How to flush the engine cooling system?
Content
Question, how to flush the engine cooling system, is of interest to car owners who are faced with problems cleaning the cooling jacket. There are both folk cleaning products (citric acid, whey, Coca-Cola and others), as well as modern technological formulations. Let's take a closer look at those and other options.
Means for cleaning the cooling system from oil, rust and deposits
How often to flush
Before we move on to a nominal description of certain means, I would like to remind you how important it is to regularly flush the car's cooling system. The fact is that, depending on the coolant used, rust, oil deposits, antifreeze decomposition products, and scale accumulate on the walls of the tubes that make up the radiator. All this leads to difficulty in the circulation of the coolant and a decrease in heat transfer. And this always has a bad effect on the characteristics of the internal combustion engine and increases the wear of its individual parts with the risk of their premature failure.
Dirty radiator
It is worth noting that flushing the system can be both internal and external (external cleaning means flushing the radiator from the outside from particles of dirt, dust, and insects present on its surface). It is recommended to flush the internal cooling system at least once a year. It is best to do this in the spring, when there are no more frosts, and a hot summer is ahead.
On some cars, there is a light on the dashboard with a picture of a radiator, the glow of which may indicate not only a decrease in the level of antifreeze, but also that it is time to change it. This can also serve as a signal that it's time to clean the cooling system. there are also a number of indirect signs of the need for such cleaning:
Radiator icon indicating a problem with the cooling system
- frequent overheating of the internal combustion engine;
- pump problems;
- slow response to rheostat signals (inertia);
- high temperature readings from the corresponding sensor;
- problems in the operation of the “stove”;
- The fan always runs at high speed.
If the engine is very hot, then it's time to select a tool in order to flush the cooling system, and make a choice for this time and opportunity.
Folk remedies for flushing the cooling system
As we indicated above, there are two types of flushing agents - folk and special. Let's start with the first, as cheaper and more proven.
Lemon acid
Using citric acid to clean the cooling system
The most common citric acid, diluted in water, is able to clean the radiator tubes from rust and dirt. It is especially effective if ordinary water is used as a coolant, since acidic compounds are effective against rust, and alkaline compounds are effective against scale. However, remember that a solution of citric acid is not able to remove significant contaminants.
The composition of the solution is as follows - also dissolve 20-40 grams in 1 liter of water, and if the pollution is strong, then the amount of acid per liter can be increased to 80-100 grams (a larger volume is created in a similar proportion). It is considered ideal when adding acid to distilled water pH level is around 3.
The cleaning procedure itself is simple. you need to drain all the old fluid and pour in a new solution. then you need to warm up the internal combustion engine to operating temperature and leave it for a few hours (and preferably at night). then drain the solution from the system and look at its condition. If it is very dirty, then the procedure must also be repeated 1-2 times until the liquid is clean enough. After that, be sure to flush the system with water. then pour in the agent that you plan to use as a coolant.
Acetic acid
Using acetic acid to clean the cooling system
The effect of this solution is similar to that described above. A solution of acetic acid is great for flushing rust off the cooling system. The proportions of the solution are as follows - half a liter of vinegar per bucket of water (10 liters). The cleaning procedure is similar - we drain the old fluid, fill in a new one and warm up the car to operating temperatures. next you need to leave the car with running DVSm for 30-40 minutes with the fact that in order for something to happen in the radiator chemical cleaning. then you need to drain the cleaning fluid and look at its condition. Repeat the procedure until the liquid is clear. then you need to flush the system with boiled or distilled water, and then fill in the coolant that you plan to use on an ongoing basis.
Fanta
Using Fanta to clean the cooling system
Similar to the previous point. However, there is an important difference here. The fact is that, unlike Coca-Cola, where phosphoric acid is used, Fanta uses lemon acid, which has a lesser cleaning effect. Therefore, some car owners pour it instead of antifreeze to clean the cooling system.
As for the time during which you need to drive like this, it all depends on the degree of contamination of the system. namely, if it is not very dirty, and cleaning is done more for prevention, then it is enough to let the internal combustion engine run for 30-40 minutes at idle. If you want to wash the old dirt well, then you can ride like this for 1-2 days, then pour distillate into the system, ride the same way, drain it and look at its condition. If the distillate is dirty, repeat the procedure until the system is clear. At the end, do not forget to thoroughly rinse it with water and fill it with new antifreeze.
Lactic acid or whey
An excellent option for flushing the cooling system of a car's internal combustion engine is lactic acid. However, a significant problem lies in the fact that it is very difficult to get lactic acid today. But if you manage to get it also, then you can pour it into the radiator in its pure form and ride it for a while (or let the car stand with the engine running).
