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cleaning goo out of cooling system?

Anyone ever tried any detergents or other cleansers in their cooling system? I've put my '55 back together and the cooling system seems to be mostly clean but the radiator fills up with a fine coating of rusty goo. I suspect that this is surface rust and residual gunk left over from cleaning out the block, and appears that it would "wash" off with a mild detergent, but what to use? I'm half tempted to use some automatic dishwasher detergent (because it doesn't make as many suds as the normal stuff) and drive around with that in there to see if it does the trick.

Of course this will have to wait as I still haven't gotten the fan shroud and air deflector (or whatever you call the plate that holds the hood latch) ready for paint yet... a pox on the previous owner of the car; you can almost measure the thickness of the old paint with a ruler. I'm guessing getting stuck in traffic, or even idling in the driveway, with no fan shroud would be an unpleasant experience.

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel
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"hot tank" > procedure on the car. If you have already cleaned the block, don't contaminate all that

Reply to
RoadRaceLark

I use "Greased Lightening" it is low acidic, non-corrosive like the purple cleaners and low sudsing. It rinses well and leaves minimum reside and what residues do remain does not seem to degrade coolant quality.

Reply to
oldcarfart

Reply to
dwcars

How about some of the good old Studebaker-Packard radiator cleaner, seems like that stuff would clean about anything!

Jeff DeWitt

Nate Nagel wrote:

Reply to
Jeffrey DeWitt

If I knew that the block had gone through the manual cleaning process, and that the radiator was clean, I would flush the system one more time, then add a can of water pump lube/cooling system conditioner to the 50-50 mix. It will look milky at first, but will clear up in a few days and you shouldn't see the rusty tint again.

Reply to
Dwain G.

The block was manually cleaned prior to building, but I don't have any confidence that the radiator, heater core, etc. was ever clean. I did run some of the Studebaker cleaner (lye?) through it with the previous engine, but I don't think it was ever really "clean."

Am wondering if there's something I can put in and just drive around with that will clean it out, before I have to put antifreeze in in another couple months?

I do know that I will have to pull the block drains; I'm OK with that, BTDT almost used to it.

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel

I'd just put the Stude stuff in it and drive it around for a week or two.

I use regular antifreeze with distilled water and a rust inhibitor.

JT

Reply to
Grumpy AuContraire

The van I drove home from PA aparently developed an issue with its oil cooler, and filled the cooling system with a messy goo of oil mixed with coolant. It caused the thermostat to stick a few miles from Big Bob's, and built enough pressure to blow the lower hose off. Now that I finally have it back home, my plan is to remove the left & rt water outlets & douche out the block & radiator with a pressure washer the best I can, & then run some Studebaker cooling system cleaner through it. Any other advice?

-- Barry'd in Studes

58 Packard Hawk 40 President 39 Coupe Exp. 59 DeLuxe 1/2 tn.
Reply to
Barry

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