Radiator cleaner

[bootguy]

So I flushed the radiator this past week (horrible) drained everything then back flushed. I could see that the radiator was filthy inside, so pulled the bottom hose and flushed again I could not believe the crap that came out. Put in Prestone "Cleaner" since it is supposed to be better than "Flush". Followed the directions but it is still not coming clean. The guy at napa said that since we have a high mineral content in the water to cap off the bottom outlet and top outlet and fill with plain vinegar. Claims is old school?? Any thoughts???

 

[MudderChuck]

The copper leaches out of the inside of the radiator electrolysis and/or chemically reacts with the coolant (acidic) and/or chemically binds with the minerals in the water. Experience tells me if you get it totally clean the copper passages may be much thinner than a new radiator. The clean radiator may not hold pressure or may spring leaks.
I only use distilled water for my coolant mixture, helps minimize mineral buildup. Distilled water isn't really very expensive and worth the price IMO.
Vinegar is actually pretty good for dissolving mineral deposits. It may disolve some of the copper also, depending on the concentration or if left in there too long. The trick is knowing when to stop. I've used it a lot on food processing machines and ice machines (mostly stainless steel). Vinegar is a mild acid (depending on the concentration), so is antifreeze or most radiator cleaners.
I'd buy a new radiator, in my experience they don't last forever anyway. Electrolysis and acid on the inside and even bacteria and pollution on the outside eventually eat them up.

 

[SteelHeadz]

X2, if the radiator is old , it may spring some leaks if the vinegar sits too long but it does work even on coffee machines. If the crap coming out is a rusty color and you know that there's a freeze plug on the block that can be easily accesed to be removed and replaced, now is the time to pull it off and stick a water hose in it. Most of the rusty contamination found in the radiator is from the casting media used on the engine block during manufacture. They sit on the bottom of the block around the cylinder walls with in the cooling system and eventually breaks down and circulate. After a while the metal particles will rust thus, giving that rust color in the coolant. It's a lot easier to clean out from the freeze plug hole rather than through the water pump hoses.

 

[54cj3b]

vinegar works good for a good flush if done once a year from new but not recomended on old radiators that havent seen many flushes take it to radiator shop thell boil it out and fix any leaks cost is about 50 bucks older radiators will deteriorate if they were never taken care of on normal basis or if you must just run a hose in it till it runs clean but that wont solve any blockage issues just clean s out most of the crap

better safe than sorry

 

[bootguy]

I am pulling out the Thermostat and then flush/clean with prestone one more time, then trying the vineagar and see what happens. If it goes south on me it just means a new radiator. I dont have any heat problems just do not like dirty cooling system. just a perfectionist (my wife says anal retentive) will let you all know

 

[JohnnyO]

A radiator shop can soak it in some stuff and clean it out better and pressure flush it. Problem is, as mentioned, that cleaning it real good can cause leaks. A shop that used to be near me would do that. I took one to them years ago and it worked out fine. (Their building got hit by a microburst or small tornado and they didn't open up again.)

 

[bootguy]

I filled with straight vinegar let it sit for 1 hour. Then ran the jeep for 30 minutes at idle, just so you know, running the vehicle with straight vinegar IT REALLY SMELLS BAD when draining. Makes everything look like new.