Vinegar
 

I see that a few guys have filled there cooling system with vinegar and run the car for a couple of weeks then drain it out to clean the rust out of the engine. Would it work just to clean the radiator, say I plugged the inlet and oulet and filled the rad with vinegar and left it for a few days then drained it out and flush it with a garden hose? Would it clean the tubes and not hurt the sorder? Thanks Walt

Re: Vinegar
 

Hey Walt, I did just that a few weeks ago before I reinstalled my new engine in my 40. I didnt block off the inlet and outlet, I just laid it across a pair of sawhorses with the inlets and outlets sticking up . Filled it up with white vinegar and let it sit for a week then I dumped it out and flushed it with a mixture of water and baking soda . A good bit of rusty water flushed out when I finished but it didnt do as good as I had hoped. Maybe running it and getting it hot with the vinegar in there would do better.

Re: Vinegar
 

Use Lemon juice

Re: Vinegar
 

I found this in a food recipe forum -
Quote "What's the difference between lemon juice and vinegar?
The most significant difference between lemon juice and vinegar is the type of acid. Lemon juice is on average five to six percent citric acid. Vinegar, on the other hand, is comprised of acetic acid. In terms of percentage, it depends on the vinegar. White vinegar tends to have seven percent acetic acid, which is a higher level than other vinegars. Slightly milder vinegars, such as balsamic and red wine vinegar, have about six percent, and a relatively mild rice wine vinegar is around four and a half percent (none of which you would use for ricotta). In terms of PH, vinegar is slightly more acidic than lemon juice."

To me it is bit confusing but to those who understand acids, it might make reasonable sense. I would use muriatic acid myself. MHO

Re: Vinegar
 

Would it better to use a substance with high alkalinity instead of vinegar or any acid?

Re: Vinegar
 

19Fordy, by no means am I a chemist or kemest, so what is the difference, for my understanding if no one elses, between vinegar and alkalinity liquids?

Re: Vinegar
 

Just a side thought: If I filled my radiator with vinegar and it leaks onto my lawn, along with the slight amount of oil coming through the cotter pin hole on the back of my oil pan, would that constitute making a salad?

Re: Vinegar
 

Well, I think that would depend upon what kind of 'greens' your lawn consisted of. For instance, my lawn is full of dandelions....yummy in a salad with vinegar/oil!

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I used vinegar in my system and it worked great. I would think it would work well in just the radiator and not do any damage.

Re: Vinegar
 

I clean out my system with Epsom Salts. It's thorough but mild, and doesn't taste bad at all.

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When I was in auto shop in school in the 60's our teacher said to clean out rust from the cooling system use a product that used to be sold as a bathroom cleaner "SANI FLUSH". He said you better have a good radiator!

Re: Vinegar
 

Walt Google cascade dishwasher soap to clean cooling systems,lots of info.

R

Re: Vinegar
 

I used saniflush or Bowl brite to clean rusty river water inlet screens on fire pumps at the refinery I used to work in.They were stainless and came out looking new! I dont think I would use either product in a radiator, they are pretty harsh.
Tony

Re: Vinegar
 

Here's what I have used on many cooling systems that is not acid and is specifically made for cleaning cooling systems:
http://www.prestone.com/sites/defaul...or_cleaner.png

Read more about it here: http://www.prestone.com/products/print/379?popup=1

Just did mine before my recent Rocky Mountain High Road trip (https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=83966) followed by back flushing as demonstrated here: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=83557. Cleaned it up good.

Re: Vinegar
 

Henry, just when everyone was having a good discussion, you had to go and get sensible on us!

Re: Vinegar
 

Had a slight heat problem & could see through the radiator neck small flakes of rust were partly blocking the tubes, some of which were removed by back flushing with water. To test the water so to speak,I put some muratic acid in a small container with some scrap solder & fragments of brass & copper from a junk radiator to see what if any adverse results might result with no problems. At this point I chose to remove the radiator, blocked the hose outlets & filled it with a gallon of straight muratic acid. After an hour or so removed the acid, water flushed & again refilled with the filtered acid, repeated this proceedure several times with great results. While it was obvious the rust flakes were coming from the engine I chose to flush the engine using only water, as over the years have found cleaners can lead to water pump leakage. I did however placed a stainless filter screen in the radiator hose neck made & formed from a small kitchen flour sifter, This enabled an easy periodic check & will keep fragments from repeat tube blockage. After several checks to see if in fact the screen was becoming blocked I intended to remove it,however after several lengthly outings & no problems the screen is still in place & no heat problems to date. Take care, Ron Baker

Re: Vinegar
 

Wood bleach, which is oxalic acid. Used to be an ingredient in radiator flushes.
http://www.woodfinishsupply.com/OxalicAcid.html

Can be obtained in hardware stores, just make sure it has the OA, as some bleaches have other ingredients.

Re: Vinegar
 

I've used muratic acid for years on old carbs that had all that white carroation in the bottom of the float bowl. I'd hold the carb with a pair of vise grips, have a bucket of water beside you, pour the acid in the float bowl and it would boil and fiss for less than a min, dump out the acid and slosh the float bown around the pail of water. It cleans all that white corrotion out nice. BUT, I'd be afraid to put that in the radiator. But I used it full strenth. Maybe if it was deluted with water. Walt

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Years ago everyone used Okite from the grocery store but they outlawed it. This was used to wash dirty cloths and it worked great. G.M.

Re: Vinegar
 

I use soda ash Used in swimming pools, be sure to mix with water to disolve, I use one heaping cup.