Coolant System Experiment..How to clean it out?

[320touring]

So my new 306 has a "supahmanky" cooling system like so:

 

 

as part of the service I'm plqnning to do at the weekend I'll be flushing out the system and replacing the thermostat.

 

I'll have access to a hose so can flush it through ok, but given the level of gunk I'm thinking I'll want to add something to get it back to sparkly..

 

In a mildly mental moment, I'm considering using soda crystals added to the coolant.

 

Plan would be to

 

open header tank and put in the crystals.

 

let the car get up to operating temp.

 

switch off and drain the coolant out.

 

Rinse through thoroughly with hose.

 

Refill with antifreeze/water and bleed up.

 

 

Has anyone done this previously? Am I aff mah heid?

 

ta

[Eddie Honda]

How about some sodium metasilicate pentahydrate mix first followed by a mix citric acid powder

 

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/general-mercedes-benz/2395537-anyone-used-mercedes-citric-acid-cooling.html

 

Should finish up lemon-fresh

 

or if you can't be arsed searching for that, washing powder or dishwasher powder. Might get a bit foamy though.

[Rocket88]

Daz................it does work............

[mrcitroen]

What about the flushing fluid you can buy for central heating systems?

 

Citric acid would work as it only touches the corrosion and leaves sound metal alone. But something in my vague memory banks says that it may be dodgy with aluminium.

[Mr A Lawrence]

Drop a dishwasher tablet in the tank, top up with clean water and run up to temp for a bit then flush out and refill with coolant mixture.

 

Works a treat!!

[CHRIS1980]

I used a bottle of cooling system cleaner I got from halfrauds and used it to good effect in my Dads crossflow powered kit car.

[sutty2006]

Daz................it does work............

 

Was going to suggest this also. We use it on trucks!

[320touring]

Thanks all chaps!

 

Like the dishwasher tablet idea:)

[sierraman]

Fernox

[Slartibartfast]

I've heard the dishwasher tab idea before but apparently you should be careful to get one of the tablets that's just detergent, not one of the fancy 3-in-one things.

[320touring]

I'll bear that in mind cheers

[beko1987]

If I'd have kept the XM any longer I would have run it with washing powder in it for a few days, the cooling system was always oily, but never excessive nor noticable to the oil level so I left it alone, but the cooling system was minging

[scaryoldcortina]

Biological washing powder > dishwasher tablets.

[beko1987]

Matey bubble bath, so when it does eventually pressurise and OMGHGF itself you can have a foam party at the side of the road whilst you wait for a tow. Plus the people caught in the tailback wont be as angry when they pass you as they will wet themselves...

[martc]

is the engine aluminium or has aluminium parts in contact with the coolant?

 

If any aluminium is present DO NOT use sodium metasilicate, dish washer tablets or washing powder (or caustic soda or oven cleaner).

 

They are all alkaline and will dissolve the aluminium!

[320touring]

is the engine aluminium or has aluminium parts in contact with the coolant?

 

If any aluminium is present DO NOT use sodium metasilicate, dish washer tablets or washing powder (or caustic soda or oven cleaner).

 

They are all alkaline and will dissolve the aluminium!

Any XUD EXPERTS care to comment?

 

ta!

[Lacquer Peel]

Alloy head, iron block.

[320touring]

Alloy head, iron block.

Hmmmmm

 

What do we reckon if its only in there for 10-15 mins then flushed out?

 

or is it not worth the risk?

[darkfour]

Use white vinegar

[Eddie Honda]

Depends on the concentration. If it's (sodium metasilicate) piss-weak it isn't going to vaporise an engine before your eyes.

 

Besides, the suggestion was to follow up with big flushing and citric acid, that would neutralise anything left.

 

As regards to anything else found in the cupboard under the sink, it's all piss-weak. It's fupping difficult or hassle to get your mitts on decent chemicals these days.

 

Crack on 320touring. AND NO SLACKING!

[Lacquer Peel]

I flushed out the manky coolant in my Cavalier TD with plain water til it ran clear, I think I chucked a bottle of coolant flush in beforehand but it worked okay. Not as fun as an explosion of Sainsbury's Basics washing powder though.

[Junkman]

First of all, whenever somebody has maintained his cooling system, it malfunctioned afterwards.

So I recommend not to touch it.

 

Secondly, if you put whatever into the expansion tank, you can leave it out just as well. It has to go directly into the radiator.

I use dishwasher tablets, but I recommend not to touch the cooling system.

[garbaldy]

The man of junk speaks many truth's.

I've seen the exact same thing so I would flush it with water and refill,

the pics of the rusty orange explosion suggest a very poorly maintained car, I have only twice found that colour water in an engine and both times they gave me grief.

[Eddie Honda]

CLEAN! CLEAN! CLEAN!

[320touring]

I'll not be maintaining;)

 

car is fuckin freezin with the failed thermostat - so need to change it and may as well sort the coolant out too.

 

I think I'll do it with plain water first then if needed try the alternative..

[beko1987]

Isnt it too cold in volvoshire to run on just plain water?

 

Even just a basic flush/few days running around to clean it up a bit would help though, I wouldnt want to run a new thermostat in all that shit

[320touring]

Isnt it too cold in volvoshire to run on just plain water?

 

Even just a basic flush/few days running around to clean it up a bit would help though, I wouldnt want to run a new thermostat in all that shit

i mean flush with plain water first!

 

it'll be running antifreeze when cleaed and thermostat is done

[derskine]

Back flush with water, I just jammed a hose in the top rad hose and left it for a couple of hours.

[Eddie Honda]

CHICKEN! CHICKEN! CHICKEN!

[Christine]

Depends on the concentration. If it's (sodium metasilicate) piss-weak it isn't going to vaporise an engine before your eyes.

 

Besides, the suggestion was to follow up with big flushing and citric acid, that would neutralise anything left.

 

As regards to anything else found in the cupboard under the sink, it's all piss-weak. It's fupping difficult or hassle to get your mitts on decent chemicals these days.

 

 

Not for cooling systems here ,but  caustic soda is freely available in B&Q .. just sayin' like  ..