Series 3 Best way to clean out the cooling system
- Thread starter Petemate
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rob1miles
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Do you know what muck is in it and where? If its furred up like a kettle then central heating descaler works, this can also dissolve iron deposits, you can run with it in for a few weeks then power flush by connecting a garden hose to one of the engine connections (with a home made adaptor). If its dirt in the block you may have to take the core plugs out and jet wash it then put new plugs in, they are very cheap. Fernox gave me some good advice when I had a Merc with a furred up alloy head, they said they had worked with the RR owners club on descaling older Rolls with alloy heads. The indutrial powerflush heating cleaners are seriously strong acids, (phosphorcic I beleve) and will clear most things, but you need to get it all out and you should probably neutralise it with an alkali flush too. Not a sucess if the system is clean but the heater falls apart a month later!
Thanks for the reply. It is just like dirt in there but when I've undone the engine block drain plug before it's dribbled a little bit gunk out that then seeped some bright yellow stuff. There no coolant going through the heater either
rob1miles
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I would try some of the strong heating cleaners, the local plumbers should have some that are up to 30% phosphoric acid, having used one to unblock a microbore heating system that was near solid I can say they work, of course it may all fall to bits in a few years.. They are designed to work with copper and steel, bit tricky if there's aluminium but I think you would be ok. Your plan would be to circulate it for a few days - perhaps just run the engine every now and then, so it get to the parts that are blocked, then once its dissolved a lot of the muck, get it all out by flushing. After that some alkali solution such as a weak solution of bleach. The weakest links could be the water pump bearing and seals and the head gasket if its alloy.
Colthebrummie
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You lot are braver than me. I wouldn't put any corrosive stuff in mine, I don't even like putting antifreeze in it. Petemate, do you live in a hard water area? I fitted a water softener to my supply a few years ago and now put soft water in the rad when I need to.
Col
Col
kommer2013
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oh man
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rob1miles
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I have to fess up to using a jet wash on my rad and blowing a hole in it. Still my approach is that it must have been on its last legs and that explains why it was leaking (e-bay saved the day yet again with a replcement for £10!). Re the cleaner, start with a mild one and work up. The ones that say they can be left in are mild as they are designed to put the muck into solution over a period of a few weeks, you can then drain and put the garden hose on. The powerflush ones are the strong ones as they are designed to dissolve it all in an hour or less before being flushed out.
I have used NON BIO! washing liquid, powder works too but liquid is better, like persil but a cheap one is just as good. Was recomended by many mechanics and has worked very well on numerous engines after head failure oil in system etc. Run it with it in for a few days then dump it when its still warm. ITS IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE ITS NON BIO!.
tobyd10
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I have used dishwasher tabs followed by diluted citric acid powder ( as used by Merc dealers).
Did an ok job but my 6 cylinder block probably needs another go as didn't have a fan or alternator fitted to run for a long time.
Did an ok job but my 6 cylinder block probably needs another go as didn't have a fan or alternator fitted to run for a long time.
