Water in radiator rusty looking

[HammondRacing]

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]

I use Water Wetter it seems to work pretty good.

[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

[David Lee]

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]

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

[Jeff Niceswanger]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.