Cleaning out coolant bottle...ideas

[Matata]

Non boaty but I know you know the answer!! My lad has just got a peugeot 206 petrol and the coolant tank is full of rust coloured dirty water. I was going to clean it out, flush out the coolant system and refill. I'l take off the bottle to clean it. Would oxalic acid solution be the way to rinse it out? Any bright ideas about flushing out the system. sorry its not boaty but its nearly !!!!!! Nik

 

[savageseadog]

If it's a plastic bottle which you can remove and has no metal bits then use brick cleaner (hydrochloric acid.)
For the rest of the engine I would suggest a proprietary engine flush or sulphamic acid (central heating cleaner)

 

[VicS]

I'd probably just drain flush with plain water drain again and refill with the correct antifreeze mixture.

If you want to do more use a radiator cleaner such as HOLTS SPEEDFLUSH instead of flushing with plain water.

If its really bad esp if you think it may be suffering from any scaling use HOLTS RADFLUSH 2 STEP

I cannot see the point of removing the tank and cleaning it alone ... Its condition is indicative of the state of the rest of the system.
If you really must clean it then use oxalic acid by all means or an acid kettle and boiler de-scaler, but its the state of the waterways in the engine and the condition of the radiator that are the important factors.


Reminds me the coolant in my car is long, long overdue to be changed.

 

[Heckler]

I'd probably just drain flush with plain water drain again and refill with the correct antifreeze mixture.

If you want to do more use a radiator cleaner such as HOLTS SPEEDFLUSH instead of flushing with plain water.

If its really bad esp if you think it may be suffering from any scaling use HOLTS RADFLUSH 2 STEP

I cannot see the point of removing the tank and cleaning it alone ... Its condition is indicative of the state of the rest of the system.
If you really must clean it then use oxalic acid by all means or an acid kettle and boiler de-scaler, but its the state of the waterways in the engine and the condition of the radiator that are the important factors.


Reminds me the coolant in my car is long, long overdue to be changed.

We mustnt forget that modern cars have aluminium rads, stuck together with epoxy. Some of the other posters ideas of using acids, hmm aluminium and acid?
Stu

 

[nigelmercier]

Non boaty but I know you know the answer!! My lad has just got a peugeot 206 petrol and the coolant tank is full of rust coloured dirty water...

Often a sign that a product such as RadWeld has been used. I agree with Stu, acid may not be a good idea.

 

[VicS]

We mustnt forget that modern cars have aluminium rads, stuck together with epoxy. Some of the other posters ideas of using acids, hmm aluminium and acid?
Stu

Good point. My 106 radiator is copper but the 206 came along a little later than the 106 so possibly aluminium.
The two part Radflush is suitable for all engines. Part 1 contains citric acid

 

[talltim]

remove and clean in soapy water, rinse well, refit and flush cooling system and refill with antifreeze mixture

Antifreeze is also a corrosion inhibitor and should be used all year round

note Long life antifreeze, 5 yr life and usually red, should not be mixed with normal a/f

 

[Matata]

Thanks for that guys, I think Ill just simply drain, fill with fresh water, take it for a whiz and refill with deionized water and antifreeze. I'll clean the reservoir with olexalic . Its just the bottle is so dirty you can't even see the contents and I can see him running it dry!! Ta Nik