Can anyone direct me to the engine flush thread...

[Clemson88]

in which one member described using a sump pump and flushing the cooling system for ~24 hours?

He spoke of a cheap HF pump, a five gal bucket reservoir and gave details on dealing with the thermostat, hoses and such.

I have the new heater core hoses installed and will be spending the next few days finishing up the engine bay work on the 617 install in 380SE gas body.

I'm hoping to get some of the interior restoration out of the way this month and drive this diesel SE body to watch some football in Sept.

Thanks for your help.

[97 SL320]

Or you could get an industrial engine coolant filter ( looks like a spin on oil filter ) _without_ the SCA package, ( Supplemental Coolant Additive ) as it may react with the coolant you are using. Plumb this into the heater hoses and just drive.

[Clemson88]

I can't consider that an option since I intend to do this flush before I start this engine. I have the interior out of the car right now and still have a ton of work to do in the cabin before it's ready to run.

I have to rebuild a few vacuum pods, repair the cruse amp and I'd really like to know if a critic acid flush is going to finish the 32 year old heater coil off. If it needs to be replaced I might want to do that before I replace the dash. It seems as if it would be much easier.

Now you have me wondering if I shouldn't just go ahead and replace the heater coil. Would I want to flush a new heater coil with critic acid?

BTW, I've searched the DYI articles and can't find the post where the author used a sump pump.

[Junkman]

Dash out is a good time to change core. Electrolysis eats cores. Not changing fluid sets up electrolysis. Per instructions with new core, measure voltage of fluid. Anything over .3 volts needs changing. Put 1 probe in coolant. Ground the other.

[Clemson88]

Originally Posted by Junkman

Dash out is a good time to change core. Electrolysis eats cores. Not changing fluid sets up electrolysis. Per instructions with new core, measure voltage of fluid. Anything over .3 volts needs changing. Put 1 probe in coolant. Ground the other.

OK, I'm good on buying a new one. Behr is what everyone is using?

To continue, When you say 'stick one lead in the coolant,' I'm presuming you mean with everything hooked up including battery and the other lead in the expansion tank?

I can remember to do this but it will be a while before I can perform that test. You stick around and tell me what to do if I find there's more than a .3v reading when I do.

Can you direct me to the 'DYI,' article on flushing the block using a sump pump? I'm a patient guy and I'm pretty good at using the DYI's here. I can't find the danged thing for the life of me.

[Diesel911]

Sorry about the negative comment but some when they did a flush they found it ate through some think like the core/freeze plugs when it ate through the rust and or crud that was blocking the holes in them.

Same with the heater core or radiator.

It is a good idea to have another ride available in case something leaks.

[Clemson88]

Originally Posted by Diesel911

Sorry about the negative comment but some when they did a flush they found it ate through some think like the core/freeze plugs when it ate through the rust and or crud that was blocking the holes in them.

Same with the heater core or radiator.

It is a good idea to have another ride available in case something leaks.

I'm in the final stages of putting a the engine of a white '84 300 SD in a black '85 SE body just because I didn't want to paint the white car. If something is going to leak I want it to liquify so it will be easy to remove.

At this point I'm planning on changing the heater core before I install the dash. I'll allocate enough money for a radiator and buy some block plugs before I start.

I appreciate the warnings on heater core and radiators. I may eliminate the heater core from the flushing process. I just changed those hoses between the monovalve-heater core-cylinder head. I will use the old hoses in the engine bay then install the new ones when the flush is finished and the engine is purged of the citric acid.

[greazzer]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBA3guw3nJ4

[Junkman]

You shouldn't need battery connected to measure coolant voltage. Regardless, changing coolant will take care of the problem of old coolant causing electrolysis if there is one.

There are arguments all over the place regarding whether an additive is required for a flush. I personally use water from a hose. Just make sure that the engine is cold when you begin. It probably doesn't matter but I'd hate for cold water on a hot engine part to crack the part.

