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Old 04-09-2018, 09:58 PM   #1
Hoogah
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Default Grease in Radiator - Detergent or Vinegar? I think I know.

I need to clean my cooling system of grease that's got in via the water pump. I've checked out the relevant threads here and also consulted my local radiator repair man. However, this revealed recommendations for both dishwasher detergent and vinegar, but no consensus as to which is better. I wondered if the vinegar recommendation is really meant to be for rust gunk ONLY, and some people just assume that it's also good for grease?

Anyway, I hate getting conflicting advice, so I decided to do my own test to see which is better at dissolving grease.
I added a teaspoon (4 g) of grease to 250 ml of each of the following treatments:
1. COLD water + 1/2 tablet of dishwasher detergent
2. HOT water + 1/2 tablet of dishwasher detergent
3. COLD 50/50 vinegar/water mix
4. HOT 50/50 vinegar/water mix

The HOT treatments used hot water tap temperatures only.
I shook each jar vigorously for 3 x 1 minute each over the next 15 minutes and set them aside.

The photos show the results with a view from the side and also looking down into the jars after 20 minutes.

The dishwasher detergent has done a great job of dispersing the grease and holding it in suspension, such that I would be pretty confident that it would drain effectively from the radiator. Water temp didn't seem to make any difference to the result.
The COLD vinegar/water mixture appears to have done nothing at all.
The HOT vinegar/water mixture has completely broken the dollop of grease up but it is not held in suspension. It now coats the inside of the jar. I would not like this to be the result in my radiator and engine.

I'm glad I did this, as it is clear to me now that vinegar is NOT an effective solvent for grease in this test. I'm going with the dishwasher detergent!

I'm sharing this in case anyone else has been wondering the same thing.
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File Type: jpg GreaseTestResultsAfter 15Min(2).jpg (18.3 KB, 75 views)
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Old 04-09-2018, 10:19 PM   #2
Synchro909
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Default Re: Grease in Radiator - Detergent or Vinegar? I think I know.

I was asked recently about this very thing. I recommended "First, drop a dishwasher tablet in the radiator and run it for a while BUT keep an eye on your temperature while doing so. Once everything in there looks clean, drain then add vinegar for the rust. Leave that in for about 3-4 weeks and drain. Again, watch your temperature. Flush thoroughly and refill with glycol and water." The detergent removes the grease, thus allowing the vinegar to get to the rust and not be repelled by the grease.
It has worked well for me and my cooling system is no different from any body else's.
Well done Hoogah. Better to do your own research than to have to listen to all the armchair experts.
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Old 04-09-2018, 10:28 PM   #3
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Default Re: Grease in Radiator - Detergent or Vinegar? I think I know.

"dishwasher detergent" that's pretty harsh stuff?
I know detergent promotes rust.
Maybe try dish washing liquid.

Evaporust has some sort of soap in it I gather.
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Old 04-09-2018, 11:07 PM   #4
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Default Re: Grease in Radiator - Detergent or Vinegar? I think I know.

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"dishwasher detergent" that's pretty harsh stuff?
I know detergent promotes rust.
Maybe try dish washing liquid.

Evaporust has some sort of soap in it I gather.
Dishwashing liquid produces suds when agitated, but dishwasher detergent doesn’t. I’m trying to picture me going down the road leaving a trail of froth!
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Old 04-10-2018, 02:28 AM   #5
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Default Re: Grease in Radiator - Detergent or Vinegar? I think I know.

I know a guy who used laundry powder. It worked fine but after a few miles, the motor started to get hot. Turns out the coolant had foamed up and wasn't doing its job properly. That's why I opted for dishwasher detergent - no froth as Hoogah says.
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Old 04-10-2018, 04:48 AM   #6
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Default Re: Grease in Radiator - Detergent or Vinegar? I think I know.

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Whatever you use, keep using it ...

