Vinegar

[Old Henry]

Henry, just when everyone was having a good discussion, you had to go and get sensible on us!

This discussion always reminds me of one about, "Which is better to brush you teeth with? Salt or baking soda?"

Duh. Ever heard of toothpaste?

 

[Zeke...PA]

Maytag at one time had a product to clean rust from their washing machines, it's ingredients were citric acid crystals that can be bought at a drug store, it did work well. It is called Rover, can be bought on ebay for about $5.00. Zeke

 

[FL&WVMIKE]

Here's what I have used on many cooling systems that is not acid and is specifically made for cleaning cooling systems:

Read more about it here: http://www.prestone.com/products/print/379?popup=1

Just did mine before my recent Rocky Mountain High Road trip (http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=83966) followed by back flushing as demonstrated here: http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=83557. Cleaned it up good.

Old Henry ....................
Remember when you used to be able to buy small cans of radiator cleaner, just about everywhere ? The EPA has put so many restrictions on these cleaners, that they are almost useless, now days. Maybe, two gallons of the new stuff has enough cleaning solutions in it to do the job.
That is why, people have been going to alternative methods to clean their radiators.
If you have your parts off, a power washer is great for rinsing.
MIKE

 

[Cecil/WV]

Vinegar is safe and good enough for me.

 

[peewee2you]

Walt, on American Restoration - it listed three items for removing rust stains?
Cider Vinegar, Lemon Juice, Tea? I think that was the last one, memory? Anyways
Cider Vinegar was the best out of all of them to use.

 

[1937pickup]

There is a scale for acidity and alkalinity. If I remember right 5.5 is neutral where life will exist. Less than 5.5 is acid-greater than 5.5 is alkiline you neutrilize acid with alkiline (base). Have you ever put baking soda on battery terrmanals to clean them? That was neutralizing the batery acid with a base. The scale is not arithmatic it is logrymic.

 

[trainguy]

Be careful with muratic acid year ago i used it to clean out a 1912 Oakland radiator.I left it in over nite and it ate the solder out of the rad.I had to have a new core made,BIG BUCKS.Phil

 

[Wily Kyote]

In my opinion, this reasoning fits the physcian's code... "first do no harm". If I had applied that test to my (hobby) car work for a half-century, I would have happier memories today. (And less ruined old Ford pieces. Ouch! The failures still pain me.)

If there is a hereafter, too many flatheads await me, hands in hips, a look of disgust or pain in their eyes. Maybe I'll just skip that and go below, where flatheads do not exist.

 

[IVT1]

I was sitting on the back porch drinking a vinegaraid & it hit me,what would lemonaid taste like ( whoa maybe I'm on to something

 

[Old Henry]

And, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

 

[trulyvintage]

Taco Salad ?

Just a side thought: If I filled my radiator with vinegar and it leaks onto my lawn, along with the slight amount of oil coming through the cotter pin hole on the back of my oil pan, would that constitute making a salad?

Yes ...

But if you add a 'contribution ' made by a Chihuahua
and add some tortilla chips ....


Taco Salad ....





Jim