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Thread: Flushing heater core

  1. #1
    Hoosier Daddy?? Turbo Mopar Staff Clay's Avatar
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    Flushing heater core

    I need to flush out a heater core. Ive been there, done that, got the t-shirt, etc.

    What Im wondering is if anyone has ever used anything to help flush out the core, like CLR or Rydlyme?

    I mean, Im guessing its calcium/lyme deposits that plug these things up the most. So recirculating something threw the core that would clean it out might help, yes?

    comments? suggestions?

    thanks!
    clay
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    Buy my stuff!!!!!!!!!!! :O) Turbo Mopar Vendor turbovanman²'s Avatar
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    Re: Flushing heater core

    You must have missed my 100's of posts using CLR,

    I blow out the heater core so its empty, fill with CLR, let it sit an hour and then backflush. Has yet to not work.

    Be warned that this CAN cause the heater core to leak.
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  3. #3
    Hoosier Daddy?? Turbo Mopar Staff Clay's Avatar
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    Re: Flushing heater core

    yup, I must have missed them!!!!!!

    Hmm so does the CLR attack the aluminum/copper/what ever in the core?

    we have a good product at work called "Rydlyme" (rid lyme) that works great on our heat exchangers, and its gentle/biodegradable/etc. Maybe Ill have to give that a go.

    thanks
    Clay
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  4. #4
    Buy my stuff!!!!!!!!!!! :O) Turbo Mopar Vendor turbovanman²'s Avatar
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    Re: Flushing heater core

    Quote Originally Posted by Clay View Post
    yup, I must have missed them!!!!!!

    Hmm so does the CLR attack the aluminum/copper/what ever in the core?

    we have a good product at work called "Rydlyme" (rid lyme) that works great on our heat exchangers, and its gentle/biodegradable/etc. Maybe Ill have to give that a go.

    thanks
    Well they say its not for brass/copper/aluminim so it could possilby eat thru it but that hasn't happened to me yet. I think it could it cause a leak if the calcium is sealing it up, lol!
    1989 FWD Turbo Caravan-2.5 TIII, GT35R, auto, a/c, cruise, pwr windows/locks, fully loaded with interior and ran with full exhaust. RETIRED FOR A FEW YEARS! 12.57@104 :O)
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    2003 GSW 2.0L TDI, auto, fully loaded, modified, 360K-wife's.
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  5. #5
    Mom Says I'm Special. :-) Turbo Mopar Staff Subliminal's Avatar
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    Re: Flushing heater core

    CLR is probably about the same as your rid lyme. It's general usage is to remove hard water stains on bathtubs/toilets/sinks.
    Damon

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  6. #6
    Hoosier Daddy?? Turbo Mopar Staff Clay's Avatar
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    Re: Flushing heater core

    yeah, I just went and looked at the tech sheet for the rydlyme. @ full strength its safe for all metals except for aluminum, then it should be diluted to 50%. If the aluminum is used in an application that is exposed to water, it is probably safe, but should still be diluted to 50%. Either way, Ill try one or the other here in the next couple days.

    thanks guys!
    clay
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    Re: Flushing heater core

    Quote Originally Posted by turbovanman View Post
    ... I think it could it cause a leak if the calcium is sealing it up, lol!
    Consider this confirmed... With the heating and cooling of the brass/copper and the deposits on it, it will affect the heating and cooling of the affected metals. This in turn creates "hotspots" where the deposits form as it tends to hold heat longer at higher temps. This causes small "fractures" and "cracks" which can be hidden and temporarily sealed by said deposits. Once these are removed, the leak is evident.

    Depending on the severity of the corrosion will dictate the recommended solution... replace or clean...
    -Nate- ''Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it.'' —Mark Twain

  8. #8
    Hoosier Daddy?? Turbo Mopar Staff Clay's Avatar
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    Re: Flushing heater core

    well, thats what Im worried about, the deposits sealing up a leak, but like you said..... replace or clean, so if it gets clean, and no leakie.... great. If it leaks, then it needed replaced anyway!
    Clay
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  9. #9
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    Re: Flushing heater core

    Quote Originally Posted by Clay View Post
    well, thats what Im worried about, the deposits sealing up a leak, but like you said..... replace or clean, so if it gets clean, and no leakie.... great. If it leaks, then it needed replaced anyway!
    Yeah.. the only prob is that it might happen at the most inopportune times and not right away, depending on the stress/metal fatigue in that area...

