Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Anthony in Madrid]

Hi guys 
Recently did a cooling system flush and I was on it for almost 2 hours till I had enough.
It was impossible to get the water clear!!! 
When I started, the coolant tank had this...(I know it's bad that's why I went for the flush)


Here is the final colour...


Any thoughts?
Will it ever get clean?

Cheers
Ant

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

OOOps.. Is that what I think it is?

Have you just replaced the oil cooler?

[tigers_gonads]

Looks like the oil cooler to me sadly.
If it has gone, the oil tends to collect in the hole were the water pump sites and is a real bastid to remove with normal flushing.
I popped in about 10 Ariel liquid tabs in the water bottle which disolved the oil and flushed it really well 

[Anthony in Madrid]

OOOps.. Is that what I think it is?

Have you just replaced the oil cooler?

No...D'ya think it needs replacing?

[Anthony in Madrid]

The oil tends to collect in the hole were the water pump sites and is a real bastid to remove.
I popped in about 10 Ariel liquid tabs in the water bottle which disolved the oil and flushed it really well 

I've still got the coolant in the system...Should I re-do it again with "Liquid Tabs"?
If so...How long should I wait till I flush it again after I put in the tabs?
Do you have a step by step of what you did?
Cheers
Ant

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

OOOps.. Is that what I think it is?

Have you just replaced the oil cooler?

No...D'ya think it needs replacing?

I think your oil cooler is f**ked. 

This will need to be replaced.........and THEN you flush.

[tigers_gonads]

The oil tends to collect in the hole were the water pump sites and is a real bastid to remove.
I popped in about 10 Ariel liquid tabs in the water bottle which disolved the oil and flushed it really well 

I've still got the coolant in the system...Should I re-do it again with "Liquid Tabs"?
If so...How long should I wait till I flush it again after I put in the tabs?
Do you have a step by step of what you did?
Cheers
Ant

Quick story for you 

I was driving my v6 with a dodgy oil cooler due to money constaints for as few months.
Every 2 weeks or so, i'd just remove the water bottle and clean it out under the tap and refit.
Believe me, after 2 weeks you could remove the mayo with a spoon so don't panic about those traces just yet 
Well a few weeks ago, I went for a thrash gentle run down the motoway. The car was running nice and cool until I slowed down to leave the motoway and the block thermostat opened.
Un beknown to me, the radiator had been slowly filling up with mayo and as the stat opened it flooded the engine top end and very nearly cooked the engine (105 degree's / red temp light on) and filling the bottle up with oil in the prosess
Popped in these tabs and drove home slowly.
Within 10 miles, the temp was down to a nice cool 85 degree's and all the mayo had turned into a milk like substance which made flushing it pish easy 

Give it a good clean / flush and keep a eye on it but if the oil cooler has gone then get it sorted before the winter sets in 

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

The oil tends to collect in the hole were the water pump sites and is a real bastid to remove.
I popped in about 10 Ariel liquid tabs in the water bottle which disolved the oil and flushed it really well 

I've still got the coolant in the system...Should I re-do it again with "Liquid Tabs"?
If so...How long should I wait till I flush it again after I put in the tabs?
Do you have a step by step of what you did?
Cheers
Ant

Quick story for you 

I was driving my v6 with a dodgy oil cooler due to money constaints for as few months.
Every 2 weeks or so, i'd just remove the water bottle and clean it out under the tap and refit.
Believe me, after 2 weeks you could remove the mayo with a spoon so don't panic about those traces just yet 
Well a few weeks ago, I went for a thrash gentle run down the motoway. The car was running nice and cool until I slowed down to leave the motoway and the block thermostat opened.
Un beknown to me, the radiator had been slowly filling up with mayo and as the stat opened it flooded the engine top end and very nearly cooked the engine (105 degree's / red temp light on) and filling the bottle up with oil in the prosess
Popped in these tabs and drove home slowly.
Within 10 miles, the temp was down to a nice cool 85 degree's and all the mayo had turned into a milk like substance which made flushing it pish easy 

Give it a good clean / flush and keep a eye on it but if the oil cooler has gone then get it sorted before the winter sets in

Agreed. That cooler looks pretty terminal to me.

