Water in radiator rusty looking

HammondRacing · 02-12-2018, 07:16 PM

What do you all put in water in radiator to keep from getting rusty looking? I took motor out and apart for some head work and the water looks like it came out of a old tractor that been setting for years. Motor was only together for 9 months. It is a dart block

HR9121 · 02-12-2018, 07:25 PM

I use Water Wetter it seems to work pretty good.

4406mopar · 02-12-2018, 07:47 PM

How do you clean out a rusty cooling system like the one described above. I'm looking to clean it in the car, not tear down the engine. Thanks

David Lee · 02-12-2018, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4406mopar

How do you clean out a rusty cooling system like the one described above. I'm looking to clean it in the car, not tear down the engine. Thanks

what is the material of the core?

paul romeo · 02-12-2018, 10:40 PM

I have not tried this product Thermocure made by evapo-rust but have seen it on tv looks to work excellent. Paul

Jeff Niceswanger · 02-13-2018, 10:27 AM

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/jgr-50030

We used this for a while . Still have 5 or 6 bottles around here somewhere. Works well, but it foams a little in a unpressurized system ..We only used half a bottle per fill

CMcAllister · 02-13-2018, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4406mopar

How do you clean out a rusty cooling system like the one described above. I'm looking to clean it in the car, not tear down the engine. Thanks

If you have an electric pump on it, drain it including pulling the plugs in the block. Refill with fresh water and a can of some type of cooling system cleaner. Circulate that for awhile and drain again. Circulate and run clean water through it until it runs clean. Refill and include a can of additive. Without block drains and an electric pump, it becomes a little more involved.

I used Justice Brothers products because I sold them and they worked well. Any quality anti-rust product should prevent the coolant from turning to mud.

Jeff Stout · 02-13-2018, 04:07 PM

Could you use CLR safely to clean? I always thought if you drain water and let metal sit exposed to air it would promote rust

astikhossw · 02-13-2018, 04:20 PM

You can put about a gallon of cleaning vinegar in the radiator and let it circulate for 5 or so minutes and let it sit over night and then water hose it out then fill the system with fresh water and circulate that for 5 or so minutes and dump it. It will clean out the rust and scale in the block and radiator, you just to flush it ienough to get the water back neutral.

Eman · 02-21-2018, 12:04 PM

Your results may vary, all I can tell you is what worked for me. Years of rust in the radiator with a SBC with iron heads and aluminum radiator. I tried every combo of additives and lubes from water pump lube to lucas additive and others in between and still had rust, always used distilled water. One year I actually read the directions on the bottle of Lucas coolant additive and it said do not use distilled water. Since then I use Lucas additive with gallon bottles of store bought drinking water. No more rust.

02-12-2018, 07:16 PM	#1
HammondRacing Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Brooks Ky Posts: 40 Likes: 82 Liked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Water in radiator rusty looking What do you all put in water in radiator to keep from getting rusty looking? I took motor out and apart for some head work and the water looks like it came out of a old tractor that been setting for years. Motor was only together for 9 months. It is a dart block

02-12-2018, 07:25 PM	#2
HR9121 Live Reporter Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: New Bern, NC Posts: 3,467 Likes: 146 Liked 3,363 Times in 731 Posts	Re: Water in radiator rusty looking I use Water Wetter it seems to work pretty good. __________________ James Williamson W200 J/SA. SS/JA

02-12-2018, 07:47 PM	#3
4406mopar Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 229 Likes: 166 Liked 113 Times in 50 Posts	Re: Water in radiator rusty looking How do you clean out a rusty cooling system like the one described above. I'm looking to clean it in the car, not tear down the engine. Thanks

02-12-2018, 10:40 PM	#5
paul romeo Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 6 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Water in radiator rusty looking I have not tried this product Thermocure made by evapo-rust but have seen it on tv looks to work excellent. Paul

02-13-2018, 10:27 AM	#6
Jeff Niceswanger Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 890 Likes: 679 Liked 1,019 Times in 367 Posts	Re: Water in radiator rusty looking https://www.summitracing.com/parts/jgr-50030 We used this for a while . Still have 5 or 6 bottles around here somewhere. Works well, but it foams a little in a unpressurized system ..We only used half a bottle per fill __________________ Jeff Niceswanger 3740 SS Last edited by Jeff Niceswanger; 02-13-2018 at 10:29 AM.

02-13-2018, 04:07 PM	#8
Jeff Stout VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: phoenix Posts: 1,486 Likes: 66 Liked 704 Times in 281 Posts	Re: Water in radiator rusty looking Could you use CLR safely to clean? I always thought if you drain water and let metal sit exposed to air it would promote rust

02-13-2018, 04:20 PM	#9
astikhossw Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: moreno valley Ca Posts: 266 Likes: 2 Liked 20 Times in 9 Posts	Re: Water in radiator rusty looking You can put about a gallon of cleaning vinegar in the radiator and let it circulate for 5 or so minutes and let it sit over night and then water hose it out then fill the system with fresh water and circulate that for 5 or so minutes and dump it. It will clean out the rust and scale in the block and radiator, you just to flush it ienough to get the water back neutral. __________________ 7015 E/SA Sooner Storm

02-21-2018, 12:04 PM	#10
Eman Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: E TN Posts: 473 Likes: 16 Liked 133 Times in 76 Posts	Re: Water in radiator rusty looking Your results may vary, all I can tell you is what worked for me. Years of rust in the radiator with a SBC with iron heads and aluminum radiator. I tried every combo of additives and lubes from water pump lube to lucas additive and others in between and still had rust, always used distilled water. One year I actually read the directions on the bottle of Lucas coolant additive and it said do not use distilled water. Since then I use Lucas additive with gallon bottles of store bought drinking water. No more rust.