"After the fall of Rome in 467 A.D. and the resulting decline in bathing habits, much of Europe felt the impact of filth upon public health. This lack of personal cleanliness and related unsanitary living conditions contributed heavily to the great plagues of the Middle Ages, and especially to the Black Death of the 14th century. It wasn’t until the 17th century that cleanliness and bathing started to come back into fashion in much of Europe".

http://www.healthycleaning101.org/in...nd_detergents/
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Old 04-10-2018, 09:04 AM   #7
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Default Re: Grease in Radiator - Detergent or Vinegar? I think I know.

Quote:
I know a guy who used laundry powder. It worked fine but after a few miles, the motor started to get hot. Turns out the coolant had foamed up and wasn't doing its job properly.
Laundry detergent comes in 2 varieties, regular and low sudsing.
Low sudsing is the way to go. We've used it in diesels that had leaking oil coolers.
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Old 04-10-2018, 12:14 PM   #8
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Default Re: Grease in Radiator - Detergent or Vinegar? I think I know.

I vote for you to use the dish washing detergent... however I want a video of you shaking the car vigorously
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Old 04-11-2018, 09:12 AM   #9
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Default Re: Grease in Radiator - Detergent or Vinegar? I think I know.

T.S.P. cleans the grease & scum WELL & NO FOAMING!
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Old 04-11-2018, 11:12 AM   #10
Jim Brierley
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Default Re: Grease in Radiator - Detergent or Vinegar? I think I know.

I use Simple Green, works great and quickly.
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Old 04-11-2018, 01:12 PM   #11
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Default Re: Grease in Radiator - Detergent or Vinegar? I think I know.

Vinegar is acid good for rust.
Detergent good for cleaning things like grease and oil.
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Old 04-11-2018, 01:42 PM   #12
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Default Re: Grease in Radiator - Detergent or Vinegar? I think I know.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Brierley View Post
I use Simple Green, works great and quickly.
I was wondering why no one mentioned Simple Green. I have never used it to clean a radiator (never had the need) but I just cleaned my SunBrella® Car Cover with diluted Simple Green and it worked better than expected.
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Old 04-11-2018, 02:37 PM   #13
Tacoma Bob
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Default Re: Grease in Radiator - Detergent or Vinegar? I think I know.

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I use Simple Green, works great and quickly.
Jim...... what dilutions?
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Old 04-11-2018, 05:43 PM   #14
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Default Re: Grease in Radiator - Detergent or Vinegar? I think I know.

For those of you in Oz, Simple Green is available from Bunnings! I recently found it there by chance.
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Old 04-11-2018, 06:19 PM   #15
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Default Re: Grease in Radiator - Detergent or Vinegar? I think I know.

Simple Green. Drain radiator. Add one gallon of Simple Green. Fill radiator to cover tubes (just like normal). Run for two to four hours or roughly 100 miles. Drain radiator while still hot. Yuck, look at the gunk taht come out. When block is cooled -4 hours or more, refill radiator with water and antifreeze and everybody is happy. kenp
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Old 04-12-2018, 11:13 AM   #16
Jim Brierley
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Default Re: Grease in Radiator - Detergent or Vinegar? I think I know.

I only use 1/2 to 2/3 of a cup, drive around the block (about 3 miles for me), flush well with water, done!
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Old 04-15-2018, 05:40 AM   #17
Hoogah
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Default Re: Grease in Radiator - Detergent or Vinegar? I think I know.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Synchro909 View Post
For those of you in Oz, Simple Green is available from Bunnings! I recently found it there by chance.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kenparker View Post
Simple Green. Drain radiator. Add one gallon of Simple Green. Fill radiator to cover tubes (just like normal). Run for two to four hours or roughly 100 miles. Drain radiator while still hot. Yuck, look at the gunk taht come out. When block is cooled -4 hours or more, refill radiator with water and antifreeze and everybody is happy. kenp
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Brierley View Post
I only use 1/2 to 2/3 of a cup, drive around the block (about 3 miles for me), flush well with water, done!
Thanks Synchro, Ken and Jim for the Simple Green advice. Just picked some up at Bunnings. Is this the same stuff as you guys rave about in the USA?
I presume Ken's recipe is for the diluted mix and Jim's is for the concentrate (straight)?
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File Type: jpg SimpleGreenIngredients.jpg (33.9 KB, 8 views)
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