Some advice please....

[John Deere Addict]

I think I know the answer but I'd like some opinions. I'm in the middle of giving my old B a restoration. I have a lot of it tore down to clean up all the years of dirt, grease, etc. It is pretty much done and ready for paint but yesterday I had the airhose in hand getting rid of a little dust here and there when I noticed some in the radiator I missed before....so standing in front of the B I gave a couple of blasts of air into the front of the radiator to clean it out when I looked around to the motor I noticed the rag I had stuck in the carbureator side of the manifold had fell out. :fing20:
My question: do I take a chance no dust got in the manifold and proceed...do I remove the manifold and clean it ...or do I give myself a good kick in the arse and tear it down further. I can't be sure any dust got in it, and I can't be sure it didn't.

[Argee]

What do you think may have gotten in there?? I guess if youve gone this far with it pulling the manifold is not a big deal. It'll give you "Peace of Mind" knowing that it's clean.

[sixchows]

Do you have a real strong shop vac? Maybe just hold it over the opening for a few minutes.
Why blow air from the front of the radiator towards the engine? First, chances are you will impact the debris further into the fins and cause damage. If the debris is on the front of the radiator as it normally would be, blowing from behind the radiator will force it back out the front.
There is a nice radiator wand you can buy. It hooks up to your garden hose and makes a an adjustable stream of pressurized water to flush out the fins. It's thin enough and long enough to work on just about any radiator, car, truck, or tractor.
If you decide to pull the manifold. Examine the bolts first. Make sure they don't look like that might snap off. It's hard to tell sometimes until you try but can happen.
I would try the vacuum, change the oil, etc.

[John Deere Addict]

Randy, I was thinking I might have gotten some dust in there.
Sixchows, The shopvac is a good idea, in fact I have a dust collector for my woodworking shop that is even better (lots more suction). I had previously shot the air from the back of the radiator forward when I cleaned it the first time, as you suggest, its just that as I was walking in front of the B I noticed a couple of spots I had missed earlier and thought that little bit wouldn't matter much.
Thanks!