Well for all the C4's a radator specialist told me that every three to five years using Dexcool it needs to be cleaned. I put a new stock radiator in my 95 w/383 and it now can idle and not get hot. Red 95 needs attention cause it overheats real quick so I am going with Delco 2 core for it. Cleaning is good replacing is better IMO.

The plastic tanks do not take well to acid and the aluminum look good but 20 percent isn't much improvement for the bucks.

 

That's a fact Chuck. Mine was stolen by the first 'Possum I came accross.
He took it and Hauled a$$ off the side of the road at about 90mph....quick little bugger. LOL!

 

I've done that. But just a little different than what your thinking. Yep here's how I did it. Took the old trustyair hose with a air blower jet attached to it and from the back closest to the water pump I blew outward, toward the front bumper. You wouldn't believe all of the tiny little stones and other debris that became dis-lodged. My guess was probably 3 or so pounds of little gravel pieces. hair, Yea HAIR ! bugs of course in various sections, and organic / yard debris, again in various sections !

Did it help the cooling ,? Yes it seemed to help about 10 to 15 degrees. 6 months later the water pump went and 2 weeks after that the radiator sprung a leak. Now with the new rad and water pump it runs really cool.

Now the primary cooling fan is hitting the shroud when it kicks on so I just unplugged it and only (temporarily now) use the secondary cooling fan. It kicks on first at 136 degrees runs about a minute, shuts off comes on at 209 and shuts off at 194 runs right around 196 to 198 in normal traffic. In rush hour traffic it runs right around 204 to 207. and still gets 24 MPG with 262K miles on it.

Incidentally if your looking for a new radiator down the road try (GM parts) try GMPartsDirect.com. I've just purchased a set of rear wheel speed sensors, locally from a friend who is an employee of a chevy dealership. supposedly 10% above dealer's list, gmparts direct have them for exactly 10% less than what I just paid for them. I've checked my other purchases and the same applies. Not so sure you want to get into removing the rad to clean it. It's somewhat of a pain to re-install, I had to keep those top rubber spacers really aligned or it just wouldn't go back together the same. It was a full day chore to remove and replace.

Why not give the air hose a try first to see how much junk there is in between the fins.

Hope this helps.

Larry

 

I know who is gonna jump in here after I say this but I would NOT use Dexcool.

BTW, you can also tape a peice of PVC piping to a shop vac hose and get it in the opening on top of the shroud and vacuum out all of that junk you seeby the bottom of the radiator.

 

No - do not use Dex Cool.

I got the heater core plug in my '02 5.7 1 ton (PURCHASED NEW). Machine stayed running, 195k by 03/05, and got the plug at 150k. Maintenence was TOTAL. T-O-T-A-L.

3 Dex-equippedused GM's, 1 new Dex-equipped GM, 4 plugs. Gimme' a minute to do some guzinta's... 4 guzinta 4 ... ummm ... ummm ... [sm=grin.gif] [sm=helpout.gif] [sm=smiley25.gif]




every time.