Engine water ducts cleaning

[Nacho-RT74]

How I can clean by myself the engine water ducts from rust and dust. I have been using water instead coolant. I will remove radiator to manteniance and check for leaks, get a new lower hose. BUT HOW I CAN CLEAN THE ENGINE INSIDE...

[4402tuff4u]

I've done this with marine engines & heat exchangers and it should work with regular engines, run muriatic acid through them. You can get muriatic acid at a local hardware store or mason supply house. Good luck!

[Nacho-RT74]

I think you mean still with radiator mounted.

Doesn't get damage the hoses ?

AFTER O BEFORE remove and clean radiator ?

How I make with T stat ?

pure or solution with water ?

if is solution... rate ?

[4402tuff4u]

Either way it's ok because the muriatic solution sold in stores here in USA - NY is 10% solution. Some places you can find stronger concentrations. But on the other hand you really dont want to let it sit in the radiator to long, especially with a weak radiator. I would remove the thermostat and pour the solution through the upper hose and manually spin the water pump until you see some of the solution come out the bottom hose. By pass the radiator and flush the radiator with a more diluted solution of muriatic acid. The acid will not harm the hoses.

[Nacho-RT74]

what about add the solution on radiator, start the engine and let it work about 20-30 minutes on engine alone ? T stat will open and let it flow the water... then flush all the water with acid solution and replace with coolant.

[4402tuff4u]

If your radiator is in good condition, then it should be fine. The inside of the radiator will look like a brand new copper penny!

[deathcharger71]

i used muriotic acid to clean the heads off my 327when i had the engine apart, it was a marine engine and the amount of rust in it after 39 years of nothing but fresh colorado river water was rediculous, there was no flow at all to many parts of the engine! but the stuff i got at home depot was one gallon for 30,000 gallons in a pool and i was told to use one gallon for 30 gallons of water in the engine. works wonders though, in 30 minutes it did what 3 days in the hot tank couldnt do  if you have a lot of rust youll see it bubbling and it smells like rottan eggs. fyi it destroys aluminum.

[TylerCharger69]

You can go to a swimming pool accessory dealer  and you can buy that muriatic acid full strength.....eats rust completely....I wouldn't recommend it through hoses, or aluminum though....the stuff puts out a very costic, smoky vapor that'll knock a horse down.    Cleans the hell out of concrete too!!!

[deathcharger71]

haha yeah one wiff of it and i dicided to walk very far away, smells like rottan eggs from hell.

[Nacho-RT74]

So the complete opinion is muriatic acid then and I can add in to rad and let it run with engine running for about 30 minutes and then empty the solution and refill with coolant right ?

ok... 30 minutes is good ? need less ? More ?

and what about the solution rate then ?

[purple70rt]

wear some safety goggles, Nacho.  I use it full strength to clean parts in and then rinse off with lots of water, make sure you have no pets around it either.

[Nacho-RT74]

Ok I found a liter bottle of muriatic acid... I didn't know that was maybe the clorhidric acid comercial name  ... anyway, the deal is that I got a liter in $1 and is PURE.

how much I need to add on radiator ? please, I don't want to get damage the upper hose since is original Mopar molded, practically NOS. I don't care the lower spring kind since need replacement.

[Nacho-RT74]

please, an advise on how much of acid add in to my radiator being full strength ( does that mean  pure ) and how much time you recomend to keep on engine running.

Also how I drain the wtaer and acid solution completelly from engine to add the coolant.

[4402tuff4u]

Sorry for the delay in response. Just got back from Carlisle car show. Nacho I would not use it full strength!! That stuff will eat the copper/bronze in the radiator. It will not harm the steel, but the radiator is a different story. I'm not sure about rubber, but I've never heard of it affecting rubber.

[Nacho-RT74]

of course I won't add the complete bottle, but I think it should be a proportion to add. Is the same add a quantity of acid solution, than just a small portion of full strenght acid that will be solved on engine water.

UNLESS the acid solution bottles/recipients sold are not water mixed.