My favorite radiator shop

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I recently bought a '94 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 with a utility bed and pipe rack, a combination that I like, as this will be the truck I drive to work. I have the receipts for the remanufactured engine and transmission, and I thought this truck would be less trouble than it has been so far. I noticed that it has a tendency to run a little on the hot side, so I figured eventually I would have to do some work on the cooling system.

As you probably know, it's been stupid hot in So Cal for a couple of weeks now, with the result that I've been driving this truck with the heater on full blast to keep it from overheating. Driving with the heater on in 100+ degree weather can be a little... uncomfortable. Yesterday, after I worked a few hours, the radiator guy said he could fit me in, even though it was 11:00 am, and he closes at 1:00 on Saturdays.

Cut to the chase, this is a small outdoor shop, and I was able to watch the guy do the radiator work. I've never seen anyone do such thorough work on anything. It's a plastic/aluminum radiator, so he took one of the tanks off after flow-testing the radiator, and began rodding it. The guy doing the work, who has been there at least 20 years, brought the radiator over to show me. His English wasn't good, and my Spanish isn't great, but I understood that he was showing me that the core was clogged with silicone, presumably left over from the engine assembly. It was pretty large, hardened bits, i.e., the silicone wasn't introduced into the radiator in an uncured state, but washed into it from the engine. He was able to restore approx. 90% flow, which is plenty to prevent overheating. The boss told me it was about 55% clogged when he started. Even though it was after closing by this time, the technician continued blowing out and flushing the radiator until he was satisfied, dried it with an enormous torch, painted the tank he had removed, then reassembled the radiator, leak tested it, dried it again, and painted the entire assembly. They also cleaned out my recovery tank (looks new), and fixed a leak on the coolant recovery hose.

I've been using this shop for well over 20 years, and I don't know why I'd go anywhere else for cooling system work. Prices aren't cheap, but they are very fair, IMO. The cost for the above, including removal and re-installation in my truck was $255.00. For another $160 he would have re-cored the radiator, but the core and tanks (Modine) looked pretty good to me.

It's going to be nice to be running the AC instead of the heat.
 
I'm amazed for the amount of time invested in cleaning that core out they didn't just offer the replacement core right off the bat.
Truck runs better anyway. Never understood how anyone builds anything with all that silicone.
 
Most all of the local radiator shops have closed down around here, but there is one still open that is getting a lot of business because he simply gets the job done and his prices are reasonable. The last work that I had him do was a full re-core for a '71 Chevy C90 with a Detroit 6-71. He also gets all of the area ag business. This guy is also skilled enough that he completely hand-built a radiator for a Ford car that predates the Model A and Model T and was shipped off to California resident who now has the car in a museum.
 
Guy has niche. Fixing Farm machinery. Last all metal radiator, I bought new was around 300$, 20 yrs ago. I stopped using RTV after I found it in the radiator. Earliest Ford production car was a Model N and very scarce.
 
Originally Posted By: andyd
Earliest Ford production car was a Model N and very scarce.


It has been a couple of years since he mentioned it to me and I don't recall the model. I did see his work and it was museum quality, though.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Chris142
..just for fun you can see me @:14 https://youtu.be/5yG4zxz8CvE


Are you standing on a box of dynamite ?? .....
lol.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Chris142
You have a metal radiator in that truck? I wonder where he is getting a core for $160or less? My cost on a core is in the $300+ range..just for fun you can see me @:14 https://youtu.be/5yG4zxz8CvE


Have you guys ever made a 2 or 3 row radiator with an internal ATF and engine oil cooler?

I can think of one local radiator shop here.. Seems to stay pretty busy.
 
Which engine does your 1994 Dodge Ram 2500 have ?

NAPA has four radiators for that truck and the most expensive one is $252.89.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Which engine does your 1994 Dodge Ram 2500 have ?

NAPA has four radiators for that truck and the most expensive one is $252.89.


God bless common sense.
 
Originally Posted By: Charlie2015
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Which engine does your 1994 Dodge Ram 2500 have ?

NAPA has four radiators for that truck and the most expensive one is $252.89.


God bless common sense.


That was my thought too - wouldn't a new radiator have been less expensive?
 
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Originally Posted By: Chris142
You have a metal radiator in that truck? I wonder where he is getting a core for $160or less? My cost on a core is in the $300+ range..just for fun you can see me @:14 https://youtu.be/5yG4zxz8CvE


Have you guys ever made a 2 or 3 row radiator with an internal ATF and engine oil cooler?

I can think of one local radiator shop here.. Seems to stay pretty busy.
many gm trucks use that setup. New tanks are getting hard to find.
 
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Originally Posted By: Chris142
You have a metal radiator in that truck? I wonder where he is getting a core for $160or less? My cost on a core is in the $300+ range..just for fun you can see me @:14 https://youtu.be/5yG4zxz8CvE


Have you guys ever made a 2 or 3 row radiator with an internal ATF and engine oil cooler?

I can think of one local radiator shop here.. Seems to stay pretty busy.
many gm trucks use that setup. New tanks are getting hard to find.


Can old tanks be re-used?
 
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Originally Posted By: Chris142
You have a metal radiator in that truck? I wonder where he is getting a core for $160or less? My cost on a core is in the $300+ range..just for fun you can see me @:14 https://youtu.be/5yG4zxz8CvE


Have you guys ever made a 2 or 3 row radiator with an internal ATF and engine oil cooler?

I can think of one local radiator shop here.. Seems to stay pretty busy.
many gm trucks use that setup. New tanks are getting hard to find.


Can old tanks be re-used?
yes. Thats a recore. Putting old tanks on a new core
 
Originally Posted By: hpb
Originally Posted By: Charlie2015
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Which engine does your 1994 Dodge Ram 2500 have ?

NAPA has four radiators for that truck and the most expensive one is $252.89.


God bless common sense.


That was my thought too - wouldn't a new radiator have been less expensive?
the price included labor to take the rad in and out
 
I'd rather have a re-cored radiator if it'd be more like the OE part than aftermarket. This has more common sense than buying whatever is cheapest..
 
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