[biggriffin]

The washing liquid,emulsifies the the oil. Its how they  clean sea birds etc after an oil spill

[tigers_gonads]

The washing liquid,emulsifies the the oil. Its how they  clean sea birds etc after an oil spill

Smells nice too 

[Anthony in Madrid]

The oil tends to collect in the hole were the water pump sites and is a real bastid to remove.
I popped in about 10 Ariel liquid tabs in the water bottle which disolved the oil and flushed it really well 

I've still got the coolant in the system...Should I re-do it again with "Liquid Tabs"?
If so...How long should I wait till I flush it again after I put in the tabs?
Do you have a step by step of what you did?
Cheers
Ant

Quick story for you 

I was driving my v6 with a dodgy oil cooler due to money constaints for as few months.
Every 2 weeks or so, i'd just remove the water bottle and clean it out under the tap and refit.
Believe me, after 2 weeks you could remove the mayo with a spoon so don't panic about those traces just yet 
Well a few weeks ago, I went for a thrash gentle run down the motoway. The car was running nice and cool until I slowed down to leave the motoway and the block thermostat opened.
Un beknown to me, the radiator had been slowly filling up with mayo and as the stat opened it flooded the engine top end and very nearly cooked the engine (105 degree's / red temp light on) and filling the bottle up with oil in the prosess
Popped in these tabs and drove home slowly.
Within 10 miles, the temp was down to a nice cool 85 degree's and all the mayo had turned into a milk like substance which made flushing it pish easy 

Give it a good clean / flush and keep a eye on it but if the oil cooler has gone then get it sorted before the winter sets in

Agreed. That cooler looks pretty terminal to me.

Which tabs exactly? I mean dishwasher tabs right?

[tigers_gonads]

The oil tends to collect in the hole were the water pump sites and is a real bastid to remove.
I popped in about 10 Ariel liquid tabs in the water bottle which disolved the oil and flushed it really well 

I've still got the coolant in the system...Should I re-do it again with "Liquid Tabs"?
If so...How long should I wait till I flush it again after I put in the tabs?
Do you have a step by step of what you did?
Cheers
Ant

Quick story for you 

I was driving my v6 with a dodgy oil cooler due to money constaints for as few months.
Every 2 weeks or so, i'd just remove the water bottle and clean it out under the tap and refit.
Believe me, after 2 weeks you could remove the mayo with a spoon so don't panic about those traces just yet 
Well a few weeks ago, I went for a thrash gentle run down the motoway. The car was running nice and cool until I slowed down to leave the motoway and the block thermostat opened.
Un beknown to me, the radiator had been slowly filling up with mayo and as the stat opened it flooded the engine top end and very nearly cooked the engine (105 degree's / red temp light on) and filling the bottle up with oil in the prosess
Popped in these tabs and drove home slowly.
Within 10 miles, the temp was down to a nice cool 85 degree's and all the mayo had turned into a milk like substance which made flushing it pish easy 

Give it a good clean / flush and keep a eye on it but if the oil cooler has gone then get it sorted before the winter sets in

Agreed. That cooler looks pretty terminal to me.

Which tabs exactly? I mean dishwasher tabs right?

I just used the ones that pop in the washing machine 

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Any washing powder will work AFTER you have replaced the cooler.

About twenty flushes should see the water flush clear.

[05omegav6]

There's a very effective method for blowing that shit out once it's proper mayonnaise, also involves a box of Aerial Liquitabs, asbestos arms, about 200 litres of water and drive cleaner for afters...

But as said, new oil cooler then worry about cleaning it out. Avoid driving it if at all possible.

[tigers_gonads]

Any washing powder will work AFTER you have replaced the cooler.

About twenty flushes should see the water flush clear.

Best to use the liquid on these
Powder tends to foam up were as the liquid just tends to disolve the crap in there 

[tigers_gonads]

There's a very effective method for blowing that shit out once it's proper mayonnaise, also involves a box of Aerial Liquitabs, asbestos arms, about 200 litres of water and drive cleaner for afters...

