How to clean cooling system???

Fostang · 07-14-2001, 04:45 PM

I opened my radiator cap today because last night it started dripping a little water and wanted to check if I had sufficient coolant and too my surprise it had a lot of sludge in their. It's definatly oil in my coolant but no water is going to my oil. Therefore I have decided to change the heads again but wanted to know what the best way to clean out the coolant system was?? I really do not want to put it back together with all that residue in their. Is there anything I can buy or will simply flushing the coolant system several times help??? I really don't think it's a gastket problem my thought is that one of the heads is cracked somewhere and it's the passenger side one. Any ideas of what I can do will be greatly appreciated. I've nothing but problems since I put these heads on. First car wouldn't idle right then when that was fixed it smells extremly rich but plugs are white also the smell isn't comming from the exhaust big mistery to me where from. Now there is oil in the cooling system.

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67'fastback-Edelbrock carb,intake,cam,valve springs.Rhode lifters, CompCam rocker arms, windage tray,cerama coated headers,dual flows with H-pipe, modded c-4,tci stall converter,perma cool electric fan,aluminum water pump,griffen aluminum radiator,accel 8.8 cable,wide cap distriburator,magnetic pick up,v-matic hurst shifter,edelbrock performer nitrous, carter electric fuel pump,ignitor coil,solid motor mounts,magna racing suspension,poly urathane bushings,under rider traction bars, comp. eng. s

07-15-2001, 06:13 AM

You definately don't want oil in your cooling system. There's nothing you can add to help with contamination, you'll have to flush the system.
Since you're taking apart your engine, you can do this while your car is apart.
Take out the radiator and put a running hose on the top and wait till it's all clear water running out, then tip it upside down, and repeat as necessary. On the top end, take out the thermostat and then lightly bolt the housing back on without the thermostat inside. Run water through the upper hose like a funnel and watch the water come out the bottom hose until it's clear as well. While you're doing this (take off the serpentine belt and fan blade until only the pulley is left on the water pump shaft and tighten the bolts so you can turn the water pump) and turn the water pump while flushing water through the engine, maybe this won't do a thing, but it may cause crud/oil to leave the water pump passages or in spots trickling water may not hit.
You may have to flush it again after doing this to make sure there's nothing left but this should take care of nearly all the crud (i did that in my car and now my car has winterfresh green coolant instead of a heavy yellow/orange rust). Good luck.

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'84 Mustang 5.0 LX
My car

07-14-2001, 04:45 PM	#1
Fostang Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Stockton, Ca Posts: 599	How to clean cooling system??? I opened my radiator cap today because last night it started dripping a little water and wanted to check if I had sufficient coolant and too my surprise it had a lot of sludge in their. It's definatly oil in my coolant but no water is going to my oil. Therefore I have decided to change the heads again but wanted to know what the best way to clean out the coolant system was?? I really do not want to put it back together with all that residue in their. Is there anything I can buy or will simply flushing the coolant system several times help??? I really don't think it's a gastket problem my thought is that one of the heads is cracked somewhere and it's the passenger side one. Any ideas of what I can do will be greatly appreciated. I've nothing but problems since I put these heads on. First car wouldn't idle right then when that was fixed it smells extremly rich but plugs are white also the smell isn't comming from the exhaust big mistery to me where from. Now there is oil in the cooling system. ------------------ 67'fastback-Edelbrock carb,intake,cam,valve springs.Rhode lifters, CompCam rocker arms, windage tray,cerama coated headers,dual flows with H-pipe, modded c-4,tci stall converter,perma cool electric fan,aluminum water pump,griffen aluminum radiator,accel 8.8 cable,wide cap distriburator,magnetic pick up,v-matic hurst shifter,edelbrock performer nitrous, carter electric fuel pump,ignitor coil,solid motor mounts,magna racing suspension,poly urathane bushings,under rider traction bars, comp. eng. s

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07-15-2001, 06:13 AM	#2
84stangLX Guest Posts: n/a	You definately don't want oil in your cooling system. There's nothing you can add to help with contamination, you'll have to flush the system. Since you're taking apart your engine, you can do this while your car is apart. Take out the radiator and put a running hose on the top and wait till it's all clear water running out, then tip it upside down, and repeat as necessary. On the top end, take out the thermostat and then lightly bolt the housing back on without the thermostat inside. Run water through the upper hose like a funnel and watch the water come out the bottom hose until it's clear as well. While you're doing this (take off the serpentine belt and fan blade until only the pulley is left on the water pump shaft and tighten the bolts so you can turn the water pump) and turn the water pump while flushing water through the engine, maybe this won't do a thing, but it may cause crud/oil to leave the water pump passages or in spots trickling water may not hit. You may have to flush it again after doing this to make sure there's nothing left but this should take care of nearly all the crud (i did that in my car and now my car has winterfresh green coolant instead of a heavy yellow/orange rust). Good luck. ------------------ '84 Mustang 5.0 LX My car