What is the best stuff I can get from B and Q for my overheating volvo?

[firstascent2002]

Hi guys,

At max revs I get a fair amount of stream mixed in with the plentiful cooling water from the exhaust. I'm guessing that the cooling channels are full of sale etc in my raw water cooled engine. I have read pervious posts about using central heaing cleaning solutions but when I wnet to B and Q there were loads of different types and I lost my bottle. Can some one guide me on which exact product to use and how long to leave it in the engine for?

As it will be recycled whilst the engine warms, Ideally I don't want something that will bugger the gell coat as there will no doubt be alittle spillage.

I also suspect that I am supposed to remove the thermostat....is this an easy DIY job.....


I live in terror of working on the engine but with your guidance am getting better slowly!

J

 

[richardsn9]

If you google your nearest PlumbCentre or similar, they should have Fernox, which I have used successfully to degunk an elderly VP. Make sure you have thick rubber gloves as well!

 

[DownWest]

On the assumption that it is salting up of the waterways, I would set up a closed circuit flush with a hand diaphram bilge pump pumping the stuff round from a bucket to the inlet, after the raw water pump, and collect it from the pipe that injects it to the exaust elbow. Sit there for a while, pumping, and keep an eye on what comes out into the bucket. Removing the thermostat would be essential to allow flow. Should be easy, do you have a manual?
Someone will be along soon to recommend the acid.

He just did!

 

[silverdawn]

Hi guys,

At max revs I get a fair amount of stream mixed in with the plentiful cooling water from the exhaust. I'm guessing that the cooling channels are full of sale etc in my raw water cooled engine. I have read pervious posts about using central heaing cleaning solutions but when I wnet to B and Q there were loads of different types and I lost my bottle. Can some one guide me on which exact product to use and how long to leave it in the engine for?

As it will be recycled whilst the engine warms, Ideally I don't want something that will bugger the gell coat as there will no doubt be alittle spillage.

I also suspect that I am supposed to remove the thermostat....is this an easy DIY job.....


I live in terror of working on the engine but with your guidance am getting better slowly!

J

Never used it myself but this website might be of assistance to obtain marine descaler.
www.rydlyme.net.

 

[cpedw]

collect it from the pipe that injects it to the exaust elbow.

My experience with a VP 2003 is that the exhaust elbow is the part that's worst affected by scaling. I cleaned it by removing it and poking through the channels with a piece of wire plus cautious application of the acid. You'll need to replace the exhaust elbow to cylinder head gasket when it's all done.

Derek

 

[reeac]

It might be a faulty thermostat. If they fail closed then water still gets around some of the engine and then out with the exhaust so you get enough cooling for medium revs. but it overheats at higher speeds. Worth checking in a saucepan of water brought up to boiling point.

 

[VicS]

Fernox DS-3 is the de-scaler to look for. There are many other Fernox products this one is sulphamic acid based and suitable for general de-scaling as well as central heating boiler de-scaling

Rydlyme, as mentioned, is another suitable de-scaler. See http://www.rydlymemarine.co.uk/


However if you have steam mixed with the cooling water leaving the exhaust system I would be looking primarily for things affecting the overall water flow rate rather than for scaling of the engine water ways.

Intake, strainer, all hoses for signs of internal collapse, gearbox cooler, exhaust injection point not to mention the pump impeller and wear of the water pump.

 

[Alfie168]

Its possibly not strong enough for your purposes, but I'l mention it all the same, and that is Sentinel X200 which is a non acidic descaler generally used to quieten central heating boilers. As its non acidic it requires no neutralisation and can be left in boilers permanently, so if you have a closed circuit you could just leave it in. Other acidic scalers are of course considerably more aggressive, but require more careful neutralisation and will 'take out' any component that is on the thinning side, so need to be used with more caution.

Like I said, my only reservation is that X200 might not be aggressive enough.

Tim

 

[charles_reed]

On the assumption that it is salting up of the waterways, I would set up a closed circuit flush with a hand diaphram bilge pump pumping the stuff round from a bucket to the inlet, after the raw water pump, and collect it from the pipe that injects it to the exaust elbow. Sit there for a while, pumping, and keep an eye on what comes out into the bucket. Removing the thermostat would be essential to allow flow. Should be easy, do you have a manual?
Someone will be along soon to recommend the acid.

He just did!

Sulphamic acid.

 

[colvic987]

Hi guys,

At max revs I get a fair amount of stream mixed in with the plentiful cooling water from the exhaust. I'm guessing that the cooling channels are full of sale etc in my raw water cooled engine. I have read pervious posts about using central heaing cleaning solutions but when I wnet to B and Q there were loads of different types and I lost my bottle. Can some one guide me on which exact product to use and how long to leave it in the engine for?

As it will be recycled whilst the engine warms, Ideally I don't want something that will bugger the gell coat as there will no doubt be alittle spillage.

I also suspect that I am supposed to remove the thermostat....is this an easy DIY job.....


I live in terror of working on the engine but with your guidance am getting better slowly!