But as said, new oil cooler then worry about cleaning it out. Avoid driving it if at all possible.

Just don't use the power washer to flush the radiator either or you will end up with a cracked core 

[05omegav6]

Last car I cleaned out, we attached the hose alternately to either the radiator drain plug or the expansion tank overflow pipe into the rad, dropped three tabs down the top hose, ran the engine until the temp gauge hit 100, then simply popped the cap off. Once the resulting volcano has calmed down, skim the gunge from the header tank and repeat... twenty times

The rapid expansion of the water in the sytstem helps blow the muck out, and by alternating opposite corners of the rad, that ensures it gets flushed too

To add, when the hose is connected to the drain plug, the hose from the expansion tank to the radiator is removed from the radiator and diverted to a bucket.

When the hose is connected to this pipe, the drain plug is closed

Edited for clarity

[Webby the Bear]

Last car I cleaned out, we attached the hose alternately to either the radiator drain plug or the expansion tank overflow pipe into the rad, dropped three tabs down the top hose, ran the engine until the temp gauge hit 100, then simply popped the cap off. Once the resulting volcano has calmed down, skim the gunge from the header tank and repeat... twenty times

The rapid expansion of the water in the sytstem helps blow the muck out, and by alternating opposite corners of the rad, that ensures it gets flushed too

 

You aint got a vid of this per chance have you?  Frothing Omega

[05omegav6]

It would make a good Youtube 'How not to flush a cooling system' video, but it is very effective. Definitely not one for the Health and Safety brigade and therefore not exactly recommendable But it does work

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

It cost me £220 plus a bottle of Glenlivet to replace. 

[Anthony in Madrid]

OOOps.. Is that what I think it is?

Have you just replaced the oil cooler?

No...ive just flushed out the cooling system.

[Anthony in Madrid]

Last car I cleaned out, we attached the hose alternately to either the radiator drain plug or the expansion tank overflow pipe into the rad, dropped three tabs down the top hose, ran the engine until the temp gauge hit 100, then simply popped the cap off. Once the resulting volcano has calmed down, skim the gunge from the header tank and repeat... twenty times

The rapid expansion of the water in the sytstem helps blow the muck out, and by alternating opposite corners of the rad, that ensures it gets flushed too

To add, when the hose is connected to the drain plug, the hose from the expansion tank to the radiator is removed from the radiator and diverted to a bucket.

When the hose is connected to this pipe, the drain plug is closed

Edited for clarity

A video or pics of this would be great. However repeating it 20 times...Does that mean adding the tabs 20 times too?

[Anthony in Madrid]

Last car I cleaned out, we attached the hose alternately to either the radiator drain plug or the expansion tank overflow pipe into the rad, dropped three tabs down the top hose, ran the engine until the temp gauge hit 100, then simply popped the cap off. Once the resulting volcano has calmed down, skim the gunge from the header tank and repeat... twenty times

The rapid expansion of the water in the sytstem helps blow the muck out, and by alternating opposite corners of the rad, that ensures it gets flushed too

To add, when the hose is connected to the drain plug, the hose from the expansion tank to the radiator is removed from the radiator and diverted to a bucket.

When the hose is connected to this pipe, the drain plug is closed

Edited for clarity

Was the water running all the time while the engine was on?

[05omegav6]

Last car I cleaned out, we attached the hose alternately to either the radiator drain plug or the expansion tank overflow pipe into the rad, dropped three tabs down the top hose, ran the engine until the temp gauge hit 100, then simply popped the cap off. Once the resulting volcano has calmed down, skim the gunge from the header tank and repeat... twenty times

The rapid expansion of the water in the sytstem helps blow the muck out, and by alternating opposite corners of the rad, that ensures it gets flushed too

To add, when the hose is connected to the drain plug, the hose from the expansion tank to the radiator is removed from the radiator and diverted to a bucket.

When the hose is connected to this pipe, the drain plug is closed

Edited for clarity

Was the water running all the time while the engine was on?

Yes.

