do the coolant drain/refill per my request. Keep in mind this cars last oil change was in '09 (I'm ashamed to admit that) but less that 75 miles or even less has been put on the car since 09. Since being in college all I do is turn the engine on for like 7mins just to turn on the car,but it just sits in the garage

71CutlassSupreme

Oh,I totally didn't know that. Will the calcium deposits affect the motor if I leave it alone since it doesn't heat up on me?
The mechanic said it was so bad (the calcium deposits) that he recomended new radiator/thermostat/water pump. Being full time college student I'm broke,lol,so I'm trying to see what is the best solution for all this..

Btw,here are some general pics of my car for reference
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...s-supreme.html

Nilsson

In the future use distilled (not spring water) water in the radiator.

MDchanic

I agree with all the other kids: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

That brig said, acids dissolve calcium, so vinegar should be fine, but give it a week or two in there to work its magic. Stronger things should work, too, but you run a chance of going through any thin spots in your radiator core (or, God forbid, your heater core).

The best policy is usually not to rock the boat.

That, and don't trust mechanics.

- Eric

Shizzy

agreed. if it isn't overheating, you aren't going to harm anything. Just go for the drain and fill.


By suggesting a radiator, water pump AND thermostat I get the feeling this guy is seeing a lady and trying to take advantage. I would look elsewhere for a reputable shop. A legit mechanic will tell you what he sees, but will let you know if it is something to fix or something to keep in mind. I have a friend who is a mechanic and many times when I pop in to see him at work Ill over hear him talking to a customer and many times I've overheard him say "I noticed this was starting to wear a little, its not a safety issue, but within the next year you should maybe think about doing it. I can check it next time you are in to make sure its still ok". he will even show them what he is talking about. This to me is a stand up guy. he simply informs you he found something, but its not a real issue. he understand most people don't want to drop thousands on their car each time they come in so he leaves it in your hands.

oldcutlass

Take it to a reputable radiator shop and see what they say. Since its not leaking, nor overheating, I personally would do a flush and replace coolant.

71CutlassSupreme

hey guys, not trying to beat this with a stick. but i just want some added peace of mind.
i dont fully understand the mechanics of how the radiator works in conjunction with the motor. but if the radiator is full of calcium deposits, would those calcium deposits get into the motor itself????

oldcutlass

Yes, they are already in there! Its like hardening of the arteries, it builds up over time!! Did you ever take it to a radiator shop, flush it, ....???

bigD

it's likely that there is some in there but the restrictive nature of the core causes it to accumulate on the cross tubes. i doubt if there is very much in the block though. there would be no harm in draining the coolant and running a mix of vinegar and distilled water for a while to clean things up. since you are in houston and the hot weather has passed for the year this would be a good time to do it. the key is to use distilled water!

MDchanic

Hi Joyce.

Section 6K in your Chassis Service Manual should answer this question fairly well for you.

Essentially, radiator attached to engine, water goes from radiator to engine through one hose, heats up, goes back to radiator through other hose, cools down, repeats.

Calcium deposits are just that:deposits. They are attached to the insides of the tubes (if in fact they are there, and the mechanic was not just selling you a bill of goods). They do not go anywhere.
That being said, if there're calcium deposits in one part of the cooling system, they're probably in all the other parts as well, which is why a good flush with the right acid can help you if you have cooling problems (but is not necessary if you do not).

- Eric

71CutlassSupreme

nope, since i came from the mechanic i haven't gotten the radiator flushed. i've only driven the car 4 times since my post. my problem is that since my mechanic didnt do the flush stating it would be a waste of time since i need a new radiator i'm in search for a reputable shop in houston to do the job.
i'm very picky with the car in the sense that i want to make sure whoever works on it knows what they are doing since i'm not well versed on the car. so, currently i'm on the hunt for a reputable shop...

ahhhh, ok i see. that makes me feel a lil better then i've drained the coolant myself a couple years ago. i can totally do that again and run a mix of vinegar and distilled water as you suggested. my only question with that is wold the vinegar cause the radiator to rust in the future? i think i remember reading a post somewhere where vinegar could lead to rust because it would need to be neutralized after having it in the car??

thanks eric, for being patient with my questions and answering them thoroughly. thankfully i did buy a service manual. i'll go check it out now and see that section.
also, if i opt to do the radiator flush myself.....i'm doing research on it now and it looks fairly easy on youtube, lol. is there a flush kit you recommend?? and any do's and don't pointers you have??
thanks

bigD

in my opinon you should be able to get enough of the vinegar out that it shouldn't be a problem, just fill it with straight water(distilled) and run it around a bit with the heater on so that you get complete circulation... a couple 10 minutes cruises would be more than adequate for dilluting and removing any remaining vinegar.
also, when you do the vinegar/water run the heater(at least have the selector in the hot position) that way your heater element will get cleaned out too.

you can do this quick, easy and on the cheap! plus its an excuse to drive the car a bit more than usual... you have to! it's for the good of the car!!

MDchanic

There are many ways to flush an engine.

Just removing the bottom hose and running a garden hose into the filler of the radiator will flush the radiator out well.

There is a classic kit from Prestone still available as far as I know, which contains a Tee fitting and a cap and a one-way valve - you connect the fitting into your heater hose, screw your garden hose onto the fitting, take off the radiator cap, and flush away!

- Eric

rustyroger

You say the car doesn't run hot, I'm assuming it doesn't lose coolant either.
If that is the case the water pump and thermostat are probably fine, vinegar or washing soda will help clear calcium deposits from your cooling system.
Refill with distilled water or rainwater if you get any in Houston, the point being to get water without calcium dissolved in it (hard water is the term over here), which you will find in water from anywhere with limestone or chalk.

If you use a descaling agent thoroughly flush the system once you are done and use a 40-50% qaulity antifreeze mix to refill it.
This is not to guard against frost damage but antifreeze contains corrosion inhibitors to protect against electrolytic reaction which happens when disimilar metals such as irom an aluminium are together in a conductive solution.
Ok, physics lesson over for the day, your assignment is to get your cooling system into top shape!.

Roger.

tonycpe

Get a can of radiator flush from the parts store and flush it yourself . The directions are on the can , it is simple.
I would also suggest that you get a new mechanic.