Cooling system flush

[Va_Mike]

So when my engine was out it got surface rust in the block. I am putting the radiator in tomorrow and I will flush it with fresh water. I was considering putting a couple gallons of the rust dissolver I use with water and let it run through for a day or two then flush it again. The bottle for the rust dissolver says it can be used in the cooling system but gives no other info on how to do it.

I worry about it messing up seals or messing something else up. But at a high dilution rate I don't think it would hurt anything.

Btw I use rustoleum rust dissolver.

What are yall thoughts? What have yall used?

 

[engineertppllc]

I'd avoid anything weird. Just flush with clean water. The antifreeze you put in next should stop any further rusting. Choose antifreeze and SCA that get along with one another, and stick with those forever. Don't mix products and don't try-out weird things. I love my fine IH engine!

 

[Isaac Ristow]

Best thing to do is use cascade powder dishwasher soap, Caterpillar recommends it and used to even have a part number for it. flush it out with the hose then fill with cascade and water and go drive for 20 miles or so then drain it out hot but be careful. next allow the engine to cool before refilling with cold water and flush the cascade out. I always power flush with the waterpump. I remove the heater hose from the firewall that comes from the passenger side cylinder head fill the system up and leave the hose in the radiator running full blast, start the engine and it will start pumping the water out the heater hose rev the engine to like 2500rpm and it will blast water out the hose faster than the garden hose can put water in so only rev it up for 15 to 20 seconds allowing idle breaks until the garden hose has replenished the radator and its overflowing agian. Repeat until water coming out heater hose is clear and clean then repeat a few more times just to make sure. shove the garden hose on the heater core and back flush that out as well. drain everything but remember the block holds a couple gallons of water so dump a couple gallons of straight in before 50/50. I also suggest running a SCA coolant such as cat elc or final charge or fleet charge.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

That sounds just about like how I do the flushing.

 

[Va_Mike]

That sounds just about like how I do the flushing.

The way Isaac said?

 

[IDIBRONCO]

The way Isaac said?

Yes.