Quote:
Originally Posted by c1800
Dave’s description of flushing is good, I would add this to the flushing procedure. Remove the draincock from the block (just to the rear of the oil filter) and with you garden hose in the thermostat opening flush through the block. I also back flushed through the draincock opening with the garden hose till the block filled with water and then let it drain out from there. ( do this several times). You might be surprised what that stirred up and came out when draining.
As to the thermostat , you’d be better off with one having the pintle valve, as it facilitates relieving any airlock in the system when refilling and topping up.
|
In an ideal world, i'd wholeheartedly agree with everything you've said there except for one thing - removing the 'stat and refitting the housing and top hose means you can get a solid, leak-free (near enough) connection to the hose so none of the flushing water "falls out" of the 'stat housing.
However it's not an ideal world and i've heard so many horror stories over the years about draincoks shearing i wouldn't advise going anywhere near them. Also using my method of backflushing ensures you get almost everywhere in the system, negating the need to remove the draincock and therefore the risk of it shearing.
Most if not all thermostats are sold with a jiggle/pintle valve here, a useful point to note is if the 'stat sits on a vertical plane, the jiggle valve should be uppermost, if horizontal then nearest the lowest point of the housing/hose that fits on top of the 'stat to promote self-bleeding.
Also my method of burping the system by squeezing the bottom hose during the topping up of firstly antifreeze and secondly water helps to minimise any air locks in the first place.
Parking uphill during the overnight cool-down further assists the removal of air.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Meadows
Never had a problem with central heating descaler- household copper pipe is full of soldered joints without any issues:~
I've used it on the Volvo 240 and on the Riley for years- this car has mixed metals and a copper/brass radiator with solder joints and its been fine, in fact the Riley RM club generated the product for flushing many years back so a lot of cars have used the same.
The heater in these is quite small with very small water passages all soldered together- no floods have been reported! only that the water came out like tomato soup!
Hope it helps.
Bob.
|
Sorry Bob, i should have been clearer, i left the caustic soda in my Datsun for far too long! Had i flushed it out almost immediately after using, i would have been alright. However i had a breakdown i had to go out on and that was the first of many that week, plus my normal hours of work so i didn't actually get the chance to do anything about it until about a week later!
