Little help: flushing coolant / engine block... (1 Viewer)

[Steamer]

I'm waiting also. Meanwhile I stumbled onto some pics of the setup I used. The pump pushes into the top t-stat housing hole & then hoses from the water pump adapter and the block drain return to the bucket. Those air nozzle things went on a garden hose to reach in through the freeze plug holes to scrape & flush all around the cylingers.

 

[My71FJ40]

This is good tech guys, thanks!

 

[crimsonaudio]

Just got the impeller pump yesterday, am out of town this weekend, hope to do it next...

 

[crimsonaudio]

OK, didn't have all the (new) parts to reassemble today, but thanks to Steamer's idea, I got the water jacket cleaned out pretty nicely using a basic impeller pump and the old parts.

System flushed for about 20 minutes, then ran some water through it and it was perfectly clear. A peak inside the water jacket with a flash light showed it clean as a whistle, and the amount of rust that came out through this flush was incredible.

Once I get the last piece of hose I can reinstall everything and then it should be good to go...

 

[Steamer]

Nice! Did you do straight muriatic for the 20 minutes?

 

[crimsonaudio]

Yup! 3gallons worth seemed to do the trick. Not sure if I got out all the recesses you did as the F engine freeze plugs are basically impossible to get to with the engine in the LC. If this doesn't even out my cooling, I guess I'll pull the whole thing, have it hot-dipped and rebuilt.

But I think it will be fine.

 

[Steamer]

Cool, (no pun intended) looking forward to the results when you're up & running.

 

[Waterboy]

Any updates?

 

[crimsonaudio]

Unfortunately, not yet - been buried at work (run my own business) and the summer heat has just been brutal (ship isn't AC'd). Hopefully soon.

 

[75PIG]

Heat still brutal? Any updates?

 

[75PIG]

Yes, I know it is August. Going to do my FJ40 tomorrow.

 

[Waterboy]

Here is my setup for now. My first pump was a piece of crap so I finally got a new one that will hopefully get the job done. Will be trying again thursday.

Sent from the Bahamas

 

[crumbo]

coca cola

 

[75PIG]

OK, didn't have all the (new) parts to reassemble today, but thanks to Steamer's idea, I got the water jacket cleaned out pretty nicely using a basic impeller pump and the old parts.

System flushed for about 20 minutes, then ran some water through it and it was perfectly clear. A peak inside the water jacket with a flash light showed it clean as a whistle, and the amount of rust that came out through this flush was incredible.

Once I get the last piece of hose I can reinstall everything and then it should be good to go...

Nice job --- I have been posting due to "crud" around my Engine Block Drain. Steamer gave some good suggestions. I had been tracking yours also. How has it worked out? I would reference my thread/post with pictures of the drain plug removal to compare to yours but don't know how to do that. Sort on 75Pig.

Interested in your apparatus -- specifics on pump and that it made it through an acidic environment. Looks like Waterboy is doing something similar. I am interested in the outcome to see if you pull the engine or not. Hope you don't have to.

 

[75PIG]

Will see if this works - Link to my posts with good feedback from the forum. Learn something new everyday!!!

https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/609631-block-drain-drain-plug-removal.html

 

[crimsonaudio]

Looooooooooong time since I had the chance to work on the FJ40, but between last weekend and today I got it running again. Was SO NICE to drive it again, whew. I'm pretty sure I need to burp the coolant system as I thin Ki'm about a gallon short, but on the short drive tonight (in coolish weather) it never got hot and ran like a top with the Trollhole carb.

So happy!

Will report more as I have more time in the seat, but initial tests look good.

 

[crimsonaudio]

OK, put over 100 miles on it today, everything from stop-and-go traffic to running along on the highway at just under 70 mph - never got above 165°. Granted, the air temperature is only about 70° today, so it's not middle-of-summer hot, but performance is leagues better than it was before.

Will update this thread again once it's good and hot outside, but I'd feel comfortable going on a road trip in it now.

 

[Vae Victus]

Just to update this thread, used it for reference and to create a similar setup. Thought I'd share where I got my parts.

Amazon for the pump. $50
Home Depot
- 1 1/2" x 3/4" pvc fitting, and a
- 1 1/4" x 3/4" fitting,
- 2 of 3/4" NPT x 3/4" MHT fittings,
- a female to female hose remnant (7' I think), and another short hose for the exit side
- Plastic trash can or 5 gal bucket
- total maybe maybe $25
Grocery - 4 gals 5% Vinegar - $10

I put the water pump and EMPTY thermostat housing back on with some black RTV (I didn't waste a new gasket for this), and have been running the straight vinegar for 24 hours now. Used CLR the first time and over 8 hours it didn't do much, so plan on running it for several days with a very mild acid like vinegar.

Some people have talked about using muriatic acid, but that is extremely harsh and may cause some embrittlement of the underlying metal, plus it will eat up your hoses pump and water pump and thermostat housing, so it's not recommended by others. I chose not to use it.

It is also recommended by someone more knowledgeable than myself to run it for a couple of hours and let it sit overnight or for a period of time and then run it again and then let it sit etc. until you are satisfied with the results.

I've also noticed that the vinegar tends to evaporate pretty quickly and so I have added a little water to the mix. However, when it evaporates the acidity will increase, so you may want to just let it evaporate a little bit as it may speed up the process.

Hope this helps.

 

[Rock40]

Any pics of the crud that came out using just vinegar?

 

[Vae Victus]

Yes, I will post a pic shortly. Understand that this engine had been rebuilt and had been hot dipped, but still had a strong coating of rust inside. I wanted to make it extremely clean. A friend advised against this (said it was not necessary), but I'm OCD and didn't want to run rust and debris, even small amounts compared to 30 years worth of crud that exists in some vehicles, through my new radiator and heater.

It is still running so I'll update after a few days have passed and I'm done.