Radiator Sludge Sample

[Riad]

Finally got over my lazyness and got to it today. I had no idea that such disgusting stuff was sitting in there. It looked like black and green sand. Flushed the engine until I saw clear water. I mean crystal clear. Flushed the radiator in every possible way, until I could no longer scoop this stuff with my nails. I am sure there is still this stuff in there some where. I am going to do another flush in couple months. I used "clear" Preston (any color). Also installed the "T" flush adapter with "cap" in the inlet hose. I need to keep close eyes on that thing for leaks. Next time I am going toyota red. Here's a mug shot of the sludge.

 

[alkaline747trio]

Throw a little baking soda in there and flush again in a week.

 

[Riad]

Thank you for the tip, I didn't realize I could do that .

 

[Beowulf]

alkaline,
Can you post the link to a source that explains how this "baking soda" tip is supposed to help with cleaning out the sludge?
-B-

 

[Riad]

alkaline,
Can you post the link to a source that explains how this "baking soda" tip is supposed to help with cleaning out the sludge?
-B-

Thank you for that question, I have been meaning to ask that. I have few more, can you use Baking Soda to flush the engine? Can you put in some baking soda with the coolant and let it run for a while to run through the system? Is there any other cleaning liquid that can be used beside Baking Soda?

 

[JerryLX450]

Flushed the engine until I saw clear water. I mean crystal clear. Flushed the radiator in every possible way, until I could no longer scoop this stuff with my nails.[/IMG]

Now Riad when you flushed the radiator, do you leave the engine run?

 

[MoJ]

Throw a little baking soda in there and flush again in a week.

There are a lot of articles about using baking soda to bring the coolant ph to neutral which is supposedly more aluminum head friendly but I've never seen anything about it helping to flush. How does it work?

 

[Riad]

Now Riad when you flushed the radiator, do you leave the engine run?

No. I simply let the coolant drain completely with cold engine, from both radiator and engine. Then hose the radiator and then the engine. Kinda followed the processes mentioned in the following threads:

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=114641&highlight=Cooling

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=107438

 

[alkaline747trio]

Baking soda is the trick I learned from the Radiator guru in town, this guy knows more about radiators than anyone would ever want to know; I just took it as solid info. You may take it with a grain of salt.

 

[stevezero]

Ya gotta talk to the radiator guru for some more info...

How much is a little baking soda? Teaspoon, tablespoon, half the box.....


Should you put it in before you flush for a few days to circulate/cut the crud?


Should you put it in after the coolant drain, and during the first flush?

I'm pulling my thermostat during the flushes(changing hoses/tstat and PHH), so i dont have to worry about getting the engine hot so it opens. After the last flush, I'll swap the hoses. I think as long as the heaters are on high and the thermostat out, there should be no restrictions on flow (other than the waterpump).

 

[alkaline747trio]

After I had him replace the top tank on my radiator, I put 2/3rds a box of baking soda in for a week and a half running about 80/20 water/coolant.

I then flushed using the prestone flush kit, then refilled 60/40 water/coolant (for summer). When flushing after the bakingsoda had done it's stuff, plenty of "gunk" came out that hadn't on previous plain water flushes.

 

[Beowulf]

Baking soda is the trick I learned from the Radiator guru in town, this guy knows more about radiators than anyone would ever want to know; I just took it as solid info. You may take it with a grain of salt.

In general, sodium biarbonate is a good cleaning agent and it neutralizes acids. I don't believe it will harm the radiator but that's just a guess. It doesn't dissolve well in water so I think you would have some floating around in your cooling system and getting in the water pump, thermostat and other bits. Probably wouldn't cause a problem but it would be good to see a definitive source with some test results showing the pros and cons of this "home remedy."

And I'll pardon your pun.

-B-

 

[decavo]

baking soda is a abrasive I have used it to clean old coins and jewlery i.. . enough of it maybe it would scour a bit of the radiator little ports etc...

 

[IdahoDoug]

If it's an abrasive, do you really want its finer components getting into water pump bushings and seals? I like the concept of a home remedy, but I prefer the reality of a tested specifically made commercial cooling system flush.

DougM

 

[Riad]

How about dish washer deteregent?

 

[scottm]

The anodizers I use use sodium bicarbonate (baking soda, low PH) in the last step of anodizing, to neautralize the acids (high PH) used in previous steps. It takes a bit of work to get it out of internal cavities and holes, sometimes they don't get it out, and it's a sludgy mess for me. I've tried soaking, powerwashing, and scrubbing, it's sometimes impossible to get it all out. If it's at all abrasive, I don't think I'd want it in my coolant, and I suspect you won't get it all out once it's in there. Bleach is also a strong alkali that will lower the PH, how about using that? Controlling PH as things age and wear is an important function of coolant, via the buffers they mention in literature. Dumping an alkali in your system and hoping you get it all out seems risky. Is there a chemist in the house?