J

If you have just recently noticed this steam, are you sure that its a problem with the engine, or the recent drop in temperature as the winter months draw in, enabling you to see more of the exhaust heat condense in the air.
If i am barking up the wrong tree, so to speak, then a backflush and the chemical solutions mentioned in the other posts would surfice. volvo penta do a flushing system thru their QL accessories, but i am sure you would not agree with the price.

 

[charles_reed]

Fernox DS-3 is the de-scaler to look for. There are many other Fernox products this one is sulphamic acid based and suitable for general de-scaling as well as central heating boiler de-scaling

Rydlyme, as mentioned, is another suitable de-scaler. See http://www.rydlymemarine.co.uk/


However if you have steam mixed with the cooling water leaving the exhaust system I would be looking primarily for things affecting the overall water flow rate rather than for scaling of the engine water ways.

Intake, strainer, all hoses for signs of internal collapse, gearbox cooler, exhaust injection point not to mention the pump impeller and wear of the water pump.

Fernox DS3 is quite hard to obtain and intended to be applied as a paste to parts that are removable and need de-scaling. It has an additive producing an unpleasant smell and changes colour from yellow to green when exhausted. That green dye is pretty long-lasting.

I have used it successfully for descaling kettles as well as heat-exchangers, but the OP
may be better served by one of the fluid sulphamic acid mixes, which don't hjave such unpleasant fumes or leave a lingering green shade. There are many apart from the Fernox range.

 

[Plevier]

Unless I missed it you haven't said what engine. I'm guessing it's a raw water cooled 2001/2/3 is that right?
If so, I think if it was the elbow as suggested that your water flow rate would be down. If you have plenty of water but steam with it, it's more likely the tube through the head from front to back. This has small holes in and when the 'stat opens water flows through these round the head and through the 'stat to the exhaust.
The treatment is the same - acid descaler or brick cleaner - also you can rod through this pipe or ultimately drive it out and replace with a new one, or drill the holes out if you manage not to damage it.
As far as I remember I simply took the 'stat out, filled up with acid and left it until it stopped fizzing. Magic!
To do the elbow you need to take it off and dunk it.

 

[VicS]

Fernox DS3 is quite hard to obtain and intended to be applied as a paste to parts that are removable and need de-scaling. It has an additive producing an unpleasant smell and changes colour from yellow to green when exhausted. That green dye is pretty long-lasting.

I have used it successfully for descaling kettles as well as heat-exchangers, but the OP
may be better served by one of the fluid sulphamic acid mixes, which don't hjave such unpleasant fumes or leave a lingering green shade. There are many apart from the Fernox range.

It does not seem to be as readily available as it was. I have seen it in the DIY stores ( B&Q or Homebase) in the past but it is available from Plumbworld and Plumb Center and no doubt other plumbers merchants.

I don't know why you think its intended to be used as a paste .... the instructions say to use as a solution between 2.5% and 10%! (250g to 1kg per 10 litres)

I'd not think the yellow/green/blue dye (pH indicator) would be a major problem to an engine cooling system.

The faint odour is probably due to the corrosion inhibitors.

However any sulphamic acid based descaler should be equally effective. The point is that Fernox, which the OP asked about, is a brand name that encompasses numerous other products.

 

[nigelmercier]

Never used it myself but this website might be of assistance to obtain marine descaler.
www.rydlyme.net.

Or you could just buy Hydrochloric Acid, which is all RydLyme is - in a solid gold bottle considering the price

See here.

 

[2Tizwoz]

Fernox DS - 3 http://www.fernox.com/files/Fernox/Content/PDF/English/DS3 2kg new.pdf
has inhibitors in addition to Sulphamic acid so is less likely to remove metal.

Its available online from BES http://www.bes.co.uk/?ref=google-BP...-type=phrase&gclid=CLbDnoDj8qsCFdRX4QodXxApww

The exhaust elbow is the most likely problem however, and can be mechanically cleaned as others have described.

 

[longjohnsilver]

Or you could just buy Hydrochloric Acid, which is all RydLyme is - in a solid gold bottle considering the price

See here.

Nigel, I see from that link that hydrogen chloride is less than 10% of rydlyme and it's bio degradable. So how does that make it expensive hydrochloric acid? There's surely a bit more to it than that?

I have used Rydlyme several times with great effect, each time my engine temps have dropped to where they should be.

 

[VicS]

Nigel, I see from that link that hydrogen chloride is less than 10% of rydlyme and it's bio degradable. So how does that make it expensive hydrochloric acid? There's surely a bit more to it than that?

I have used Rydlyme several times with great effect, each time my engine temps have dropped to where they should be.

The composition of Rydlyme is a mystery to me!

they tell us it contains less than 10% hydrogen chloride but they also tell us the "Material is aqueous organic salt solution"

They tell us that 1 US gallon of concentrate will dissolve 2 lbs of calcium carbonate per US gallon ...... That is appreciably more than 1 US gallon of 10% HCl will dissolve. So how come it will dissolve that much scale ?

They tell us the pH is generally <3. 10% HCl will be very much less that!

They tell us that it is non corrosive and safe to use on a range of metals .... presumably therefore must contain inhibitors. That would probably explain the colour and the odour.