Rust be gone!

[Fourdy]

Always had an off and on heating problem on my blown flatty. The last trip I made, the temp shot up unexpectedly higher than normal. I had to add water before heading home.

Investigating further I could see lumps of stuff covering quite a few of the cores looking thru the fill spout. I thought it must be some bars leak except I hadn't used that. I found that with a magnet, I could collect each of the lumps. It appeared to be like balls of rust.

Having read a lot about the use of distilled vinegar I thought what the heck. I drained then filled the system with 100 % vinegar and ran it around town for a couple of days.

I couldn't believe the results (as shown in the pics) of getting the rust out. The process took about an hour and a half but well worth it I believe.

Drained the vinegar then filled radiator with a box of soda and water. Ran that for a time then drained and filled with antifreeze, distilled water and a rust inhibitor.

Set the electric fan to come on at approx. 180 which it did and idled for a long time not going over a 185-190.

I am happy! Thanks to the Barn and all of you for your info.

Fourdy

[19Fordy]

Excellent.
You'll wonder where the yellow went when you brush your radiator with Pepsodent.

[merc40]

hope the epa is not around. thanks for the info. i need to do that on ny merc. reguards dick t. great car!

[B_man_Al]

Better keep this one quiet ! Once the commodity traders get wind of it the price of vinegar will triple

[Vic Piano]

We did the vinegar flush to my friend Mike's '41 Business Coupe before he drove it up to the Moonshine Festival last October and it really cleaned things up nicely.

[Fourdy]

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I failed to say that this block was shake and baked before rebuild and has 1500 - 2000 miles on it. I always use a high pressure washer and old speedometer cable housing to loosen up the crud before S&B but I absolutely can't remember doing it again after I got it back.

Memo to self: clean out block after getting it back from the machinist.

Fourdy

[Shadetree]

Like you I drained the rusty vinegar on my concrete driveway a couple of years ago. It leaves a permanent reminder.

[CajunCrawfish]

Fantastic!! I will be using this trick in the future.

[Lawson Cox]

Originally Posted by Shadetree

Like you I drained the rusty vinegar on my concrete driveway a couple of years ago. It leaves a permanent reminder.

It will do that for dang sure.

[perrysmith]

. I found that with a magnet, I could collect each of the lumps. It appeared to be like balls of rust.
Everything in your last post seemed wonderfully well said, etc., but the comment above truly baffles me and I am wondering if some other factor might not be at work.

Or, you have discvovered something that science needs to examine? Are you indicating that a substance plugging your radiator tubes is magnetic? Especially if this substance is in the non-solid state, this is a scientific breakthrough, because I do not believe there is such a substance. The only metals which attract or repel, to my knowledge, are iron itself (iron oxide, rust, is NOT magnetic)., and nickel (and nickel is said to be such a weak response as to be almost unnoticeable). Correct me if I am wrong, but these are the only substances measurably affected by a magnet, as far as being attracted or repelled. I suppose the possibility could be steel particles very finally divided and suspended within a froth or paste might have shown movement toward a magnet? The thing is, though, particles that small do not stay iron for very long, they rust almost immediately, and then again, are no longer magnetic. Are you sure the magnet was interacting with the debris? In the magnetic sense?
Perry

[Scott H]

With my engine on a stand and the heads and water pumps removed I was able to use a magnetic pick-up tool to remove LOTS and LOTS of dry debris from inside the water jackets. Although it only looks like hard water scale I'm sure it had iron components inside that made it magnetic. I probably fished that magnet thru both sides at least 20 times, but when I was done I could see nice clean cylinders and water jackets.

[Mark Slight]

Thanks for the information on your blown Flathead engine hope it helps others.

[perrysmith]

Thanks, Scott, for verifying earlier post. Anybody explain what kind of material Scott was attracting with his magnet?
Perry

[Fourdy]

Okay guys, I just went out and took this pic of what I drug out of my radiator and block. These clumps were big enough to restrict the flow in the tubes. Can't tell you what it is except that that I had a hard time putting the earth magnet in the pic as all the clumps wanted to jump aboard. lol

After the vinegar then soda treatment then fill with antifreeze and distilled water, it has never run better. Idles without overheating.

Fourdy

[46ford]

I put an air hose in one lower opening of my rad after the acid treatment, along with a water hose, plugged the other lower opening and let it fill with water. Then I shot air into the lower opening several times. It blew water and crap out the top two openings like you wouldn't believe. Then I put it back in the car, ran the vinegar and drained the rusty crap on my lawn.

The homeowners association here is none the wiser. And a week later my lawn never looked better. They still hate my car.

[Jack E/NJ]

The darker pieces or scales are indeed magnetic - aka black iron oxide, magnetite.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron(II,III)_oxide

Jack E/NJ

[perrysmith]

Thanks for ya'alls input. I have learned something, and my posts may have included
some errant assmmptions. Did not mean to darkeneth counsel! EG>, apparently iron flake from the block is very magnetic. Rust would be more of a coating, usually, and of course steel under the rust would still exhibit its magnetic tendencies.

[FL&WVMIKE]

Originally Posted by merc40

hope the epa is not around. thanks for the info. i need to do that on ny merc. reguards dick t. great car!

merc40 ...........................
Actually, vineger is not harmful to the environment at all. The EPA, probably, will not bother you for this.
The EPA has regulated RADIATOR CLEANER to be next to useless, nowdays.
MIKE

[52merc]

i love the color combo on your car fourdy

[alan]

just built a 40 engine-boiled the block-dug around with all sorts of wires/tools/speedometer cable and then sandblasted internaly and you would not beleive what came out-pieces of the spruil that held the sand castings, the back of the block was packed with crud-spent over 2 hours digging it out and then pressure washed with hot water, the block again after boring and still more junk came out again. So yes I would beleive the crud that came out. Going to the store for some vineger today