This is true, there are disposable radiators not meant to be rodded. A
good radiator shop knows the difference, and knows what you can and
can't do. They also know most often if a rad is too far gone to be
rodded. Sometimes they will try, even though they are unsure about the
outcome, just to try and help a guy out. If they rod a rad that they
feel probably shouldn't be, they will give the same "don't blame me"
speech you give with your Drano program, but many will send you on your
way and refuse to do it. Most of the disposable radiators are aluminum,
and that means they should not be "cleaned" with lye either. So you are
back to replacing or if possible recoring them. Me, I have never had any
luck with recoring aluminum radiators and won't do it. But I am sure
there will be some who will disagree. All that said, the use of Drano on
anything containing aluminum is unwise, and especially in cooling
systems on aluminum engines.  As Alistair said, the reaction involved
pretty much dwarfs all other reactions we see in our cars' cooling
systems. Aluminum is not used in plumbing systems and Drano specifically
says no to use it with aluminum. Aluminum is one of the active
ingredients in the product, that causes the extreme reaction when
exposed to water.In that process the aluminum is altered, as will be the
aluminum in a radiator.

Of course people will do what they want. And if they "get away" with
something once or twice, they may actually come to believe it is safe.
Like justifying not wearing seat belts because you've never been killed
in an accident, this is unsound reasoning. Unsound but sadly not uncommon.

Mark Dearing wrote:
> In a message dated 5/15/2010 1:05:36 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> marcsayer@HUGHES.NET writes:
>
> Best  solution (sorry bad pun) for a safe and effective cleaning is to
> take it to  a radiator shop and have them rod it out. They will
> chemically and  mechanically clean it and can tell you if the core is
> good or not.
>
>
> That does not work on the  newer radiators.  All that will happen  is that
> they will fall apart trying to do this  AMHIK   I have  seen subie Radiators
> that came back looking like they had expoded   later  mark d
>
>

--

Marc Sayer
Journalist, Photographer, Dog Trainer (APDT member #062956)
Board member - Western States Great Dane Rescue Association
Director of Operations&  Training - Deaf Dane Rescue Inc.
Oakridge, OR USA

My Homepage - http://gracieland.org
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