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1932 Radiator clean out

 

Kevin Ray
(@kevin-ray)
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Has any one ever used vinegar to clean out the cooling system. Have been told by a few older car guys to drain everything out of the system fill with straight vinegar. Drive it leave in in for a week then flush everything out real good. Was told it will break down the rust and help clean out the core. What is your opinion on this method or what have you done. Thanks in advance.



   
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Tiny
 Tiny
(@tiny)
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Never tried it. Vinegar is acidic but mildly so. I don't know how that relates to the commercially available flushes you can buy. I don't think it would hurt and it would be interesting to hear how well it works if you do it.


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Kevin Ray
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10 days and about 325 miles. It looked like bad chocolate milk. Drained and flushed with clean water. Refilled drove about 50 miles drained and refilled with water. Will drive it tonight when I get back I will drain and fill with 50/50 antifreeze and distilled water.

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Steve Dalphonse
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Once you have flushed to where the water is clear I would flush again with something to neutralize and then refill with the antifreeze mix. 


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Stovblt
(@ole-olson)
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@steve-d 

Agreed.

Good old fashioned Arm & Hammer washing soda would be my choice.

Not baking soda... washing soda.

It can be a little hard to find now though.

Sodium hydroxide is used to condition cooling systems, so maybe sodium carbonate would work similarly?

It seems it's much better to be alkaline than acidic with cooling systems.


Ole S Olson
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Kevin Ray
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I will look for washing soda for future flushes. I flushed with water real good drove it couple days then flusher it again reall good then filled it 50/50 distilled water & antifreeze. Definitely better .



   
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Rustoholic
(@rustoholic)
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@ole-olson, are you talking about this product for neutralizing the vinegar?  Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda

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Stovblt
(@ole-olson)
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@rustoholic 

That should be it.

Packaging has changed a bit but looks to be the same old product.


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Saskatoon, Sask, Canada
1946 DR 3/4 ton stake
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