Hello!
Can anyone help me with the following, regarding a '95 Vauxhall Corsa Diesel?
The car had blown a head gasket, which was replaced etc., but I now need to know the quickest way of getting rid of the last of the oil in the water which has come through the system after the first flush.
It's not much...and i'm not losing any vital fluids...I just need rid of the rest quickly.
Any help/advice would be greatly received!!!
Thanks...
|
|
would a drop of detergent before another flush out do the trick?
|
Hello and thank you for your reply.
By detergent, do you mean washing up powder?
If the answer is yes (this may be a silly question), would this not foam up etc. going through an engine?
I have to ask i've never had to do this before...
Again, any help is greatly received.
|
|
hi i was only suggesting a drop of fairy then run the engine for 10 mins then flush out, just an idea...
|
I wasn't been funny...I was just asking as i've never done this before; need all the advice I can get.
Thanks again for your reply...
|
|
|
Wouldn't something like a radiator flushing agent be more suitable for cleaning the cooling system? Washing up liquid contains salt so prossibly not good inside the engine & pipes. example here www.edirectory.co.uk/pf/880/mia/d/holts+speedflush...8
|
|
I would use dissolved biological washing powder added to a cold engine, as it doesn't foam much and the enzymes will break down and surround the oil droplets until it gets too hot and destroys the enzymes. You should then rinse a fair few times! Also, only add very hot water to a hot engine when you're flushing to prevent thermal shock.
|
|
Thanks for the advice so far everyone...Going to have a 'look' into all of them suggested so far!
|
|
A trace of oil after headgasket replacement and coolant flush - does it need to be surgically clean?
|
Forte do a product specifically for this purpose which we use to clear the cooling systems on Rovers and Freelanders when they have their annual head gasket failure, works very well as do all Forte treatments and is imaginatively called cooling system flush. Not generally available retail try local workshops for a bottle.
--
Simplicate and add lightness!!
|
Forte do a product specifically for this purpose ......................called cooling system flush.
According to Forte (see tinyurl.com/2sv5py ) "Cooling System Flush will not remove emulsified oil following head gasket failure, this is best treated with Forté Bio Degreaser."
--
L'escargot.
|
Absolutely correct, abject and humble apologies.....
--
Simplicate and add lightness!!
|
|
|
|
Simply mix a solution of 50% bleach and 50% water. Drain the vehicles cooling system and then refill with the new mixture. Run engine until at normal operating temp and then switch off. When engine has cooled sufficiently, drain and refill with the correct antifreeze/ water mixture. The cooling system of your engine will have been thoroughly cleaned by this method (as recommended by Vauxhall).
--
These are the views of Robin the Technician with 35 years in the trade. I fix, therefore I am...
|
When engine has cooled sufficiently drain and refill with the correct antifreeze/ water mixture.
I would be tempted to fill with just plain water after draining the bleach / water mix, then drain again before finally putting in the fresh water / antifreeze.
|
|
i mix my anti-freeze 50/50 with de-ionised water that way the cooling ststem cannot fur up as it can with tap water
|
|
|
|
|
well i'm glad someone mentioned bleach cause thats what I have alway's used & its brill but you have to treat with care & don't take the cap off whilst hot! well done Rob, I just thought if i mentioned that I would get 100 relpies saying how dangerous it was. At least the drains will smell sweet.
|
Thanks to everyone for all your suggestions...going to give the bleach a go!!!
|
A good dollop of Persil liquid always worked for me. It doesn't foam like washing up liquid and is much kinder to the water-pump seals than bleach.
|
|
I bought a car whose previous owner had topped up the power steering fluid with water and done some hefty damage to the pump. The best recommendation I got to remove any trace water from the system (and prevent damage re-occurring) was to drain the system, refill with the correct fluid and add a drop of purple camping meths. Methanol has properties which allow it to desolve in water and in organic solvents (i.e. oils). I can but presume the same would be true in reverse: if you were to fill with water and add a dose of meths, it would in turn disolve any of the remaining oil from the system. After you've let it flush through the engine, drain and fill with your recommended mix of water / antifreeze.
|
|
Yep your right about meths! in fact its the best thing for getting rid of water in a fuel tank, just a ltr with a tank of fuel normally disperses a small amount of water! but its untaxed fuel!!!!
|
|
|
|
|
how do you get rid of the bleach solution when you are finished with it ?
|
Put it down the drain, same as you would if you used bleach in the toilet or sink. It isn't illegal.
|
Unless it has got a measurable quantity of oil in it, of course!
|
|
I only asked to see if there was another use for it , from my own point of veiw I dont like seeing lots of bleach used as it costs to clean it up no matter who pays and just wondered if it had another life such as killing patio moss or some thing of that kind
|
I misunderstood! How strong is the solution, it would certainly clean a patio or paving stones and it does kill moss but I am not sure what concentration is used to avoid killing the grass as well! Good luck whatever you do with it.
|
|
|
|
|
