I thought you could. I called this one rad shop and he said "the only thing I can do is replace, If its got a plastic expansion tank its crap anyway" I politely biting my tongue told him thanks.

 

The good part about a D1 is the metal sides, so it can be rodded or cored cheaper than a D2 with the plastic sides. I will suggest that at 176K you need a radiator. I wouldn't mess with flushing or rodding, just replace it if you are going to keep your truck. I spent a bunch, as others did, trying to find another source, and the truth is, it is probably the radiator. The vanes are small anyway, and people tend to put stop leak in to cure the head gasket problems. It will clog the rad and overheat. I got to where I was ok until it hit 100 outside. It would start to go up, but come right back if I turned the a/c off. I finally pulled the trigger on a new one and it hasn't budged since.

this is just my experience, but it looks similar to me..

cheers

 

I had good luck on rodding out because I went to a small indy shop on the edge of the farm side of town, he does tractors, bull dozers, etc., and makes his boat payment on the big things. Acid flush out, rod out, soldered up some questionable spots - $65. Had to take radiator to him, which is a piece of cake once you learn how to remove the fan clutch.

 

For ten years my D1 has run at horizontal. It has gotten hot a bunch of times but has never run at 1/4.

 

Savannah, I did the same. I went to an indie that does tractors and 18 wheelers. He does small stuff on the side. I took the rad in to him and they pressure tested it in the tank and then shot acid through it. Mine didn't need rodding fortunately. Mine was actually in remarkably good shape. It was one of the few things the PO didn't screw up.

 

And I agree with others that D1's can run at various spots on the guage, because it is not very calibrated. What is the eye opener is hooking up a scanner and seeing that you can be at 207 degrees and the guage show 1/3.... don't want to know what mine was when it got to 3/4 one day!

 

Thank you Savannah!
What are the rads made out of?? Copper? This rad shop I may take it to wants to know.
Is that a bad sign that he wants to know?

 

No, it is a good sign. It is an all brass and copper design, and the "tanks" are soldered on. There is a tranny cooler on one side, and an oil cooler on the other. A radiator with the plastic (nylon) tanks is less re-workable, the plastic can get small holes, which some people fix by melting a zip-tie and squishing it into the hole (good fix for out on the trail - not so good if you are headed to Daytona) but with age the plastic usually starts to crack, and it is time to replace.

Be sure to replace the fill plug at the top with a brass 1/2" NPT plug, about $2 at hardware store.

It is important to note that your eventual temp guage reading may not match my photo, but understand that the gauge is not very precise, you can have quite a change in temp with a very small movement on the guage. Once you have it back together, check your temp with something else (IR thermometer, scanner if available and compatible) to be sure. Once you know what norm is, be cautious if above normal. Rovers may be "built for Borneo" but they do not like to overheat.

 

Thanks savannah,
I will tell them that. What do you think about installing a after market water temp gauge and keep the factory one as well?? Just a thought.

 

There have been posts on the forum of members who have installed extra instruments; oil pressure, voltage, temperature are popular ones. Some prefer mechanical guages (if oil, you'll want a plastic sampling tube, not metal - conducts engine noise). I think I saw a photo of a guage pod that went on the driver's roof pillar.

Some install a mounted scan tool (don't know how much that device runs).

But the main thing is getting you cooled off. And once normal, you'll know where to keep the guage.