Radiator flushing / cleaning - NCRS Discussion Boards

Radiator flushing / cleaning

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  • Bob Lanham

    Radiator flushing / cleaning

    I figure the radiator in my 69 could use a good flushing/cleaning. Due to the problems of getting rid of the anti-freeze (I figured out my wife was not telling me the truth when she said it was just like lime Kool-aid) I was going to have Jiffy Lube due what they call a power flush. Basically they hook a machine up and empty the old out and put in new. I was going to have them put in Sierra Freeze since I have a lot of animals and if one of them gets to the anti-freeze, my wife will make sure I die an excruciatingly painful and slow death. Read in a book by Richard Newton (?) on 68-82s that you could clean the radiator by just putting dish washing soap in it and driving it, sounds crazy. Is there a product I could put in the radiator before the flush that won't eat a whole in my radiator and still clean the water passages? Or is there another way I should approach this? Thanks.
  • Jim T.
    Expired
    • March 1, 1993
    • 5351

    #2
    Re: Radiator flushing / cleaning

    Where I live I was told to just pour the used anti-freeze down the kitchen sink. A disposal of stuff like this is available once a year to get rid of paint and anything else harmful in my community for free. I know of garages that also just drain it into the same system that my kitchen sink connects to. Motor oil is not done this way, just take it to Auto Zone or Wal-Mart or any EXXON full service.

    Comment

    • Eric H.
      Expired
      • April 1, 1992
      • 55

      #3
      Re: Radiator flushing / cleaning

      Bob -

      Large industrial and power generation boilers are cleaned with tri-sodium phospate and soda ash. Light the fires and let it circulate. I don't remember the ratios at the moment, but have it available somewhere.

      So..., maybe using Tide is not so far fetched. I don't have a box handy but I'm guessing it's mostly tri-sodium phosphate. Don't know how this would effect the rubber hoses and seals (water pump).

      Ric

      Comment

      • Gary S.
        Extremely Frequent Poster
        • July 31, 1992
        • 1628

        #4
        Re: Radiator flushing / cleaning

        Bob, I have also read about putting a small amount of dishwashing soap in you radiator to clean it out. I haven't got the nerve yet to do it but it does sound intriguing. The author's contention is that this is like a power wash all on its own. I have had good luck with my Corvettes just draining and then filling with water and the radiator flush that Preston makes. I then run the engine until warm and flush. What ever you do, don't forget the block drains to insure that all of the flush is out. Gary 21316

        Comment

        • Christopher R.
          Extremely Frequent Poster
          • March 31, 1975
          • 1599

          #5
          Re: Radiator flushing / cleaning

          You have a drain petcock on your radiator. Drain the radiator into a container for disposal later. Then flush the system with clear water. Use lots of water. That will dilute the remaining antifreeze and make it harmless. Make sure you flush well. Flush the heater core. Remove the 2 drain plugs from the sides near the bottom of the block. Remove the thermostat. With all this flushing, you won't need to worry about any residual antifreeze.

          I wouldn't trust my car to those chain places. And I don't like the idea of putting some unknown chemical in there. Use 5 year antifreeze and distilled water.

          Comment

          • Mike Yager

            #6
            Re: Radiator flushing / cleaning

            I have used a prestone back flush kit in my 64 with good results. As long as you don't mind the flush valve spliced into one of your heater hoses, it makes a coolant flush and change easy. Regarding the capture of used coolant, here is what I do.

            1. Raise the front of the car. 2. Get a couple of old buckets handy. 3. Open radiator petcock and drain all coolant that flows out from gravity. This is usually a couple of buckets full. 4. Put coolant from buckets into a sealable container for recycling. I use a bunch of old, empty coolant containers for this. 5. Put empty buckets back under radiator drain 6. Take off radiator cap and put Prestone radiator attachment into top of radiator. I have clamped a piece of washing machine drain hose to the attachment. Its the prefect size. I put the other end in a bucket or container. 7. Hook up garden hose to flush valve and turn on hose. Start car. Turn on heater to circulate coolant through the core. 8. As the rest of the used coolant comes out, I fill various containers until the water is virtually clear. I usually end up with about 10 gallons from this process that are in the old prestone containers.