A more affordable alternative to lactic acid is whey. It has similar properties for cleaning the radiator and other elements of the cooling system. The algorithm for using serum is as follows:
Use of whey
- prepare about 10 liters of whey in advance (preferably homemade, not from the store);
- strain the entire purchased volume 2-3 times through cheesecloth in order to filter out large pieces of fat;
- first, drain the coolant from the radiator, and pour whey in its place;
- drive 50-60 kilometers with it;
- it is necessary to drain the serum in a hot state, so that the dirt does not have time to stick to the walls of the tubes again (be careful!);
- let the engine cool down;
- pour pre-boiled water into the radiator;
- start the internal combustion engine, let it warm up (about 15-20 minutes); drain the water;
- let the engine cool down;
- fill in the antifreeze that you plan to use on an ongoing basis;
- bleed air from the system, top up with coolant if necessary.
Caustic soda
This property is also popularly called differently - sodium hydroxide, "caustic alkali", "caustic soda", "caustic" and so on.
In accordance with the official instructions of the manufacturer of copper radiators, you need to act according to the following algorithm:
Caustic soda
- remove the radiator from the car;
- rinse its insides with plain water and blow it with compressed air (not exceeding a pressure of 1 kgf / cm2) until clean water flows out of the radiator;
- prepare about 1 liter of 10% caustic soda solution;
- heat the composition to at least + 90 ° С;
- pour the prepared composition into the radiator;
- let it brew for 30 minutes;
- drain the solution;
- for 40 minutes, rinse the inside of the radiator with hot water and blow it with hot air alternately (at the same time, the pressure should not exceed 1 kgf / cm2) in the direction opposite to the direction of movement of the pump.
As a result of a chemical reaction, white foam may appear from the radiator pipes. If this happens - do not be alarmed, this is normal. The tightness of the cooling system after cleaning must be carried out on a cold internal combustion engine, since hot water evaporates quickly, and it will be problematic to find the intended place of the leak.
What is not recommended to flush the cooling system
Among the so-called folk remedies, there are a number of those that are not recommended for use, despite the fact that some car owners still use them, and in some cases they even help. Let's give some examples.
Coca-Cola
Using Coca-Cola as a Purifier
Some car owners use Coca-Cola to flush the cooling system of oil, emulsion, scale and rust. The point is that it contains orthophosphoric acid, with which you can easily get rid of the mentioned pollution. However, in addition to acid, this liquid contains a large amount of sugar and carbon dioxide, which can lead to certain problems.
If you decide to use "Cola" as a cleaning fluid, then it is better to first release carbon dioxide from it, so that during the expansion process it does not harm individual internal combustion engine components. As for sugar, after using the liquid, you need to thoroughly rinse the cooling system with plain water.
Fairy
Some drivers use the popular Fairy household grease cleaner or its equivalents to flush the oil from the cooling system. However, its use is associated with a number of problems. Firstly, its composition is designed to fight edible fat, and it simply cannot cope with engine oil. And even if you try to pour it into the radiator, then you will have to fill in and “boil” the internal combustion engine several dozen times.
Calgon and its analogues
Calgon, Tiret and similar products are not recommended for cleaning radiators, since their intended purpose is to remove limescale from water pipes.
"White"
The peculiarity of "Whiteness" is that it contains sodium hypochlorite, which corrodes aluminum. And the higher the temperature of the liquid and the working surface, the faster corrosion occurs (according to an exponential law). Therefore, in no case do not pour various stain removers into the system, especially those containing bleach and compounds based on it (including “Mr. Muscle”).
"mole"
Known in narrow circles, "Mole" is based on caustic soda. Accordingly, they cannot process aluminum radiators and other surfaces. It is only suitable for cleaning copper radiators (namely, stove radiators) and only by removing it, running such a cleaner through the system, you will kill all rubber seals and seals.
Other mixtures
Some drivers use a mixture of citric acid (25%), baking soda (50%) and vinegar (25%) for cleaning. However, we do not recommend that you do the same, as it is very rough and corrodes rubber and plastic parts.
Special fluids for flushing the radiator
The means listed above, of course, can be used to flush the radiator and cooling system of a car, but they have already become obsolete both morally and technologically. Currently, auto chemical goods manufacturers offer consumers a wide range of various cleaning products that cost quite reasonable money, that is, available to an ordinary car owner.
Types of liquids
There are several types of cleaning liquids for radiators, which are divided by chemical composition. namely:
- Neutral. Such liquids do not contain aggressive additives (namely, alkalis and acids). Therefore, they are not able to wash significant pollution. usually, neutral formulations are used as a prophylaxis.
- Acidic. As the name implies, the basis of their composition are various acids. Such fluids are excellent for cleaning inorganic compounds.
- Alkaline. Here the base is alkali. Great for removing organic contaminants.
- Two-component. They are made on the basis of both alkalis and acids. so, they can be used as a universal cleaner, in order to flush the cooling system from scale, rust, antifreeze decomposition products and other compounds.
Popular Liquids
We present for you an overview of the most popular liquids in our country for flushing the car cooling system, as well as some reviews of motorists who used this or that liquid. We hope that the information below will be useful to you, and you will know the best way to flush the cooling system.
