Flushing Engine

[gavin400]

I wish to flush my engine (Volvo MD1) with Ferox or similar.

Having never done it before I'm unsure how to proceed:

Do I run the engine up to operating temp. and then add the solution at the intake hose and let it run through the system until it comes out the exhaust - if so, that would mean the cleaner won't spend much time in the engine?

If I recycle the cleaner, then surely I would be putting the gunk back into the engine?

Or, do I fill the engine with cleaner, turn everything off and leave it in the system for a while and then flush through?

All help gratefully recieved.

Gavin

 

[vyv_cox]

Circulate it, exactly as you would when cleaning a domestic central heating system. The 'gunk' is mostly carbonates that are dissolved by the Fernox. Let the engine warm up and run for ten minutes or so.

 

[saxonpirate]

I wish to flush my engine (Volvo MD1) with Ferox or similar.

Having never done it before I'm unsure how to proceed:

Do I run the engine up to operating temp. and then add the solution at the intake hose and let it run through the system until it comes out the exhaust - if so, that would mean the cleaner won't spend much time in the engine?

If I recycle the cleaner, then surely I would be putting the gunk back into the engine?

Or, do I fill the engine with cleaner, turn everything off and leave it in the system for a while and then flush through?

All help gratefully recieved.

Gavin

Are we talking about using 'Fernox' radiator flush? I'm guessing your MD is raw water cooled only, so I can see your concern about shooting your flushing liquid straight out of the exhaust. How about doing it in two stages. Get your engine hot using seawater, and then disconnect your raw water inlet pipe and stick it in a large bucket of hot water containing your Fernox solution. Run that through the system and then leave it. As you probably know the chemicals in the Fernox start working when its hot, so you its imperative that the engine is hot to get the best out of the solution. You'll probably have to rinse and repeat. That's how I'd attack it anyway.

 

[vyv_cox]

Hang your large bucket of water under the exhaust fitting, catch the water coming out and put the inlet hose to the pump in the bucket.

 

[gavin400]

Can i disconnect the water outlet pipe at the exhaust and collect the flushed water, rather than hanging a bucket over the stern - or will this melt the rubber exhaust hose? (there are no plastic components in the system)

 

[nigelmercier]

... will this melt the rubber exhaust hose? ...

Yes. I wonder if you could substitute a hose-pipe ...

 

[vyv_cox]

Can i disconnect the water outlet pipe at the exhaust and collect the flushed water, rather than hanging a bucket over the stern - or will this melt the rubber exhaust hose? (there are no plastic components in the system)

One option to avoid this would be to remove the discharge hose at the manifold as you suggest, collecting the water in a bucket inside the boat. Then supply the exhaust manifold connection with a hose pipe to cool the exhaust hose. Don't overdo the supply rate or you could backfill the engine. Make it about the same as the pump normally supplies.