Antifreeze

Stephen Newell · Mar 26, 2017

Has it been changed in the last couple years? I've always kept a good amount in my vehicles and at one time it had something in it that prevented rusting the engine block. Now I have all my vehicles with the cooling system crusting up with particles of rust. I don't know what to do about it. The do it yourself engine flush doesn't seem to be cutting it.

Steve@Advance · Mar 26, 2017

Once rust is established, it tends to settle and cake in the bottom of the block.

Don't know of any way to get it all out. But what I do when flushing is take a heater hose loose, or take the thermostat out, open the radiator drain and a block drain if available, put the water hose in the radiator, run the engine at fast idle while flooding water through the system.

That will allow the water to circulate rapidly through the block and carry away as much muddy rust as possible. You can add some caustic cleaner, or mild acid, like vinegar. But be sure to flush it thoroughly, even at that it may still cause a weak freeze plug, heater core or radiator to start leaking.

Once drained, system closed, and refilled with the recommended antifreeze and distilled water, the rust color may return, but the corrosion inhibitor is in there, shouldn't continue to get worse.

You may want to do another flush to try to clean it up, and I hear there are filters for larger systems, but have never tried one.

da.bees · Mar 27, 2017

It's not so much that antifreeze has changed,just that more and different types are made now days due to different metal alloys. Using the one reccomended by vehicle manufacture is critical. Another thing that is making a difference is where cars were worn out in less than 200k,newer cars are lasting much longer. I learned the hard way not to run straight water or weak mixture even for short period of time. A clean cooling system will rust within days if run with straight water. Then you have to consider what has been put into public water. Many of us grew up with well water that was easy on cooling systems,water heaters and plumbing fixtures.Since I expect them to last a long time, I install a coolant filter on diesels soon after buying them.

Antifreeze

Stephen Newell

Well-known Member

Steve@Advance

Well-known Member

da.bees

Well-known Member

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