Vinegar flush

It seems the OP has his answer so I don't feel so bad about hijacking the thread.
I'm about to build another engine and the block I have has lots of rust in the water jacket. I'm considering putting an old stoking (my wife's, not mine.:D) in the top tank to catch the lumpy bits and running vinegar for a while after I install it. Naturally, I will poke and scrape as much out as I can before I spend $ on it. What do you guys think of that?
If you're going to rebuild the block why not have the machine shop hot tank it.
 
When you are done with the vinegar treatment be sure to neutralize your sysrem with a box of desolved baking soda, and flush the system real good, twice would not hurt. Been there...done that

And when you were there and done that please tell us what happened! Wayne
 
If you're going to rebuild the block why not have the machine shop hot tank it.

Hot tanking has always been my preferred method, and I did a lot of engine hot tanking in the 80's. Unfortunately EPA doesn't know that the hot tank solution can safely be neutralized and disposed of, so they closed down a lot of them.

If I can't get a lye solution to hot tank the block, then I'd make a block off for the water inlet on the side of the block and fill the engine with Evaporust.
 
Hot tanking has always been my preferred method, and I did a lot of engine hot tanking in the 80's. Unfortunately EPA doesn't know that the hot tank solution can safely be neutralized and disposed of, so they closed down a lot of them.

If I can't get a lye solution to hot tank the block, then I'd make a block off for the water inlet on the side of the block and fill the engine with Evaporust.

HMMM, wondering about locking off the outlet and filling with molasses solution after removing all the scaly rust I can.
I don't use a rebuilder so asking him to hot tank it isn't possible. The machine shop I use to do work I can't do myself doesn't have a hot tank - they are machinists.
 
Evapo rust is available from Supercheap stores here, but outside the US is stupidly expensive.

Metal Rescue seems to be only a few dollars more expensive than the US price, available here from Autobarn stores.
 
Molasses solutions tend to get heavy with residue crud and such. The longer parts are immersed into such a solution, the worse the muck seems to become over time. Me, I'd worry over that debris getting stuck if inside a radiator for a length of time. From my own experience in using molasses to remove rust, I have always had a sludge build up from the junk and rust it removes. Okay to do parts with for rust removal, but I'd reconsider for use in a radiator, myself.
 
Your welcome:eek:

Sorry Mitch, I didn't mean to ignore you.
How do these prices compare to what you pay over there. It seems pricey to me.
1 Litre $100.62 Add to basket (makes 6 litres)
5 Litre $407.90 Add to basket (makes 30 litres)
20 Litre $1623.16 Add to basket (makes 120 litres)

One US gallon is close to 3.8 litres. 5 litres is about 1 1/3 US gallons. That makes it $308.37 a gallon. Maybe Updraught was right about it being stupidly expensive.:eek:
 
at 308. a gallon, wouldnt it make sense to buy a new radiator first?

If the reason for buying it is for the radiator, then yes. I am talking about cleaning rust from the inside of the block.
This highlights the different price dynamics between here and there.
 
Not sure on those calculations ... but I think it is something like 2x the US price. I was looking at filling a petrol tank.

Maybe to fill a block its not too bad.

There is an Aussie version RustedSolutions but you'd have to pay freight.
 
Hey! I've got a question! In the AU (Australia?) link, it says "good for firearms" As far as I knew, the Aust. Govt grabbed all the guns. Unless.......Many found their way into ponds, wells, and streams? Inquiring minds would like to know!
Terry

We clean them up and send them to the US. We get a good price from all those Al Capone types. We then spend our days on the French Riviera.
 
In case one does not know it, vinegar can be bought in different strengths or the adidity strength can be increased by mixing it with a lower strength vinegar added into a higher strength vinegar. Regular white distilled vinegar is usually 5% acid, Heinz Cleaning vinegar is 6% acid, apple cider vinegar is maybe 8% acid and pickling vinegar is 10% acid. There are methods as mentioned to increase the acidity both on YouTube and on the net.

I have seen posts on Ahooga over the years in which the person claims that using apple cider vinegar on a carb restoration allowed them to sit the part up on a shelf for years with no residual rust. I can't swear that such works like that as I have not tried it myself.
 
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