Coolant Flush

[JMO]

Hey. I have been doing a bit of reading on how to flush the coolant completely. Some of the guides i have read are a little vague. If anyone can help with how to do it i would appreciate it.

[JC]

The Hanyes manual I have says to drop the bottom radiator hose - this is supposed to flush the engine and radiator, but I have found that you can only ever get around 10 litres back in, which means there's 5 litres of old coolant floating around somewhere.

[JMO]

Is it possible to flush it out with a hose some how?

[svo347]

I open the heater control drain all the water, fill with distilled then go for a drive. Once again empty the radiator and fill with the prefered coolant.

[JMO]

Originally Posted by svo347

I open the heater control drain all the water, fill with distilled then go for a drive. Once again empty the radiator and fill with the prefered coolant.

Where abouts is the heater conrtol? Do you mean turn the heater on (inside the car)? Fill up, then drive?

[InfernoSR]

There is also a brilliant way to flush your system, DIY at home and we highly recommend this method:

A normal garden hose isn't enough to do the job, you need a flushing agent. DON'T go buying Rad Flush from a car place, as it can be expensive and not actually work. A cheaper, easier, more effective way to flush the system is to go and buy a bag (or 2) of Washing Soda from your local Supermarket. Its only a couple of $$$, and can be used about 4 times (based on a 500gram bag).

Heres the instructions on how to use:
*Drain radiator via the bottom hose (quickest and easiest)
*Mix about 125grams Washing Soda in a cup of Hot water, and dissolve it.
*Pour mixture into radiator/header tank.
*Fill rad with clean water. And bleed system.
(To bleed system, fill rad, start vehicle, let it get to normal running temperature, and top up radiator until full, too much Air in a rad is bad news.)
*Once bled, run vehicle like normal for a couple of days, drain rad again, and do it all over again until water comes out clean (don't forget to run the heater as well).
*Once clean, use a good Radiator Conditioner (aka Coolant), DON'T use long life coolant, as it has been proven that it causes failures in the radiator and other parts of the system. I suggest Tectaloy Conditioner, Or get yourself down to a Radiator Specialist who sells Natra or Adrad products.
*The amount of Conditioner varies from car to car, the E-Series takes about 15Litres to fill the system from dry, the Conditioner amount is calculated from this figure.

Any further questions please ask.

[347 mont]

Originally Posted by JMO

Where abouts is the heater conrtol? Do you mean turn the heater on (inside the car)? Fill up, then drive?

Yes thats what is meant.
Mine was really dirty so I drained coolent then filled with hose and drained about 6-9 times till it drained out clear, always with heater on as to get all the water out and not letting the engine get too hot, or hot at all, then put new coolent in.

[JMO]

I bought some 'tectaloy Xtra Cool' concentrate. The bottle says that it is an ethlyene glycol coolant concentrate. The manual says to use to a 'glycol' based mixture. the bottle also says to use another product if the vehicle requires a 'glycol' based coolant. Will it be alright, or should i go for another type?

Thanks.

[InfernoSR]

Its fine mate...

PM recieved and replied to...

[JMO]

Hi again. I just purchased some washing soda. The back of the box says not to " soak or boil aluminium parts or containers". Is the radiator aluminium or have any aluminium parts that may be affected.

Thanks

[InfernoSR]

mate... we have had the stuff in the system of our test car for 3 months without problems... test car is a DAII LTD... nearing 400,000km's now

[JMO]

Originally Posted by BLUEPRINT

*Pour mixture into radiator/header tank.
*Fill rad with clean water. And bleed system.
(To bleed system, fill rad, start vehicle, let it get to normal running temperature, and top up radiator until full, too much Air in a rad is bad news.)
*Once bled, run vehicle like normal for a couple of days, drain rad again, and do it all over again until water comes out clean (don't forget to run the heater as well).

In this step here, do you mean to run the car on the washing soda mixture or just clean water?

[galaxy xr8]

Is baking soda the same thing as washing soda??.

[JMO]

washing soda is sodium carbonate, baking soda is sodium bi-carbonate with cream of tartar mixed as an acidic agent. I'm guessing different molecule structure.

WS: C-Na
BS: C-Na-C

C=Carbon
Na=Sodium

Washing soda i think is mainly used for softening hard water (i think)
Bi-carb is mostly used for cleaning stuff-teeth, pots etc.
I'm not sure if they are interchangeable, they'd probably react differently to the build up in the radiator differently.

Maybe BLUEPRINT can shed a little more light.

[InfernoSR]

Originally Posted by JMO

In this step here, do you mean to run the car on the washing soda mixture or just clean water?

With the mixture in...

Originally Posted by galaxy xr8

Is baking soda the same thing as washing soda??.

Read JMO's reply...

Originally Posted by JMO

washing soda is sodium carbonate, baking soda is sodium bi-carbonate with cream of tartar mixed as an acidic agent. I'm guessing different molecule structure.

WS: C-Na
BS: C-Na-C

C=Carbon
Na=Sodium

Washing soda i think is mainly used for softening hard water (i think)
Bi-carb is mostly used for cleaning stuff-teeth, pots etc.
I'm not sure if they are interchangeable, they'd probably react differently to the build up in the radiator differently.

Maybe BLUEPRINT can shed a little more light.

You are completly correct here...

Washing Soda does soften hard water, thus it softens build up sludges when it is used in an aggitating environment... you think, your system is under preassure (16psi) with a water pump pushing your water around the system at different speeds according to your RPM, it is also between 86deg and 92deg normally... thats a very harsh environment on your system... the mixture makes the water soften the garbage in the system and breaks it down into finer particles, which can be drained out alot easier than large blobs of crud that get caught.

[galaxy xr8]

Thanks guy's I'm off to the supermarket to get some washing soda.

[TX3VIL]

can u just use caustic soda? is it the same thing? i went to a supermarket and they told me to go to a hardware store, then the hardware store said to go to the supermarket.

[The Mighty Red]

unless your cooling system is in a bad way and your overheating without leaks I'd stay away for anything caustic
just take the bottom hose off give it a good flush with a hose fill up drive around the block take the bottom hose off again and flush again........Spend the money on a another bottle of coolant concentrate and stick that in the Rad and you should be fine.

[InfernoSR]

Originally Posted by TX3VIL

can u just use caustic soda? is it the same thing? i went to a supermarket and they told me to go to a hardware store, then the hardware store said to go to the supermarket.

No... they are very different and need to be clearly seperated...

[brad`]

ok the stuff blueprint is talking about should be called

Electric soda
it comes in a white bag 500g or 1kg
should be located in the Washing detergent isle of your local supermarket, near the Pegs and stuff

going by a Coles myer layout here - ex employee

[TX3VIL]

Originally Posted by brad`

ok the stuff blueprint is talking about should be called

Electric soda
it comes in a white bag 500g or 1kg
should be located in the Washing detergent isle of your local supermarket, near the Pegs and stuff

going by a Coles myer layout here - ex employee

Man you're psychic. i went to coles and it was actually directly next to the 'Pegs and stuff'. bit late in the night to stuff around with it now tho

[InfernoSR]

Originally Posted by brad`

Electric soda
it comes in a white bag 500g or 1kg

Thats one brand... another is Eco-Wise...

Good stuff on the location mate :P

[congo t3]

That sounds like a great tip. Radaitors are expensive to recore - so washing soda sounds the go