            To finish, shut oiff the hose and car and close up everything but the radiator cap and flush valve. Pour new coolant into the radiator until it begins to come out of flush valve. This will usually be right at the end of the second gallon, giving a nice 50/50 mix. While you are pouring the coolant in, it displaces water from the flush process.

            The result of all this is a closed loop flush with minimal to no impact on the environment. If you don't like the flush valve in your heater hose, make up a length with the valve and put it in for the flush process. Its easy enough to put in and out.

            I take the containers of used coolant to a recycling station where you dump the conatiners into a big tank, much as you do with motor oil. I then keep the containers for the next time.

            Comment

            • Duke W.
              Beyond Control Poster
              • January 1, 1993
              • 15610

              #7
              Re: Radiator flushing / cleaning

              Dishwashing liquid won't dissolve inorganic deposits. Check with the hazmat co-ordinator in your community - usually with the fire dept. If you are connected to a state-fo-the-art sewage treatment plant you can probably flush it down the toilet. As far as flushing is concerned use lots of water, be sure to remove both block drain plugs, and just use a commercially available flushing product, but make sure it is okay with aluminum, if you have any aluminum components on your engine (manifold) or cooling system (rad. and expansion tank).

              After a thorough flush and rinse use Havoline Extended life A/F (Dexcool).

              Duke

              Comment

              • Bob Lanham

                #8
                Disposal problem

                I have a septic tank and I figure the anti-freeze will not go well with it. I've tried contacting fire stations and local parts stores about recycling it with no luck.

                What about the Sierra anti-freeze, has anyone used it? My wife really gets on my back about anti-freeze and animals, so I want to give it a try.

                Comment

                • Duke W.
                  Beyond Control Poster
                  • January 1, 1993
                  • 15610

                  #9
                  Re: Disposal problem

                  Can't imagine a community today that cannot assist you with disposal. You do not want it to go into your septic system! Sierra is propylene glycol based, and GM DOES NOT recommend this for their cars.

                  Propylene gylcol is also toxic, but greater quantities must be consumed. Sierra would have you think you can mix it with gin and drink it. Their "environmental" marketing hype is bunk. I would only dispose of propylene glycol in the same way as ethylene glycol.

                  Call your city councilman or county supervisor. If you live in the western world there should be an organized disposal program in your community for common household hazardess material - used motor oil, paint, etc.

                  BTW, conventional brake fluid is polyglycol based and can be disposed of in the same manner as antifreeze. In my case, as a homeowner, I can flush it down the toilet, just like antifreeze because I an connected to a state-of-the-art sewage treatment plant.

                  Duke

                  Comment

                  • John H.
                    Beyond Control Poster
                    • December 1, 1997
                    • 16513

                    #10
                    Re: Sierra - Less Effective Coolant

                    Be aware that the Sierra "environmentally friendly" coolant is propylene glycol-based, not ethylene glycol-based, and all of our OEM testing indicates that it is about 10% less effective (at the same 50-50 concentration) as a heat transfer medium than conventional glycol-based coolant. If your cooling system is at all marginal (like most big-blocks are), it will be even more so with the Sierra propylene stuff. Just keep the pets out of the garage until you've cleaned everything up. There's a reason why we don't recommend it for high-peformance car applications.

                    Comment

                    • Chuck R.
                      Expired
                      • April 30, 1999
                      • 1434

                      #11
                      Re: Give a call

                      to your local radiator repair shop.

                      They will probably take it off your hands for no charge as long as it's not too poluted.

                      Chuck #32205

                      Comment

                      • John C.
                        Expired
                        • January 1, 2001
                        • 171

                        #12
                        Re: Sierra - Less Effective Coolant

                        Has anyone tried Sierra with Redline Water Wetter?

                        Comment

                        • Duke W.
                          Beyond Control Poster
                          • January 1, 1993
                          • 15610

                          #13
                          Re: Sierra - Less Effective Coolant

                          Sierra is a propylene glycol based antifreeze. It has less heat capacity than ethylene glycol, and GM does not recommend it. I use the new Dexcoool (Havoline Extended life) in all my cars - blended 50/50 with distilled water - no other additives.

                          Duke

                          Comment

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