Cleaning radiator ( AND ENGINE INSIDE )

[Nacho-RT74]

Down here in Venezuela is/was VERY tipical use water instead coolant on old cars. I made that mistake since I rebuilt my engine ( 20K miles ago )... I decided change to Coolant. BUT OF COURSE, everything needs to be DEEPLY cleaned. I have heard about use some MURIATIC ACID with the water running for some minutes inside cooling system and then bleed everything to use coolant.

Ok, my next question would it be... DO YOU KNOW iF I CAN GET SOME DAMAGE around making this ? hoses ? head gasket ( not metalic ) ? overflow bottle ?

How much acid ? one glass ? two glasses ? more ?

How much time ?

I think I have asked about this LOOONG time ago, but never got an answer.

[Nacho-RT74]

NOBODY ?

[dodgecharger-fan]

I'd back-flush it (run water through the system in reverse) and then run something like this through the system:
http://www.orisonmarketing.com/corrosion/ercsc/ercsc.html
I'm sure there's other places that sell it too. That's just the first link I found.

[quapman]

I found this info on a Chevy site:

http://www.automotivehelper.com/topic403095.htm

Sounds like a base (neutralizer) is needed after the acid flush. Baking soda is a base, but I don't know if it would work.

[Silver R/T]

I'd back-flush it (run water through the system in reverse) and then run something like this through the system:
http://www.orisonmarketing.com/corrosion/ercsc/ercsc.html
I'm sure there's other places that sell it too. That's just the first link I found.

4) Start engine and allow engine to run with heater on for 1 - 2 hours.
How are you supposed to do that? Can you drive with that stuff in the system?

[kab69440]

When I picked up this DD Jeep Cherokee, the coolant was more mud than liquid. I flushed as much as I could with the old garden hose and then started filling with distilled water and a quart of muriatic. I drained and refilled once a week for most of a summer. When it started staying clean, I went to just distilled water for 3 weeks(still flushing and refilling on a weekly basis). I drained and refilled with distilled water and green coolant(half and half). Five years later, it's still shiny and green, and never overheats. I NEVER use any water except distilled for filling a cooling system. There's too much crap disolved in anything else.

P.S. As Silver suggested, leave the heater running despite the outside temperature. The heater core needs cleaned out too.

[ACUDANUT]

 In your case I would drain the water out of your radiator, then fill it with  "C L R" or vinigar, then drive or let it run for 30-45 mins. Then, FLUSH it out.  BEST KEPT SECRET OUT THERE. No BS 

[Nacho-RT74]

my heater nipples are sealed, No need for heater useage down here, at least in my city.

I flushed as much as I could with the old garden hose and then started filling with distilled water and a quart of muriatic. I drained and refilled once a week for most of a summer.

never got a damage on gaskets, hoses or plug on engine when making that... right ?

Wow... for a week!!! never though on was posible that long time.

[kab69440]

Nope. And it went on with fresh distilled water and acid for a couple of months, while driving a half hour one-way to and from work. This block was all but plugged with scale and crap. After the cleaning, I did end up replacing the rad, though. Apparently, the only thing keeping the core from leaking was all that garbage plugging up several pinholes.

[TylerCharger69]

As far as muriatic acid goes.....I would NOT recommend flushing with the engine in the car.  It WILL weaken your hoses, freeze plugs, probably not good for your radiator, and I'm sure it will soften the overflow bottle to a degree.  It may also cause thermostat failure, gasket failure, water pump seal failure.....Anyway....there are safer products to use. As was said before....I'd backflush first and use a proven flush agent. Muriatic acid is extremely costic.  Now....if the engine was out and dismantled....then it wouldn't hurt to give it a cleaning that way (with new freeze plugs waiting afterward).  Take a little bit and pour some on concrete and see what it does and you'll get an understanding of what it's capable of.  It WILL remove rust  and I do mean remove!!!!

[TylerCharger69]

Oh...I forgot to add....don't breathe the smoke and fumes it produces and make sure no one is in the immediate area...especially if kids are around!!  It is really some serious stuff!!!

[Nacho-RT74]

hehe, yes don't worry.

already did the job about 3 weeks ago, just run the acid ( one liter, rest water ) on engine by 30 minutes or so, then flushed and refill with coolant.

I'm still getting DIRTY coolant at this moment... maybe still some small ammount of acid inside... nice because if it is that the reason then is very light ammount working. I used a cheap coolant anyway to make a quick replacement on next days with a new and better coolant.

On Moparts ( asked about this there too ) somebody was running by TWO MONTHS or so, muriatic acid, changing weekly up to get a clean coolant mix inside the system

[TylerCharger69]

Well...when I was younger, I had a Olds 442.  I was told then to use muriatic acid to help flush out deposits.  After about a month, my freeze plugs started to fail, thermostat failed, and my hoses weakened showing me serious swelling around the clamps.  I only had the acid in the car for about 3 days, and was a weak mixture.  My water pump started to leak......It was a disaster.  It completely disintegrated the rubber seals.  You may not see any immediate affects, but in the long run....things will start to go south.  Just my experience.  That's why companies have developed certain products for that exact application. 

[Nacho-RT74]

Nice!!! thanks for the warning!!!