Real Time Help: 1989 62 Radiator Flush? (1 Viewer)

[jtreehorn]

So my transmission died on Monday. Fine. Going to be expensive to rebuild but I love the old girl so what can I do.

Then the transmission guys say the transfer case needs new bearings and seals. Not in the budget, but I think I can cover the cost.

Now they say I need to replace the radiator because it can't be flushed. This has now put the total bill for the repair into the red and it's only the beginning of the month, and I'm not trying to eat rice and salt for the next 28 days.

Question #1: Can this radiator be flushed? I swear I had it done last fall at an oil change place.

Question #2: Should I be skipping OEM radiators ($500+) and getting one of the performance radiators mentioned here on Mud? There seems to be some debate about their quality vs OEM, but everyone seems to agree you can pick one up in the $300 range, which would help take a little bit of the sting off the bill.

 

[RockDoc]

Did they give you a reason it can't be flushed? Other than a desire to make more money off you? Was it giving you any trouble?

Search in the 40s section for "flush" under "Mark W" as user, and see how to flush the rad with HCl acid (if you are up to it).

 

[RockDoc]

What were the symptoms associated with your transmission's death? Is it dead as a door-nail, or acting up? Quite a few have been brought back from a rough state........

 

[jtreehorn]

Thanks for the help.

Mechanic said the radiator was 'unflushable.' No explicit reason given. Last night they said that they would 'try and flush it' but if that didn't work that they would have to replace it. Combing through the forums some more it's clear that the radiator on a 1989 fj62 can be flushed. Right?

Transmission lost reverse and 3rd gear on Monday night. I think I read that those are both on the same clutch plate or something to that effect so it made since that I lost them both. Shifting was weird in-city in D so I stayed in 2nd without to many issues.

 

[ntsqd]

My guess is that they want to replace it because of the trans cooler. It may or may not be flushable. In racing circles the engine oil cooler gets tossed when an engine blows. At least on teams with a budget. Those without a budget flush, backwards flush, soak, flush some more, backwards flush some more, and then hope that they got all of the crud out. Doesn't always work.

You could go to an external cooler. Keep in mind that the cooler also does warming duties too when first started. Potentially you are playing with dragons there. Were you in the desert and dealing with a U.S. built trans I'd say "go for it." I've no knowledge of the FJ autos, and that makes me very cautious. The kind of cold weather you can have up there (though not necessarily in S-town proper) provokes caution in me too. I've blown a A/T cooler hose due to extreme cold.

You could try flushing the cooler and then install the filter pad & filter for an engine oil remote filter after the trans cooler. That should catch the junk that didn't flush out. Would want to change it at 300-500 miles, and then again at probably 1000 miles.
I don't know why more A/T's don't have this feature anyway. The Allison A/T behind the GM Dura-Max's is the only A/T that I know of with a spin-on fluid filter.

 

[jtreehorn]

Because this radiator is circulating more than one type of fluid, and you can't flush the whole radiator, just part of it? They suggested slapping a trans cooler on as a cheaper option but it's still prohibitively expensive.

 

[ntsqd]

It is usually very difficult to get all of the junk out of an oil cooler. And all it takes is to miss just a *tiny* bit and you've wasted the new parts too. That is why I suggested a spin-on oil filter after the (flushed) cooler.

What are they asking for in installing an external cooler? Depending on size a good cooler (either a stacked plate type or a headered tube & fin [NOT an 'S' curved tube in fins]) can run up to $100 by itself. A mechanic who cares about your radiator won't use those 'through the core' zip-tie mount thingies. Which means that some sort of mounting method has to be built.

 

[jtreehorn]

Asking $218 to install a cooler, which would be in addition to the original radiator (sans flush I guess?).

So should I also ask about adding that spin on oil filter to catch any crud that might be missed during a hypothetical flush?

Ideally I'd like them to flush the radiator and be done with it, at least for the sake of my pocketbook, and presuming that if I push back on the mechanic about the radiator they'll flush it. Having a new radiator would be awesome if I wasn't also having the transmission and transfer case worked on.

 

[RockDoc]

Okay, that makes sense, it's the ATF cooler they are leery about...

 

[jtreehorn]

The ATF cooler is different than the radiator, but they need a new radiator to address that issue? And ATF fluid can't be flushed from the radiator, even while the transmission is disconnected from everything?

 

[RockDoc]

The ATF cooler is different than the radiator, but they need a new radiator to address that issue? And ATF fluid can't be flushed from the radiator, even while the transmission is disconnected from everything?

The stock ATF cooler is a fluid to fluid heat exchanger WITHIN the radiator. I have no idea what the layout of it is within the rad, I can see it being plugged up being more of an issue than flushing the coolant part of the rad. But this is outside of any real knowledge I have.

 

[jtreehorn]

I'm beginning to see why this would be a problem, then. And why fixing up one's tranny just to pump it full of crud from your radiator would be a bad idea.

Without a professional power flush to dislodge the crap in the radiator though, couldn't I just drive it with the tranny cooler installed, or rather, drive it home, and plan on not driving it much this month, until liquidity allows me to purchase a new radiator next month?

 

[cruiser88]

You can have mine for 75 bucks plus the ride..its in great shape

 

[Texx]

You could always keep the stock radiator if it's not overheating, and install a large aftermarket trans cooler, for considerably less than a new Toyota radiator.

 

[ntsqd]

Float the filter in the cool fluid return line idea past your mechanic and see what he/she says, both on dollars and on ease of installation.

 

[jtreehorn]

Will definitely float that idea and see what they think, as well as lean towards the tranny cooler as an alternative to the radiator replacement. My radiator isn't overheating at all so far as I know of; all temp gauges have always been tip top.

 

[jtreehorn]

Thanks, everyone. I'm going ahead with the tranny cooler installed instead of a new radiator to cool of my rebuilt tranny + transfer case and will update as to how it's running. Also, I will be eating rice for the forseeable future and making a halloween costume out of cardboard and flat black spray paint.

 

[CruiseIn'Red88]

I think (I can double-check) I bought a Performance radiator (after reading up on them here) for (I think, can double-check on that too) $180 and put it in myself (first and last biggish project ever, and still very proud of it...). This was a year ago, no problems whatsoever since...

Homemade Halloween costumes are the way to go, everything else is a waste of money if not a downright perversion of the holiday. Same holds for the candy

 

[jvazquez53]

Asking $218 to install a cooler, which would be in addition to the original radiator (sans flush I guess?).

So should I also ask about adding that spin on oil filter to catch any crud that might be missed during a hypothetical flush?

Ideally I'd like them to flush the radiator and be done with it, at least for the sake of my pocketbook, and presuming that if I push back on the mechanic about the radiator they'll flush it. Having a new radiator would be awesome if I wasn't also having the transmission and transfer case worked on.

I don't know why $218 for install a cooler that takes about 15 minutes to install I done those before they are fairly inexpensive and are very easy to install

 

[ntsqd]

If the cooler is of any quality it is on the plus side of $50. If they do not use those "thru-the-radiator-core" zip-tie things (which should never be used!) then there is some time in fabricating the mounting bracket(s). Doesn't seem that unreasonable to me.