DIY engine reverse flusher

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 1:21 pm

S'about time I make what I have been thinking about, a cooling system reverse flusher.

Thinking....get an old radiator hose and cut the ends off, find a fitting to clamp into the ends 30mm ID to hook up a drain hose for one, a tapwater supply to the other - in order to make a safer and tidier flusher. Safer in that engine don't run low on water (creating air pockets) and said water drains well away so don't end up in a swimming pool.

Idea should allow me to run engine on spot without danger of overheat, give me a chance to rev it up a bit to stir up more gunk and flush it out without the usual drain and refill, take for a drive, drain and refill cleaning process. Never goin' to use a radiator cleaner chemical - did it once - never again

discopotato03 · Post by **discopotato03** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 4:21 pm

I don't know about a radiator flusher but a good way to flush the cooling system for whatever reason is to remove the heater hose from the pipe returning from the heater and connect that to your garden hose .
This way you bypass the thermostat and the water ex the heater core can run out and away . You can remove the radiators drain bung if you want to cycle the water in there .
I think if you really wish to flush the radiator itself its better to pull it out and flow some fresh water backwards through it .
Most rad cores use pretty thin tubes packed with turbulators and once they corrode to any degree they're just about stuffed .

I wouldn't have a suspect radiator in front of an EA82 , in a Vortex I'd be seeing if theres any more room than an L Series has and if so taking full advantage of it . I know an XT4 rad is basically a slightly wider L one , I don't know if there is any more height in their nose but Zoob must have done something better for XT6s surely .

A .

Brumby Kid · Post by **Brumby Kid** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 4:34 pm

Why wouldn't you use a chemical rad flush?
Steptoe, any pics or sketches of this mystical invention? Kinda hard for me to imagine it.
Cheers Cam

guyph_01 · Post by **guyph_01** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 4:44 pm

Brumby Kid wrote:Why wouldn't you use a chemical rad flush?

+1 Why and what happened and what brand was it?

Smash1911 · Post by **Smash1911** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 4:44 pm

A reverse flush system won't really work if you plan on running the engine. We use a flush system at work where a 20L drum with a hose with a tapered rubber outlet which sits in where the radiator cap goes, a bung for the top inlet on the radiator and then another tapered rubber outlet on a hose for the top radiator hose. Fresh coolant in the drum (held above the radiator for reasons of gravity feed) and the run the engine (heater tap on to flush the core) and once all the coolant in the tank is gone it's job done!
I will try and take some pics of the setup we use. Pretty hard to explain via forum whilst at a Sunday session!