How to flush the engine cooling system at home

Sooner or later, but all car owners are faced with the problem of deterioration in the quality of the cooling system and the need to clean it.
Signs of this can be:

• temperature rise on the sensor;
• a fan that runs without interruption;
• pump problems;
• frequent "airiness" of the system;
• poor work of the "stove".

A common cause of these problems can be a clogged cooling system (CO) itself. Even if antifreeze or antifreeze was always used, then over time, decomposition products of these liquids accumulate in CO, which can clog the radiator honeycombs and deposit on the hoses and branch pipes of the system.

As a result, the movement of coolant through the system deteriorates, which additionally loads the fan and pump. To avoid these problems, it is necessary to completely clean the CO at least once every 2 years.

Types and methods of industrial cleaning

CO cleaning is carried out both external and internal.

External cleaning of CO means flushing or purging the fins of the radiator from the accumulation of fluff, dirt, and insect residues. Flushing is carried out under low pressure to avoid mechanical damage to the radiator honeycomb. In addition, the blades and fan housing are purged and wiped with a damp cloth.

The purpose of internal CO cleaning is to remove scale, rust and decomposition products of antifreeze from the system. It is better to entrust the internal cleaning of CO to professionals at special stands. But often there is not enough time or money to visit the service station.

For self-cleaning of CO, car chemical manufacturers have developed special flushing agents. They can be divided into four categories:

• acidic;
• alkaline;
• two-component;
• neutral.

Scale and rust are removed by acid washing. Decomposition products of coolants are washed off with alkalis. Two-component flushing is used for deep cleaning of CO and affects all types of pollution. Acidic and alkaline liquids are poured alternately.

In neutral washes, catalysts are used that dissolve all impurities to a colloidal state, which excludes clogging of the radiator honeycomb with decay products. The convenience of using neutral washes is that they are simply added to the antifreeze and do not stop the operation of the car.
Using industrial CO flushing, it is imperative to carry out all stages of work in accordance with the instructions. Failure to follow the instructions can lead to disastrous results.

Traditional methods of flushing the cooling system

There are alternative methods for cleaning CO. Since they are less expensive, they are especially popular. However, do not forget that when using such products, extreme caution and safety precautions must be taken, since the cleaning compositions include acids and alkalis.

CO flushing with citric acid

A solution of citric acid allows you to clean the radiator pipes and honeycombs from minor rust. A citric acid solution is made at the rate of 20-40 grams of acid per 1 liter of distilled water. With large accumulations of rust, the concentration of the solution increases to 80-100 grams per 1 liter of water.

Procedure for cleaning with citric acid

1. Drain antifreeze from the cooled engine and radiator.
2. Pour the prepared solution up to the lower mark in the expansion tank.
3. Start the engine, bring it to operating temperature, do not shut off for 10-15 minutes, leave for 6-8 hours (preferably overnight).
4. Drain the solution completely.
5. Rinse with CO with distilled water. If the drained water is dirty, repeat the flushing.
6. Fill in fresh antifreeze.

CO flushing with acetic acid

Acetic acid solution is made at the rate of 50 grams per 1 liter of water. The washing procedure is the same as for citric acid. It is better to hold the running engine for 30-40 minutes.

CO flushing with serum

1. Prepare 10 liters of whey (preferably homemade).
2. Strain the whey through several layers of cheesecloth to remove large particles.
3. Drain coolant completely.
4. Pour the filtered whey into the expansion tank.
5. Start the engine and drive at least 50 km.
6. Drain the whey only while it is hot, to prevent dirt from sticking to the walls of the pipes.
7. Cool the engine down.
8. Thoroughly rinse the CO with distilled water until the drained liquid is completely clean.
9. Fill in new antifreeze.

Cleaning the radiator with caustic soda

Important! The use of caustic soda is only possible for washing copper radiators. It is forbidden to wash aluminum radiators with soda.

A 10% caustic soda solution is used to remove dirt from the radiator.

1. Remove the radiator from the vehicle.
2. Heat one liter of the prepared solution to 90 degrees.
3. Pour hot solution into the radiator and keep there for 30 minutes.
4. Drain the solution.
5. Alternately rinse the radiator with hot water and blow with air at low pressure in the direction opposite to the movement of the antifreeze. Flush until clean water appears.
6. Install the radiator on the car and connect the pipes.
7. Fill in fresh antifreeze.

In the absence of distilled water, you can simply use boiled water.

There are CO flushing methods using Coca-Cola and Fanta, but phosphoric acid in their composition can negatively affect the rubber pipes. In addition, large amounts of sugar and carbon dioxide can cause cleaning problems.

Here are the most popular popular methods for cleaning CO. But it is still recommended to carry out cleaning of the CO with professional means produced by brands with a good reputation. This will not only save time, but also save all CO components from the harmful effects of aggressive alkalis and acids.

Video: how to flush the cooling system with citric acid

| * Independent Workshop * | GUIDE - Flushing the cooling system with citric acid!

Questions and answers:

How to flush the engine cooling system at home? The old antifreeze is drained. The system is filled with cleaning solution. The machine is warming up (approx. 20 minutes). The flush is left in the system overnight, after which it is drained and filled with new antifreeze.

How to flush the car cooling system? For this, there are special flushes, but a similar liquid can be made independently (for 10 liters of water 0.5 liters of vinegar).

How much citric acid is needed to flush the cooling system? To prepare the solution, dissolve 10-200 grams of citric acid in 240 liters of water. To avoid aggressive effects, the proportion can be reduced.