[snapped_bolt]

Originally Posted by Diesel911

Sorry about the negative comment but some when they did a flush they found it ate through some think like the core/freeze plugs when it ate through the rust and or crud that was blocking the holes in them.

Same with the heater core or radiator.

It is a good idea to have another ride available in case something leaks.

The "good" thing is that these issues will be uncovered right in the driveway, on not the slow lane on the freeway. If a citrus flush is follwed properly, and damage happens, it is not the fault of the flush; it is the fault of components on the edge of failure.

snapped_bolt

[Clemson88]

Originally Posted by greazzer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBA3guw3nJ4

Thank you. I believe I will isolate the block and head and flush them alone. I have the radiator off the car so that can be done separately and I won't need to flush the new heater core.

Should I introduce the flush into the rear of the head and expect it to drain from the lower radiator hose in I fix and install an old thermostat?

The little pump the guy on the video used looked like a cheap aquarium pump. Was it?

[Diesel911]

Originally Posted by snapped_bolt

The "good" thing is that these issues will be uncovered right in the driveway, on not the slow lane on the freeway. If a citrus flush is follwed properly, and damage happens, it is not the fault of the flush; it is the fault of components on the edge of failure.

snapped_bolt

I was not saying it was the fault of the flush but I have read where people who have Mercedes as their only Car do a flush thinking that by doing it on a weekend they will be finished and end up with a Core/Freeze Plug leaking and no vehicle to drive to work or other places you really have to go. So even though it is a negative comment that may not happened when someone posts they are going to do a flush I tell them about what may happen.

The other issue that happens less often is that if the cooling system does have a lot of rust after the flush particles may come of for months and months afterwards and sometimes plug radiator cores.

So for myself unless I was having some overheating issue I will never flush my Coolant System. Because I have had that issue on other vehicles where a flush caused repeated radiator core plugging over several months after the flush.

[Clemson88]

Originally Posted by Diesel911

I was not saying it was the fault of the flush but I have read where people who have Mercedes as their only Car do a flush thinking that by doing it on a weekend they will be finished and end up with a Core/Freeze Plug leaking and no vehicle to drive to work or other places you really have to go. So even though it is a negative comment that may not happened when someone posts they are going to do a flush I tell them about what may happen.

The other issue that happens less often is that if the cooling system does have a lot of rust after the flush particles may come of for months and months afterwards and sometimes plug radiator cores.

So for myself unless I was having some overheating issue I will never flush my Coolant System. Because I have had that issue on other vehicles where a flush caused repeated radiator core plugging over several months after the flush.

I hope you know that I appreciated the advise and decided to leave the radiator, heater core and monovalve out of the flush. I will flush just the block and head because of prospective damage to systems which I can deal with separately.

I have found that all who contribute information to someone who is asking questions regarding their project are valuable. I like to know what I don't know. Even though some take exceptions to such contributions I appreciate that they are pointing out the unlikelihood of things going wrong.

You both made valuable contributions from your personal experience.

[Diesel911]

Originally Posted by Clemson88

I hope you know that I appreciated the advise and decided to leave the radiator, heater core and monovalve out of the flush. I will flush just the block and head because of prospective damage to systems which I can deal with separately.

I have found that all who contribute information to someone who is asking questions regarding their project are valuable. I like to know what I don't know. Even though some take exceptions to such contributions I appreciate that they are pointing out the unlikelihood of things going wrong.

You both made valuable contributions from your personal experience.

I don't get the credit as they are issues I remembering reading about on this and other forums. And, the smaller part is just my personal choices.

[Clemson88]

Originally Posted by Diesel911

I don't get the credit as they are issues I remembering reading about on this and other forums. And, the smaller part is just my personal choices.

I have no intentions of leaving the heater core to fail under any circumstances. I plan to rebuild the vacuum system below the dash and replace any and everything else in that snake pit before I put the dash back on this car. This will be my second experience with a dash coming out and going back into a car and I intend for it to be my last.

What's $110 bucks to a 65 y/o man finishing his last project car?