stuff to clean the cooling system

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Jan 19, 2003 | 08:03 AM

danzig74c

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Racer

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From: holland

stuff to clean the cooling system

is there some cleaning liquid to clean a cooling system ? its not for my corvette :bb but my normal car the old owner use to put water in the cooling system now its al rusty brauwn i flust 2 times whit normal cooling stuff but i hope there is a better way to do this ..

Jan 19, 2003 | 09:08 AM

flynhi

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Re: stuff to clean the cooling system (danzig74c)

I have read that using one tablespoon of regular clothes washing detergent (Tide) in your system for 50 miles or so will do a very good job at removig crud.

Jan 19, 2003 | 12:02 PM

danzig74c

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From: holland

Re: stuff to clean the cooling system (danzig74c)

realy ? it sound like a joke . but if it works and no bubbles coming out of my tailpipe i'm a happy man :D cheap sollution is that he liquid form or the white powder stuff ..

Jan 19, 2003 | 12:46 PM

Smokehouse69

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Re: stuff to clean the cooling system (danzig74c)

Either one will probably work, the US version of clothes detergent is purposely made not to produce suds. Something that would probably work just as well is dishwasher detergent.

Jan 19, 2003 | 01:11 PM

PRNDL

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From: Huntersville NC

I would NOT use clothes laundry detergent (designed to clean clothes). Dishwasher detergent such as Calgonite might be OK (Designed to clean metal pots and pans and stainless, and yes, glass and plates too). Some folks have reported success with CLR, although the manufacturers of this product to not recommend it for auto radiators. Other home remedies include vinegar.

MJ

Jan 19, 2003 | 01:39 PM

danzig74c

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From: holland

Re: (MNJack)

ahh i see and sould i flush the normal cooland away first and fill it up whit water to use the calgonite washing tablet ? or just trow it in the system while the cooland is still in .

Jan 19, 2003 | 03:06 PM

Smokehouse69

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Re: (danzig74c)

I'd flush it until it was clean with water, then use the dishwashing powder. Don't put a tablet in the system, crush it up first. Run it for an hour or so at hiway speeds, then let it cool, drain it and flush it again until clear water comes out. Then add your mixture of coolant and distilled water, a 50/50 mix of Prestone type ethylene glycol mixture will protect down to -34C. If it doesn't get that cold where you live then go with a 60% distilled water 40% coolant. In south Texas where I live it rarely gets below 0-C, so I run 25% coolant, the rest distilled water (plus one bottle of RedLine Water Wetter.)
Pure distilled water will cool better than coolant, but it doesn't provide lubrication for the water pump or prevent corrosion.
By the way, GM recommends that when completely flushing and replacing your coolant that you add GM coolant system sealer to the system. I just read that this morning in the users manual of my GM pickup. The GM sealer is just a form of Barr's Leak sealer, I think it is made of ground up walnut shells and aluminum power. So just about any brand of sealer would probably work.