Slick 60's

Just checking to see what might be a good method to de-rust this thing.I’m thinking of using a 50/50 mix of vinegar & water...anyone ever done this ??
Thanks Dan
(Cooling system is needing the derusting)

What are your plans as far as teardown. Could you sand blast it?

The rust is all internal, no tear down planned engine runs fine

Good luck ... seems like an engine that has sat & makes the coolant
Rusty .... keeps doing it
I had an old dodge army truck, I bet I flushed that fluid 15 times one
Summer.... fill , drive , dump.... repeat
It never did quit making it rust colored

slick4x4 wrote:Good luck ... seems like an engine that has sat & makes the coolant
Rusty .... keeps doing it

That’s exactly what’s going on,been doing it since day one back in 2001....not sure on how strong of mixture to use,used an aluminum bread pan once to soak some rusty bolts and the vinegar ate thru the pan in two days then took the galvanizing off my work bench surface.....my concern is the copper radiator....

If it doesn't get hot ... I wouldn't worry
Mine would make the coolant get so dark
I couldn't read the antifreeze tester

Mr. Jones wrote:Just checking to see what might be a good method to de-rust this thing.I’m thinking of using a 50/50 mix of vinegar & water...anyone ever done this ??
Thanks Dan
(Cooling system is needing the derusting)

I have not done it but it seems like a good idea. Only downside that I can think of is the small rust chunks that don't disolve could get wedged between the hose and neck. Once rust collects in the bottom of the block it is hard to get out. Coolant flows over the top of it. Does not help things when a mechanic knocks the old core/freeze plugs in the water jacket instead of removing them. Along with there own rust they also create a dam that traps debris.

I thought about the name brand product Ospho. Phosphoric acid? Maybe flush the system with the garden hose till you get it pretty clear, then add a gallon of opsho?

A google search says this about acids affects on copper:

"Strong acids include nitric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid and phosphoric acid. ... Hydrochloric and phosphoric acid don't oxidize metals well and won't dissolve copper. Sulfuric acid has a medium oxidizing ability and will dissolve copper over time."

Maybe do a test on some scrap copper flashing if you have some laying around to see how vinegar and ospho react with it. I'm unsure how effective it may be as a diluted solution inside the block?

Dan I do not know if this will work on gas engines, BUT we had to flush out the rollback so went to Cummins and they have their own flush, had to go to the store and buy water to add to it, let it run with the heater running with this flush in it for little bit, drain it, then run clean water few more times and then added our anti-freeze, Since then it's been OK. Only Reason we had to flush was we mixed the green anti-freeze with the red or known as 50/50 on the road to get by with.

I did my Edsel with straight vinegar. I don't remember how long I left it in but it worked . it's been clear ever since. I saw the idea on some website it might have been jalopy journal. It's been about 10+ years ago and no problems. Tom

I would think the 50/50 mix for a few miles and then flush until clear, and add anti freeze would be the way to go.

I'll be out of town all this week, but plan to do that exact same thing to my Jeep when I get back......

I bought it cheap 8 years ago because all the rust made it over heat with the previous owner. He even gave me another $100 back AFTER we signed the title....

I flushed it then, just with clear water about 12 times and added anti freeze. I just noticed last week that it was chocolate brown again, and constantly getting thicker.

If you don't want to damage anything, I can let you know next week what MY results are.....

From jalopy journal
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/thr ... sh.353511/


I ran pure vinegar through my system. Vinegar is a very mild acid and won't hurt anything. Before I used the vinegar I flushed both sides of the cooling system out with clean water and air by rigging up a pipe to the top thermostat housing on each side.

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The air is used to agitate the water inside the engine make the gunk in the engine move around. The first clear water flush got a lot of gunk out. I ran this until the water ran clear. I then filled the entire system with vinegar and ran it for a while. I was told to run it for a 1000 miles but I wasn't able to, I ran it maybe 200-300 miles, drained the system and then hooked up the air and water again. This time I go more gunk out.

I don't think you have to neutralize it afterward because the vinegar is a very mild acid and by flushing the system and refilling it with the proper anti-freeze, which has anti-rust agents in it, the very little amount of vinegar left will be taken care of.