Oddball Question re: Radiator storage

[d.hitchcock]

I had to replace my radiator recently, and I had the old one "rodded out" and rebuilt by a local radiator shop.

I told the guy I would be saving it as a spare. He told me that if I was going to store it, I should store it with coolant in it, adding "otherwise it will rot from the inside out."

He's got decades in the business. I didn't want to start an argument, or even appear to do so.

But ... REALLY? This sounds crazy to me. What is the consensus here?

[Carlos_M]

they told me the same thing when I had mine upgrade to a 3 core.  They said there is no way to get all of the water out of it after they pressure test it and it would be best to keep it full of coolant and plug the lines.  If you think you can dry it out... go for it.  

 

Better safe than sorry.

 

Carlos...

[stapler123]

Maybe if you have it in the car. Storing it with coolant vs water. Yeah. 

Other than that though. I've never bought a new radiator and had to drain the coolant off it of despite it sitting in a parts house for 10 years. 

[Hans]

I just taped over the holes and put a couple or old floor mats on the side

[JohnS]

I flushed mine out with water, drained it as best I could.  Then let bake in the hot sun for about a week during the day, then  back in the garage each night.  Then taped up the inlet and outlet pipes with that blue painter's type tape.  Stored it in the cardboard box that my new radiator came shipped in.

 

Edited August 15, 2022 by JohnS

[JerryC]

Cover up the holes to keep spiders and critters from making nests inside there.

Jerry

[TobyB]

I suspect it's the cleaning fluid- 

 

it's caustic.  It'll eat lead.  And probably copper, given time.

 

Me, I'd hose the thing good-n-proper, and give it the John S treatment,

 

and not think about it again.

 

t

 

[Mike Self]

I've had a half dozen radiators (BMW, Renault and Fiat) lurking in my attic and basement for some few years--never thought about covering the openings to prevent critter intrusion, but when I've taken 'em out to use, they all pressure tested OK after being stored dry, so that must work too.  Regardless I'd hose 'em out before using just in case they were being used as critter homes.  

 

I've also examined cars that had been sitting for 15 + years with coolant in the system, and all was well with both the radiator and engine...so apparently both ways work OK.

 

mike