[05omegav6]

Last car I cleaned out, we attached the hose alternately to either the radiator drain plug or the expansion tank overflow pipe into the rad, dropped three tabs down the top hose, ran the engine until the temp gauge hit 100, then simply popped the cap off. Once the resulting volcano has calmed down, skim the gunge from the header tank and repeat... twenty times

The rapid expansion of the water in the sytstem helps blow the muck out, and by alternating opposite corners of the rad, that ensures it gets flushed too

To add, when the hose is connected to the drain plug, the hose from the expansion tank to the radiator is removed from the radiator and diverted to a bucket.

When the hose is connected to this pipe, the drain plug is closed

Edited for clarity

A video or pics of this would be great. However repeating it 20 times...Does that mean adding the tabs 20 times too?

Sorry, no vid or pics, and to answer your question... yes, so buy a big box (diswasher liquid tabs)

No point flushing until the oil cooler has been replaced... has this been done yet? I can't remember if this was the issue you were having recently

[chrisgixer]

Change the oil cooler and flush immediately.

Continual use will bugger the rubber compenents and block the heater matrix, making flushing a much more prolonged process with detergents that eat aluminium.

The matrix is prone to leaks on cars this age as it is, without this extra agro.

[Anthony in Madrid]

Last car I cleaned out, we attached the hose alternately to either the radiator drain plug or the expansion tank overflow pipe into the rad, dropped three tabs down the top hose, ran the engine until the temp gauge hit 100, then simply popped the cap off. Once the resulting volcano has calmed down, skim the gunge from the header tank and repeat... twenty times

The rapid expansion of the water in the sytstem helps blow the muck out, and by alternating opposite corners of the rad, that ensures it gets flushed too

To add, when the hose is connected to the drain plug, the hose from the expansion tank to the radiator is removed from the radiator and diverted to a bucket.

When the hose is connected to this pipe, the drain plug is closed

Edited for clarity

A video or pics of this would be great. However repeating it 20 times...Does that mean adding the tabs 20 times too?

Sorry, no vid or pics, and to answer your question... yes, so buy a big box (diswasher liquid tabs)

No point flushing until the oil cooler has been replaced... has this been done yet? I can't remember if this was the issue you were having recently :-[

No havent changed the oil cooler yet. Looking on the net to buy one. If anyone has one or a good place to buy that ships please recommend. Cheers
Ant

[Anthony in Madrid]

Last car I cleaned out, we attached the hose alternately to either the radiator drain plug or the expansion tank overflow pipe into the rad, dropped three tabs down the top hose, ran the engine until the temp gauge hit 100, then simply popped the cap off. Once the resulting volcano has calmed down, skim the gunge from the header tank and repeat... twenty times

The rapid expansion of the water in the sytstem helps blow the muck out, and by alternating opposite corners of the rad, that ensures it gets flushed too

To add, when the hose is connected to the drain plug, the hose from the expansion tank to the radiator is removed from the radiator and diverted to a bucket.

When the hose is connected to this pipe, the drain plug is closed

Edited for clarity

Was the water running all the time while the engine was on?

Yes.

So the water was just building up inside the system without an outlet? Is this dangerous?

[Anthony in Madrid]

There's a very effective method for blowing that shit out once it's proper mayonnaise, also involves a box of Aerial Liquitabs, asbestos arms, about 200 litres of water and drive cleaner for afters...

But as said, new oil cooler then worry about cleaning it out. Avoid driving it if at all possible.

Asbestos arm?
Drive cleaners as in Clean the front drive of the house? 

[05omegav6]

When you release the expansion cap on a hot engine the pressure releases suddenly... This principle effectively blows the gunge out from the header tank. Only catch is that it goes everywhere and is clearly quite hot. The overflow when the hose is filling via the radiator drain goes into a bucket, which helps to wash some of the muck through... You need heat and the tabs to  shift the muck, and by adding water you're adding fluid which flushes the crud out of the system via the header tank.

Best done on waste ground, ie a scrubby bit of garden rather than a block paved drive, hence the drive cleaner... Even traditional flushing will make a mess

[Marks DTM Calib]

You can get them on ebay but contact the seller for shipping costs, part number should be 93176626.

You then need the sealant, dowty washers, oil cooler pipe washers, anti freeze, oil filter and oil