Hello All,
I got a 1953 Buick Roadmaster 2 years ago - good running condition, but needing a bit of restorative maintenance. I had it checked out by a professional mechanic, gone over for issues that I might not know to check, etc.
The exhaust had a few small leaks which I got fixed. Timing and carburetor balancing/tuning were done. Leaky valve cover gaskets replaced, etc.
It ran more or less fine for about 6 mo, then began to start overheating. I had the mech. check that too. So far we have replaced the thermostat, checked the coolant system pressure, and re-tuned the carbs but nothing has helped. He wanted about $500 for a new radiator, which is more than I had budgeted at the time.
I took the car home pulled the radiator out to inspect it, and check the system for other possible issues like a loose fan belt, bad connections or corroded coolant lines, etc.
The radiator seems to be relatively clear - I get as much fluid flowing out one end as I put in the other. The belts were tight, and the coolant lines seem fine. The flush pulled out some gunk, but it wasn't too bad.
In researching this I'm finding that the coolant channels in the block may be the culprit and I should pull the freeze plugs and clear out the block channels.
How can I confirm this before I go into the block?
I got a 1953 Buick Roadmaster 2 years ago - good running condition, but needing a bit of restorative maintenance. I had it checked out by a professional mechanic, gone over for issues that I might not know to check, etc.
The exhaust had a few small leaks which I got fixed. Timing and carburetor balancing/tuning were done. Leaky valve cover gaskets replaced, etc.
It ran more or less fine for about 6 mo, then began to start overheating. I had the mech. check that too. So far we have replaced the thermostat, checked the coolant system pressure, and re-tuned the carbs but nothing has helped. He wanted about $500 for a new radiator, which is more than I had budgeted at the time.
I took the car home pulled the radiator out to inspect it, and check the system for other possible issues like a loose fan belt, bad connections or corroded coolant lines, etc.
The radiator seems to be relatively clear - I get as much fluid flowing out one end as I put in the other. The belts were tight, and the coolant lines seem fine. The flush pulled out some gunk, but it wasn't too bad.
In researching this I'm finding that the coolant channels in the block may be the culprit and I should pull the freeze plugs and clear out the block channels.
How can I confirm this before I go into the block?