Vinegar Flush

Hobo,NC

Well-known Member
Location
Sanford, NC
I had a EZ one that needed a good flush it was a Nissan pickup straight drive. After I took the radiator off the first time I can remove it in 10 min. tops it’s so EZ it you would think it had a zipper on it. This one was a dirty and rusty as it gets the customer was in no hurry. 1st day flushed and kept getting flakes stuff out of it block and rad. The hoses have a crusty rust coating on the inside of them. What the ell load it up with 2 gal of vinegar and time to time run the engine thru a hot cycle. I do this for three days them remove the lower radiator hose and dump it I get nuttin except clean vinegar. I have a Qtr. of CLR fill it back up with vinegar and CLR repeat this for 3 more days. I removed the rad and CLR today I could not see where it helped one bit; the crust in the hoses was still there the radiator was still dirty. The Vinegar flush is a :HOAX: it’s a waste of time and money. Its best to rig up a system so you can keep running water thru it. I have such a system I don’t need the radiator I can run the engine and flush it and back flush it even with the thermostat installed. I took some pix of it but lost them on the down load to my puter I will have to email them to myself then post them… Its nuttin you could not conjure up at your local home improvement store..

My take the vinegar flush its BS it only satisfies those that know no better…
 
My take the vinegar flush its BS it only satisfies those that know no better…

Hobo,

Thanks;
I wondered about that myself.
People won't even try what I think is a top notch de-rusting and protective penetrating oil with graphic proof, but I'm supposed to bite on the vinegar flush theory. :D

Just kidding.
T
 
at least somebody found out the hard way, no offence. i keep saying vinegar is for flushing your coffee pot! lol. but there are those that swear by it that it works... cant see it. the thing to do is go to a rad shop and he will boil it in a caustic solution. good luck.
 

I want to see the prof... In other words PROVE IT...

A answer of I had a "short circuit" won't cut it...

Its BS...
 
On one that is bad rusty I use muriatic acid and flush good with clear water before adding coolant.But that is not one with a aluminum radiator.Those I use Safe T Bright aluminium brightener.
 
Hobo u did it again-u got everybody's nnalert in a wad..U and I seem to be able to do that
and not even try...Here's how I see it--It probably does very little but it is better than
nothing--pretty hard to hurt anything by doing it...Now how is that for
softsoapingpansydanzying ariund to keep from hurting anyones little
feelings>>>?????????????????????????????????????????????
 
50 years ago we would flush the vehicle radiators every spring. open the pet cock on the radiator and take the block plugs out. stick a hose in the radiator and run the engine while water ran in and out. heck back then we let everything drain on the ground. times have surely changed.
 
I just finished flushing the radiator in my old 96-97 L4 Tacoma. It was way overdue even though I had changed the coolant two years ago. I also think there was some deposits in the reservoir that got sucked up when I changed to a new radiator cap. The gauge started going over normal temperatures especially on the hot days we have been having and if I ran it over 50-55 mph.

I removed the radiator and back flushed it then left 50/50 vinegar in over night along with some dish detergent. Particles of fine material did come out, but when I put the radiator back in the gauge still went over norm and actually got into the hot region.

I got some Peak cleaner that has a chelating agent (edta) and an organic acid. I ran it in the truck for several trips up town 20 miles round trip and left it in overnight. After I flushed it and ran some more vinegar it still ran hot until I ran several heating and cooling cycles to get rid of the air trapped in the cylinder head. Now it runs at the expected temperature regardless of speed.

The problem is if enough material deposits in the tubes they become almost entirely blocked and it takes a lot of time to reestablish circulation and that is if you are lucky. I was lucky and today I ran more vinegar in the system to make sure I have some elbow room. Tomorrow I am going to take my air hose and see if I can blow any flakes up from the bottom.


Each time I ran vinegar or Peak I got fine precipitate coming out of the lower radiator hose when I removed it so I know it was working. I don't know what the loose deposits were, but I have always used distilled water to refill the reservoir.

