Ok, so I had the radiator and Heater core boiled out at Sim's Radiator Service in Decatur, Ga. Very good work on the radiator and he painted the entire thing a good hard coat of matte black paint. The Heater core was apparently in perfect shape with no leaks. I'm not sure where I'm getting the smell of radiator fluid when I turn on the heater. Perhaps it's leaking in via a hole in an air hose. I'll replace the air tubes next chance I get. Cost was $150 for repair on the radiator and a test of the heater core.
Yesterday, I went and picked up the Radiator and heater core, then ran down to Fleet Pride and then Truck Pro (down near Conley) to get silicone Hose. Fleet Pride no longer carries it. Truck Pro does so I bought a 3 foot length of hose from them and a bunch of constant tension hose clamps that are compatible with silicone hoses. These are supposed to be stronger and yet LESS likely to break down due to wear and ozone cracking and the like. The Special hose clamps are required because the silicone hoses are softer and regular hose clamps chew them up. T-Bolt clamps are normally required but there are screw types as well for smaller sizes that have the same sort of guards to protect the hose. Squirt truck recommended using constant tension hose clamps with a spring. So I got 8 of those, all that the Truck Pro guys had. They cut the price by a few dollars each since I was buying all they had. I also picked up some SCA additives and some test strips so I can check my Deuce and Brigand's (Norman) 5 Ton Semi-tractor. Cost was $6 for the clamps and $45 for the 3' of Hose, Silicone, 2" ID, Blue (They were out of black).
Next I wanted to change the long molded radiator to block hose that's lower down to a hard tube and two short connectors using the Silicone hose. So I found a custom exhaust shop that could do the work. Drove there and they were closed. Confused, I called them back, apparently the owner, Paul (Pauls Custom Exhaust over in Snellville) answers his own phone. He was going by the shop that day (monday) so he said to wait around. I said I'd go over to Northern Tool to poke around. I bought some more spare hose clamps (regular t-bolt clamos) and a 1 13/16s combination wrench so I had something to hold the Air Compressor Pulley steady with while I used the special wrench. I popped over to Pauls shop (6 shops up from Northern Tool) and he made up a 2" pipe using the supplied molded hose. Cost was $35.
Next I ran home to start the work. Realizing I still needed some more clamps, I figured I'd try NAPA (in Tucker) and see what they had. Apparently they DO carry constant tension T-Bolts, much to the surprise to the older parts guy. He was dead certain they just got them but some of the boxes looked like they'd been there a while. They have all sorts of sizes too, up to like 5 and 6" diameter. Good to know.
So, I head home to start the work and get to installing hoses and such. Scissors make for better cuts of the hose once you get them started with a good sharp knife. I get the Air Compressor belt front pulley half off and go to install my spare belt since that one was showing some cracking on the inside and for some reason, the belt I have is the wrong bloody size. Too large. Good thing I never had a failure on the road. Oh, a Great bloody cheater bar that I use for tightening and loosening lug nuts is GREAT on the air compressor wrench. Much better than beating on the wrench with a hammer. So, back out for a replacement belt and get back and start getting that on.
The pipe replacement for the molded hose took a little bit of time to get sorted out. It was the right length and shape, BUT getting the hose on was tricky. The at the bottom needed to be about 4 fingers wide but I wanted to try longer before I cut more than necessary. This took some fitting to accomplish. The constant tension clamps are tricky to locate around the Down hose inside of the Alternator. But I think I have them arranged such that they won't interfere with that. Since the Pipe fitting doesn't have a ridge in it, I'm probably going to add a second set of clamps just for sanity's sake.
With the truck engine area mostly back together I turned my attention to the heater. Rather than just putting the core loose like in the case again, I got some pink foam insulation for cladding homes (I have some scraps laying around) and I got my foam cutting heated wire tool out. A bit of cutting and fitting and now the heater core has a nice baffle and foam insulation around it's bottom, sides and top to stop airflow going past that part of it. This way it should run a bit warmer going into the cab. I got that all mounted up. By 11pm last night I had everything back together save the heater hoses on the heater itself.
I still need to:
1. Find my damn radiator cap. I took it off at the radiator repair place and set it in the car or perhaps brought it back in the house when I got home. Now I can't find it.
2. Adjust the tension on the Air Compressor Pulley/Belt. I think I have it set, but I'll bump the engine over first to make sure.
3. Connect the Heater hoses
4. Fill the coolant system with the coolant I drained before. It's still good with MOST of it being proper coolant. I had drained and replaced it about 2 years ago and the quality still seems good.
5. Test drive
Oh, take some photos so you knuckle heads have something to look at.
...of that lower metal rad hose.