Tips for flushing cooling system/block (1 Viewer)

[tazmaan]

Hi all,
I recently picked up a 96 80 series with a bad head gasket. I have just recently tore it down and the head is off at the shop now. Unfortunately, when removing components and draining the radiator, there is hardly any coolant in the system, its ALL oil.
Obviously, I need to try to get all of this flushed out. Are there any useful tips to going about this? I don't really want to get the nice clean head back on before I do the flushing, but looks a little difficult to get the block flushed out otherwise?
I think I can manage the heater core flushing using the inlet and outlets on the firewall and clamping some hoses to them. The radiator might be a little trickier as plugging the large ports is a pain?
I did get the water pump cleaned up and the thermo housing, but still have the remaining 3 sections to do.

Also, on another subject, I'd like to clean up the oil coated lower engine as well, to be able to monitor for any leaks after its all back together. What do you guys find is the easiest oil remover off the exterior engine surface?

 

[TankTheLC]

Hi all,
I recently picked up a 96 80 series with a bad head gasket. I have just recently tore it down and the head is off at the shop now. Unfortunately, when removing components and draining the radiator, there is hardly any coolant in the system, its ALL oil.
Obviously, I need to try to get all of this flushed out. Are there any useful tips to going about this? I don't really want to get the nice clean head back on before I do the flushing, but looks a little difficult to get the block flushed out otherwise?
I think I can manage the heater core flushing using the inlet and outlets on the firewall and clamping some hoses to them. The radiator might be a little trickier as plugging the large ports is a pain?
I did get the water pump cleaned up and the thermo housing, but still have the remaining 3 sections to do.

Also, on another subject, I'd like to clean up the oil coated lower engine as well, to be able to monitor for any leaks after its all back together. What do you guys find is the easiest oil remover off the exterior engine surface?

I can’t help you on the first part but specifically spray gunk engine remover (foam) at the local quarter car wash worked wonders. I used two cans and it was dry as a whistle when I started pulling stuff to do my oil pump cover.

 

[maxamillion2345]

Short of pulling engine and tearing block down for cleaning theres no good way to flush with head off. Pull the block drain plug th
Heater core you’re correct.
Radiator Id just replace. - $140 tyc on amazon

Be sure you tear down oil cooler while head is off. Id do my best to pressure test that as well.

Once youre back together Id try cascade powdered dish soap and water. You’ll need to do multiple cycles of drain fill. You could probably get the radiator clean enough to run it this way if you wanted...

As far as cleaning, a heated pressure washer and Citrol goes a long way but short of that try any foaming engine degreaser and a pressure washer.

The ultimate is to take it to be steam cleaned.

 

[BILT4ME]

I can’t help you on the first part but specifically spray gunk engine remover (foam) at the local quarter car wash worked wonders. I used two cans and it was dry as a whistle when I started pulling stuff to do my oil pump cover.

You supposed he'll just drive it on over to the car wash?

 

[maxamillion2345]

I guess if you need to do it in place, a solvent wand and some like berrymans works good if you have an air compressor. Will want a lot of cardboard under it though.

 

[tazmaan]

For the block, was kinda hoping to somehow seal up the top of the block (maybe with a rectangle of rubber and some kind of blank i could bolt down in place of the head. Then feeding water+simple green or other solvent at a decent pressure thru the lower radiator hose? or backwards thru the PHH outlet and letting it flush out reverse thru the lower radiator hose.
That seem doable to anyone? Maybe a simple blank made out of plywood or something just to seal down the rubber to the top of the block?

 

[maxamillion2345]

Seems doable just a pain.

 

[tazmaan]

Seems doable just a pain.

yeah it is. i just know there has got to be a ton of oil in the block judging on how much came out of everywhere else. doesn't seem a great idea to feed that back into everything after its all put back together. Though maybe I am also making it a bigger deal than it really is? I dunno

 

[richardlillard1]

Put the engine back together and flush the entire system. Hook a hose up to the DS of the heater valve and run water through it, then fill it with tap water and some sort of flushing detergent, run it for a while, flush again.

Repeat until it’s clean.

 

[tazmaan]

Put the engine back together and flush the entire system. Hook a hose up to the DS of the heater valve and run water through it, then fill it with tap water and some sort of flushing detergent, run it for a while, flush again.

Repeat until it’s clean.

so letting it flush out of the PHH tube? I believe that is what attaches to the heater valve inlet right?
I guess I worried about doing that and feeding all that oil thru everything again. Plus it sounds like it'll be a long ass time before I actually get all of the oil out of the cooling system (after reading other people's experience on here). I figured keeping all the sections separate like they are now, and trying to flush them individually would give me a better shot at it.
Thanks for the advice, is what I'm needing!

 

[richardlillard1]

Yes. It will shoot out of that but also forces the water through the entire system, including the heater core (turn the key to the on position first and put the heater to full on to open the valve). I usually leave the petcock open on the rad and sometimes leave the cap loose or off, giving the water numerous points of egress to flush out any larger particulates stuck in the system.

It will make a huge mess, but it will force a lot of what‘s in the block, heater core, etc. out.