As some of you have said some deposits are more difficult to dissolve or have to mechanically removed. Vinegar will dissolve the calcium carbonate in an egg shell over several days, but I don't know what else it will dissolve.

Also in my research I found that Mercedes recommends using citric acid to flush their radiators and it is slightly more acidic than vinegar depending on concentration. These are both mild organic acids with the citric being a more complex molecule and according to the net it is also a chelating agent.

I thought about removing the upper tank and rodding out the tubes, but I am afraid of breaking the metal tabs or cracking the plastic. Has anyone else done this? I guess most tractors still have soldered brass tanks or do the new ones have plastic tanks and metal tabs like in cars?

That is my experience so take it for what its worth.
 
Vinegar has around 20% acetic acid in it, CLR has around 20% lactic acid, both are known to be decent for rust removal. I have also heard of people using citric acid with moderate results. I think when things get bad enough like you mentioned, it would take replacing things and scrubbing to be effective. Take a solution of one the the products mentioned above in a cup or bucket and dunk some rusty metal in to see it work.
 
VINEGAR....... WE here, knows someth'N 'bout the stuff.

Fresh is pretty good fer clean'N the coffee maker. Do not bother rinsing the maker. Gives a little tart taste to the MAXWELL afb. "House blends".

Good for clean'N out the potty, too. Simply put a gal. in the water tank. DO not worry about the rear end BURN.

DO NOT BLEND VINEGAR WITH CLOROX> bad smell for the noses. Plus, you may not be able to wipe fer a while.

After a year or so.........illegal for party according to local LAW.

So.........BECAREFUL!

Have a good one.

John,PA
 
I've never been able to thoroughly clean a mud bucket. I've had them running clear water at the shop after a back flush then return weeks later with muddy new antifreeze. If people choose not to maintain their vehicle so be it, but I won't warranty the cleanliness of their antifreeze. I haven't heard of the vinegar flush until I came here, but if it will clean lime out of a coffee pot it may get some lime deposits out of a radiator.
 
My trusty old '88 Toyota truck overheated on me twice and blew the head gasket. I had the head redone and finally ended up with a
too far milled head and had to put a shim in it. It still got into the hot zone when I went more than a few miles on the freeway.
I replaced the radiator,and while it was apart,pressure washed the block from every orifice I could find. The block was fairly
clean,with not so much crud as I had imagined. After installing the new radiator,I ran it without a thermostat and pure vinegar.
After backflushing several times without the thermostat in,I installed the thermostat,60/40 antifreeze,and haven't had a problem
since. I run an electric fan without the engine driven fan/clutch,which I believe to be the problem[in part]due to too much
slippage. When I had my alternator rebuilt,the builder,a local Mom/Pop,said that he converts all of the alternators to 100 amp,as
the parts cost the same,and won't let you down.
 

The coolant recovery tank was as bad during this event I soaked it with vinegar the vin did absolutely nuttin :!: to dissolve the deposits.
 

Pix of my set up. I am forcing water past the thermostat to back flush. It was labor intensive to remove the thermostat use your water pressure to force it open.

flush%20tool_zpsowhkkt7b.jpeg
[/URL][/img][/url]

The tool is from a set I have that fits different size coolant hoses it would be EZ to make one up. Other than the aluminum plug the rest is garden hose parts etc I can leave the radiator out install it in the lower hose and run the engine and watch the thermostat do it thang. This made it so I could see what was being flushed out of the engine. YMMV you do have to have a few brain cells to operate this tool.

coolant%20fill%20tool%20conector_zpstdt6oxwk.jpeg
[/URL][/img]

The secret is flush flush flush as best you can forgo made up vin flush it DON"T work.
 
Your connector looks a lot more hi-tech than mine. I used plastic pipe fittings & JB Weld. The larger one fits the Model A & the smaller one fits the N's & 740.

Yep, screw the hose in, turn the water on & let it run.
radiator%20flush%20tools_zpsheyzoiaw.jpg
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top