Rust in the block?

Russell Reay

Russell Reay

Well-known member
My 30 coupe is down to bare bones with plans to remove the head in order to clean out any rust in the head and block. When removing the radiator all the water was very rusty, and there were remnants of rusty water in the engine compartment and on the fenders. I have only driven it off the trailer and around the neighborhood a little, and the PO didn't drive it a lot. I have no reason to know that there is a rust build-up in the engine, but I'm thinking that if I am so close to complete disassembly, now would be the time to clean out all the rust. The re-cored radiator is at the shop to be cleaned and repaired, and I don't wish to discover an over-heating problem when my (renewed) A is back on the road. There are several Youtube videos about head removal and re-installation, so I know it's not a piece of cake like a sbc. Any thoughts ?
 
I don’t have rust, so I put a teaspoon of water soluble oil in my radiator when I’m running straight water.
 
Head removal and install is pretty easy, use the right bolt tightening pattern and retorque a few times. For some gaskets, use water only for 200 miles or so, then antifreeze. A search here will get you plenty of info.
 
Use RUST911. Follow the instructions on how to mix it and fill the cooling system full and drive around some to get it warm. Leave for a few days, drain and flush and repeat. It may take 3-4 times to get the system completely clean but it will dissolve all the rust.

No need to remove the head but if you do remove the head, you still have to get all the rust out of the block and the head which is not easy unless you dissolve it.

My experience,

Chris W.
 
Ditto on RUST 911. After the third application my engine and radiator were 100% rust free. I now use EVANS Water-less Coolant in my Pressurized system. No water, no rust.
 
Do you have any knowledge of Evapo-Rust which was cited in the 2014 thread? If I could use this or Rust 911, I can devote my time to other things.
 
Rust911 is the same as Evaporust except it comes in concentrated form and is a lot cheaper to use.

Chris W.
 
Just so I am clear--is it effective w/o running the engine? I can plate off the inlet, fill the engine, and let it sit for several days (or weeks), but I have told the shop there is no rush with my radiator.
 
Yes, It will work without running the engine. Running the engine will get some heat into it and help it work faster.

Chris W.
 
As others have advised, before you disassemble ANYTHING, try one of the various rust dissolvers first. If the rust stuff and the reconditioned radiator work, you are lucky and on your way to fun.
With the amount of rust you describe, that may not be the problem though. While rust alone can cause serious heating problems, it is usually scale that is the basic cause.
Scale can ONLY be removed by chemical stripping. If you have the block stripped, you will have to melt the babbit out first.
That will require new babbit or conversion to inserts. Big bux.
 
At this point I have plated off the inlet with a cereal box gasket and poured in a gallon of Evaporust--that is all the parts store had. I have Rust 911 on order. I will probably let the rig sit for a couple weeks, drain it, see what the effluent looks like, then do it again. As mentioned in my OP, I have no reason to think that I have a problem, but with everything stripped down so far, I might as well fix everything that needs it before re-construction.
 
Chris Haynes said:
Ditto on RUST 911. After the third application my engine and radiator were 100% rust free. I now use EVANS Water-less Coolant in my Pressurized system. No water, no rust.
Click to expand...

Ditto on the Evans water-less coolant. I have the original unpressurized system. I cleaned it and put in the Evans. I LOVE it. I used to get water spray out of the top of the radiator when the engine got too warm. an awful mess if you are using antifreeze. I put the Evans in with a new radiator and a flushed out system and have never had any coolant expel from my radiator. I am sold on it.
 
cokefirst said:
I put the Evans in with a new radiator and a flushed out system and have never had any coolant expel from my radiator. I am sold on it.
Click to expand...

If you changed all those things at the same time, how can you be sure the Evans coolant had anything to do with solving the problem?
 
I just run vinegar through and warm it up a few times. Cleans it all out real good. find 6 weeks is the perfect time period.



none of those fancy formulas for me!
 
https://www.amazon.com/Rust911-16-gallons-Economical-Safe-Use/dp/B0031HQJWW/?tag=atomicindus08-20

This link shows the Rust 911 concentrate which makes 16 gallons. If you look at the Rust 911 website its shows a radiator/ cooling system flush as a separate product. Are these one in the same? Can the concentrate be used and achieve the same results? The concentrate states it is to be used as a soak or immersion. Nothing about circulating through a cooling system.

Just trying to determine which route to go. Only want to do it once.
 
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