DeTomaso Mailing List: May 1997, Message #193
     



From: DtomasoCat@aol.com

Subject: Fwd: Cooling

Date: Wed, 7 May 1997 20:10:03 -0400 (EDT)



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Forwarded message:

Subj:    Re: Cooling

Date:    97-05-07 20:04:07 EDT

From:    DtomasoCat

To:      francdj@texaco.com



Don,



I also have a stock radiator in my Pantera.  In fact my last Pantera also had

a stock setup for the radiator.  I personally feel that the best thing you

can do for a stock radiator that is causing problems is to remove the unit

and take it to your local radiator shop and have it "rod & vatted".  In this

procedure, the radiator is completely taken apart and the core is, for lack

of a better word, "drilled" out.  The individual tubes running through the

core are cleaned out and then the entire unit is treated to an acid bath.

This does wonders for your radiator in that it is so thorough in it's

cleaning process, you literally get a "new" radiator back.  All the so called

"radaitor flushes in the world can to what this process does.  Much of the

problem inside a radiator stems from corrosion clogging the cooling passages

through the core anyway.



I had this done to my first Pantera after I had a baffle inside the radiator

let go.  It allowed water to enter the radiator and let it go right back out

without going through the core.  Your car will definitley run hot under these

conditions!  Anyway, I removed the radiator from the Pantera (a very simple

task) and took it to my radiator shop.  They rod & vatted it and repaired the

baffle, pressure tested it and it cost me a whopping $35!  OK, so it was back

in 1988, but it cant be much more expensive to do today.  I ran cheap

Autozone fans ($60 each) and I never had a problem with it ever again.  It

does get very warm here in New Mexico and believe me it sure got tested!



Hope this helps!



Jim Demick

1971 Pantera (the best car I've ever owned)

1997 Viper GTS (just fer gitten groceries)

McClaren F1 (for when I'm in Europe at my Villa)

Guara (in case the McClaren breaks down)

See guys!!  I can do it too!!!!!