TOP 3 best fluids for flushing the cooling system
LAVR Radiator Flush LN1106
LAVR Radiator Flush Classic. LAVR is a Russian brand of auto chemicals. LAVR Radiator Flush Classic is an excellent solution for flushing the cooling system of any car. The product catalog number is LN1103. The approximate cost of a 0,43 liter package is $ 3 ... 5, and a 0,98 liter package is $ 5 ... 10.
Bottles with a volume of 430 ml will be enough for you to use in a cooling system with a total volume of 8 ... 10 liters. The composition is poured into the system, and topped up with warm water to the MIN mark. After that, the internal combustion engine should run for about 30 minutes at idle. then the agent is removed from the system and washed with distilled water for 10 ... 15 minutes with the engine running at idle. After that, you can fill in new antifreeze.
The useful properties of the product include an increase in the service life of antifreeze by 30 ... 40%, effective removal of scale, decomposition products of antifreeze, rust, and dirt. Contains a corrosion inhibitor, increases the life of the pump and thermostat.
| Positive feedback | Negative feedback |
| I simply used Lavr flushing because just shortly before that I had just used a ring decarbonizer under the same name, I saw the result, that's why I decided not to tempt fate and use the drug of the same company ... | No negative reviews found. |
| Also at one time on the VAZ-21099 used Lavr. Impressions are only positive. But I did flushing every two years. So I never had dirt in the cooling system. | . |
7-minute Hi-Gear Radiator Flush
Hi-Gear Radiator Flush — 7 minute. Manufactured in the USA by Hi-Gear. It is implemented in the CIS countries, as well as Europe and America. Flushing the Hi-Gear cooling system is a very popular tool among motorists around the world. Article - HG9014. The price of one can of 325 ml is about $6-7. Since 2017, as of the end of 2021, the cost of flushing has increased by 20%.
A 325 ml can will be enough for you to flush the cooling system up to 17 liters. The product can be used to clean the cooling systems of cars and trucks. A distinctive feature is the short operating time, namely 7 minutes.
The useful properties of the product include the fact that it increases the efficiency of the radiator by 50 ... 70%, eliminates overheating of the cylinder walls, restores the circulation of the coolant, reduces the likelihood of overheating of the internal combustion engine, and protects the pump seal. The agent does not contain acids, does not require neutralization, and is not aggressive to plastic and rubber parts.
| Positive feedback | Negative feedback |
| I used Hi-Gear (USA) flushing, I have been using the products of this office since the purchase of the first car, there have never been any complaints, especially about “injector cleaners” | I liked Hadovskaya washing more + it is cheaper. |
| After a cheap flush, it didn’t get better. But hi-gear helped | . |
LIQUI MOLY radiator cleaner
LIQUI MOLY radiator cleaner. This is a popular product from a well-known German auto chemical company. It can be used in any cooling and heating systems. Does not contain aggressive alkalis and acids. The approximate price of a 300 ml can is $6…8. Article - 1994.
Perfect for car owners who want to flush the engine cooling system from oil, emulsion and rust. A 300 ml jar is enough to create 10 liters of cleansing liquid. The agent is added to the coolant and the internal combustion engine is left running for 10 ... 30 minutes. After that, the system is cleaned and new antifreeze is poured.
The cleaning agent dissolves grease, oil and lime deposits, removes dirt and sediment. It is also neutral to plastics, rubber, compatible with any coolants. Does not contain aggressive acids and alkalis.
| Positive feedback | Negative feedback |
| To be honest, I was surprised by the result of the oil in the nozzles washed out, I ran my finger inside the nozzle, there was not even a hint of oil left. | I washed the lycumoli, it didn’t give anything, but the foam in the tank is still standing. In the info it was written that it even removes rust, yeah, so it was exactly the opposite. |
| After replacing the stove radiator, I filled it with dis / water, washed it well, why I say it’s good, because the old antifreeze I had, in principle, was clean, it was just time to change it, and after washing it came out a little scum, then filled in the new antifreeze, so it now like a tear, only bluish. | Liquid Molly tried on an old car - in my opinion garbage |
This is not a complete list of products for cleaning the cooling system of cars that are sold in stores in our country. However, we settled on only the more popular of them, as they have proven themselves better than others. Any of these products can be used to flush the system, for example, when oil has got into the antifreeze.
Conclusions
As you can see, the choice of tools for cleaning the OS is quite wide. We recommend that you use professional tools, and not various folk methods that are used to flush the internal combustion engine cooling system at home, when it is not possible to buy special tools. So you will protect the cooling and other systems of your car from possible breakdowns and extend their life. Since various acids corrode not only the sediment, but some components and parts of the OS.
also remember that if you want to switch from one brand of antifreeze to another, then you must definitely flush the cooling system with clean distilled water. This is the simplest and cheapest method of preventive cleaning of the OS.
