Hill4589

So I bought a front end wrecked 95 ex coupe for 500 bucks the other week and the rad support is slightly bent but caused a leak in the radiator. My friend gave me one out of his parts civic and it is pretty grimy on the inside. What is there to use to run through the rad to clean it out?

z6hatchboy

if its out i suppose you could just run a garden hose throught it and maybe mix some cleaner in it, i dont know if i would install it in the car and do a normal flush if its grimy inside....getting that in the heater core would not be good, or motor

iliv2xlr8

Prestone Radiator Flush. Works great!

Essentially you:

- drain the radiator
- fill with water and Prestone Radiator Flush
- drive car for 30 minutes
- drain and watch all the crap come out
- put garden hose to radiator cap and turn on water
- start car
- water is cycled through system as it drains
- watch more crap come out
- cycle until water is clear
- drain completely
- refill with proper mixture of Antifreeze and Distilled water.

I have used this product many times. You will be amazed of both how much crap is in your cooling system, and how much more efficient it becomes. I also recommend Redline Water Wetter.

-XLR8

Hill4589

hmm, that requires it to be on the car and I really dont want to put the rad on until its clean so i dont put anything undesireable in the motor.. that could turn out bad.

iliv2xlr8

Roger that,

I read the post too fast...LOL

-Flush with hot water
-Make sure all the chunks are removed
-Install
-Continue with above instructions

Whatever cleaner is going to need to be pressurized to do any real good. I also wouldn't recommend any degreaser or common cleaner. These products can leave a residue behind that can react with the antifreeze, or even engine gasket corrosion.

If it looks too corroded then I wouldn't install it, buy new from: www.rockauto.com

Great prices! You can buy new and have it shipped for much cheaper than any local parts store..... guaranteed.

-XLR8

z6hatchboy

stick a garden hose in the top and seal in it (duct tape) and make a nozel (more duct tape?) so it can build a little pressure to break things loose and just let it rip is all i can think of

The_Honda_Guy

I myself would actually let the garden hose do it's job first to push out all the old coolant and debris, then run the cleaner through, then flush it back out with the hose. I always flushed it through the radiator cap and then took off the upper radiator hose and let it run back out through there. Also, the directions on the flush state to fill with water and cleaner, run, drain, fill with water again, run, drain, then flush everything back out with water, which is how I do it. If you live anywhere where it gets cold out, I would not use the Water Wetter. Besides, Honda motors generally don't like additives in them. Make sure to refill with Genuine Honda Type 2 coolant. The regular stuff has been proven to eat water pump bearings over time.

Hill4589

So simple green or any other degreaser isnt a good idea then to clean it out (keep in mind the radiator is not connected to the car)

The_Honda_Guy

No, I wouldn't use a degreaser in there. I would run the hose through it for a while and flush out what you can, then when you install it onto the car flush it out the proper way.

Hill4589

Lol hopefully the garden hose isn't frozen.. it's about 28 degrees out right now.

The_Honda_Guy

I'm with ya brother, gotta love the winter weather! lol Just got done snowing here.

TOO MUCH TORQUE

fill the radiator up with water, leave the water in there for a day or two to break down the gunk in there. Water is a good solvent but it takes time. I would then mix simple green and water and let it sit in the radiator for an hour or two and then run a garden hose through it for a while to make sure the radiator is simple green free.

Hill4589

You don't think simple green would hurt the radiator even when it is diluted with water?

The_Honda_Guy

Don't let the water sit in there, especially if it's 28 degrees outside. You may not like the results. lol

trustdestruction

how about using some CLR?

not sure if it's a good idea, but it's a good sounding idea... maybe someone can input on this.

Dann6968

Whoa! Nice!

thumper64

What about some boiling water and the radiator cleaner stuff? Or wouldn't vinegar work? Just flush the radiator out well after.

iliv2xlr8

Rockauto is the bomb! I found them a few years ago. Very great customer service.

Honestly, if you are worried, then I would buy new. You can get a brand new Permacool OE replacement from Rockauto for cheap.