Well, '09 is pretty new these days.
Using muriatic acid to refresh the cooling capacity of your radiator? (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter ERICH
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Well, '09 is pretty new these days.
Whats wrong with reviving an old thread if it relates to the same topic? I always thought that was preferred. Otherwise you would be told to search if you started a new post.
Good thread...
I'm actually a chemist, and work with concentrated HCl and other potent substances on a daily basis..
Our "lab grade" HCl is 36-38% potency based on HPLC Assay, and it's pretty potent stuff so the 31% you can buy packs a pretty good punch too. If you get it on you I'd recommend flushing the area with water as quickly as possible for a few minutes time...
Even with proper PPE here we occasionally come into contact with things... It's not like it's going to immediately eat a hole through your hand, but it will burn pretty bad after a few seconds... Just exercise proper caution using it and you'll be fine...
Once I get to this point in my build (still need to haul mine home...haha!) I'll definitely keep this in mind.
One thing to note... make sure you're NOT adding HCl to anything Aluminum... (make sure your heater cores/ rads are in fact Brass before doing this.) HCL will oxidize Al readily....
I'm actually a chemist, and work with concentrated HCl and other potent substances on a daily basis..
Our "lab grade" HCl is 36-38% potency based on HPLC Assay, and it's pretty potent stuff so the 31% you can buy packs a pretty good punch too. If you get it on you I'd recommend flushing the area with water as quickly as possible for a few minutes time...
Even with proper PPE here we occasionally come into contact with things... It's not like it's going to immediately eat a hole through your hand, but it will burn pretty bad after a few seconds... Just exercise proper caution using it and you'll be fine...
Once I get to this point in my build (still need to haul mine home...haha!) I'll definitely keep this in mind.
One thing to note... make sure you're NOT adding HCl to anything Aluminum... (make sure your heater cores/ rads are in fact Brass before doing this.) HCL will oxidize Al readily....
Well-I tried using Muratic acid 14.5% in my radiator. I added it straight. Let in for 15 minutes.
I taped the radiator neck and left the radiator bottom hose connected. Laid the rad. flat on the
driveway--driveway(outside).
The Muratic acid at this concentration did nothing--absolutely nothing. Time and temp(temp was 65 deg. F)
might have made a difference? This Muratic acid is pool cleaner from home depot. It didn't work.
I ended up buying a new radiator off the internet. I might try Oxycylic Acid juast for s*** and giggles?
If 14.5% HCL did nothing, how could Prestone cleaner(7-13% sodium citrate) do anything? Sure
Prestone won't hurt you engine or radiator, but I doubt it cleans it either?
I taped the radiator neck and left the radiator bottom hose connected. Laid the rad. flat on the
driveway--driveway(outside).
The Muratic acid at this concentration did nothing--absolutely nothing. Time and temp(temp was 65 deg. F)
might have made a difference? This Muratic acid is pool cleaner from home depot. It didn't work.
I ended up buying a new radiator off the internet. I might try Oxycylic Acid juast for s*** and giggles?
If 14.5% HCL did nothing, how could Prestone cleaner(7-13% sodium citrate) do anything? Sure
Prestone won't hurt you engine or radiator, but I doubt it cleans it either?
Mark W
Yep, it's true. I just don't care that much.
All sorts of post here from guys that really don't know and have never done it. Par for the course I guess.
I have cleaned out more radiators than I can remember using muriatic acid. It is nothing more than a dilute mix of HCL. In my ecperience a rad shop will not be able to clean your rad out any better.
This procedure has been discussed many times here.
It will make your skin itch. It will not burn a hole in anything except aluminum or magnesium. it is used to etch and clean concrete all the time. Don't get it in your eyes (DUUUHHHH)
You use it straight, full strength in the radiator (old school brass, NOT modern aluminum).
You do not put it in the engine.
You can do it in the rig if you buy a couple of "test plugs of ABS plumbing pipe at the hardware store to seal the rad hose fittings after removing the hose.
Soak in the rad for a about 15 minutes, flush, repeat.
It is also great for derusting steel and iron parts (Also discussed here several times).
Mark...
I have cleaned out more radiators than I can remember using muriatic acid. It is nothing more than a dilute mix of HCL. In my ecperience a rad shop will not be able to clean your rad out any better.
This procedure has been discussed many times here.
It will make your skin itch. It will not burn a hole in anything except aluminum or magnesium. it is used to etch and clean concrete all the time. Don't get it in your eyes (DUUUHHHH)
You use it straight, full strength in the radiator (old school brass, NOT modern aluminum).
You do not put it in the engine.
You can do it in the rig if you buy a couple of "test plugs of ABS plumbing pipe at the hardware store to seal the rad hose fittings after removing the hose.
Soak in the rad for a about 15 minutes, flush, repeat.
It is also great for derusting steel and iron parts (Also discussed here several times).
Mark...
fjwagon
SILVER Star
Yep good thread.
Something you can do when use any kind of solvents or house cleaning stuff try looking up the Material Safety Data Sheet(MSDS) of the product you are using. tells you all kind of info like what the active ingredients are and if they are corrosive or not. Tells you what to do in case of an emergency when exposed. They are easy to get, just do a search on google.
Something you can do when use any kind of solvents or house cleaning stuff try looking up the Material Safety Data Sheet(MSDS) of the product you are using. tells you all kind of info like what the active ingredients are and if they are corrosive or not. Tells you what to do in case of an emergency when exposed. They are easy to get, just do a search on google.
I used straight Muriatic acid in a '77 FJ heater core and left it in there for an hour or so, until the heater core stopped bubbling (indicating to me that the acid had reacted with all the scale in the heater core).
I triple-rinsed the heater core with distilled water, and it literally looked like new inside, and did not leak when put in service. I removed the heater core from the vehicle to do this.
I think Mark W's suggestion works like a champ, and all those Prestone Cooling system cleaners are (IMO) a total waste of money - the stuff that drains out looks just like what you put in.
I triple-rinsed the heater core with distilled water, and it literally looked like new inside, and did not leak when put in service. I removed the heater core from the vehicle to do this.
I think Mark W's suggestion works like a champ, and all those Prestone Cooling system cleaners are (IMO) a total waste of money - the stuff that drains out looks just like what you put in.
