Hello All, A long time ago I had a new radiator core replace the original honeycomb core, due to leaking core. I was not about to install the new radiator to the rusty cooling system of the engine. While online searching for videos and/or discussion about rust flushing, I'm not finding much if anything about treating a non-running engine. Mostly, I'm finding treating a running engine and radiator by warming the system. Has anyone figured out a way to rust flush a cold engine to at least give a new radiator a fighting chance to not get ruined with debris on initial start and run? Is it possible to plug and fill the engine with a mixture and let sit for a time to dissolve rust and debris and drain and repeat until reasonably clean? Any suggestions as to what type mixture to use? Maybe boiling water with something? Well anyway, thanks for any ideas. Harry
could install an inline filter, on the return to the radiator, that is what i did. it was a Gano filter, and even clear so you can see !! you could also fill and soak the engine with evaporust and flush it out. granted it works better when it is warm. that stuff works miracles on rust in engines, sure you read about it if you searched on it.
AACA - VCCA - Stovebolt - ChevyTalk Love the Antique Chevrolet's from 1928-1932 The Beauty, Simplicity, History, and the Stories they Tell
When I resurrected the 1928 engine in my Canopy Express after it sat in the previous owner's garage for 40+ years, I took the radiator to a local shop and had it cleaned. Then, I was worried about junk in the engine, like you are.
I took off the head and vacuumed out a LOT of rusty junk. Having the head off provided access to the water passage holes so I could poke around with a screwdriver and a coat hanger to loosen rust particles in both the block and the head. Especially around the rear two cylinders.
When I put the head back on, I flushed out the block/head (with the water thermostat taken out of the housing) with fresh water from the garden hose. I also reversed the direction of the flush a few times.
That was over ten years ago and I've never had a problem with overheating and I've driven the truck over 2000 miles in that time.
Hope this helps, Dean
Dean 'Rustoholic' Meltz old and ugly is beautiful!
When I flushed out my radiator and engine some time back I hooked a hose to the drain valve on our house water heater. I removed and back flushed the radiator using that hot water. The hope was that any potential grease from the water pump would get hot enough to be loosened and flushed out with the rust.
Matt H did a good write up on that, and as noted there are a ton of threads on people flushing system with Evaporust. i recently id my 1930 with it. the company will tell you it works best at doing so when warm and moving. that is why matt did hte circulation system. that stuff cleans up the inside of an engine, but like he said flush it first to remove the debris or have a way to catch it ( why i used a filter when running it in my car)
AACA - VCCA - Stovebolt - ChevyTalk Love the Antique Chevrolet's from 1928-1932 The Beauty, Simplicity, History, and the Stories they Tell
Hello all, Thanks for the ideas about engine cooling system rust removal. It appears that Evaporust is the product of choice. I'm considering a two part strategy of flushing and soaking and soaking and flushing to get reasonably clean before the new radiator enters the picture.