    Always carry extra antifreeze and make sure to have something that you can use to "bypass" the core if it does go...
    -Nate- ''Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it.'' —Mark Twain

  10. #10
    Hoosier Daddy?? Turbo Mopar Staff Clay's Avatar
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    Re: Flushing heater core

    so your saying just wait for the flood and carry spares?
    Clay
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    Buy my stuff!!!!!!!!!!! :O) Turbo Mopar Vendor turbovanman²'s Avatar
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    Re: Flushing heater core

    Quote Originally Posted by Clay View Post
    well, thats what Im worried about, the deposits sealing up a leak, but like you said..... replace or clean, so if it gets clean, and no leakie.... great. If it leaks, then it needed replaced anyway!
    Yep, your screwed if you do so might as well try it. BTW, just did this last week on 95 Grand Prix, worked awesome,
    1989 FWD Turbo Caravan-2.5 TIII, GT35R, auto, a/c, cruise, pwr windows/locks, fully loaded with interior and ran with full exhaust. RETIRED FOR A FEW YEARS! 12.57@104 :O)
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  12. #12
    turbo addict
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    Re: Flushing heater core

    Quote Originally Posted by Clay View Post
    so your saying just wait for the flood and carry spares?
    10-4 good buddy.... it's the TD way...
    -Nate- ''Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it.'' —Mark Twain

  13. #13
    Hoosier Daddy?? Turbo Mopar Staff Clay's Avatar
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    Re: Flushing heater core

    hehehehe. Well, I have a gallon of Rydlyme in my possession. We shall find out soon enough how this is going to work. I figure its the safe bet considering its ok to use on copper and brass.

    Ill update everyone as to the outcome.
    Clay
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  14. #14
    Garrett booster
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    Re: Flushing heater core

    are you doing this while the core is in the car?

  15. #15
    Hoosier Daddy?? Turbo Mopar Staff Clay's Avatar
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    Re: Flushing heater core

    Ok, the results are in:

    You can now bake a turkey in my car! (err Jeep )

    The heat is back to as good as the day I bought it. Last night I flushed/back flushed the heater core, blew it out, filled it up with a 50% solution of Rydlyme and let it soak. an hour later I flushed/back flushed the core again, blew it out again, and filled it back up with a 50% solution of Rydlyme. Let that soak for 15 -> 20 minutes and flushed/back flushed it again, blew it out one more time, then filled the core with coolant and hooked it back up.

    Fired it up, topped off the radiator, and away we went. This morning the thing had GREAT heat! At lunch it was enough to run me out, just like when I first got it!!

    Yes, all done while in the vehicle.

    Thanks everyone!! Im going to put this into my memory banks for future use.

    Clay
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  16. #16
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    Re: Flushing heater core

    There's also the potential it knocks huge chunks loose that block up somewhere else.

  17. #17
    Hoosier Daddy?? Turbo Mopar Staff Clay's Avatar
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    Re: Flushing heater core

    thats a possibility I guess. Ive seen the Rydlyme in action before, and as long as you give it ample time to work it will dissolve any large chunks.

    The example the company uses is pretty neat. Take a cup or rydlyme, drop in a sea shell and watch it dissolve into nothing in about 5 minutes. Pretty cool little experiment they do.
    Clay
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  18. #18

    Re: Flushing heater core

    I've used Zerex superclean on both my cars. Pour it in, drive for a few hours, drain.

    To completely flush my cooling systems, I usually pull the radiator. Then I back flush the crap out of the motor, heater core and radiator.

    I thought my white shadow's coolant bad. Then I did my neon's. I had dirt and rocks coming out of the neon before I was done.

    The flushing has helped each car. Shadows have such tiny heater core. They need all the help I could provide. It now has barely any heat vs. no heat. Neon is like having a blast furnace in the car.

    later
    James Dempsey Jr 91 Dodge Shadow ES convertible 95 Dodge Neon Sport sedan 2.4 5spd

  19. #19
    Hoosier Daddy?? Turbo Mopar Staff Clay's Avatar
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    Re: Flushing heater core

    yeah, I used that Zerex stuff in mine around April. It did a GREAT job for overall cooling system cleaning, in fact it did a better job than the goodyear flush did (which turned back to crap in about 3 months). But it odviously didnt do a very good job of breaking up the deposits in my heater core. I got a lot of nasty crude out of there last night. Not much of anything when I first flushed it, but after the Rydlyme set for a while, I got some yummy stuff out.
    Clay
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  20. #20
    Hybrid booster
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    Re: Flushing heater core

    I need to do this in my daytona, the heat is pretty weak. I'm just afraid the only thing holding it together is the deposits! Had that happen to a Pontiac I had in high school. Did a radiator flush and a day later a new radiator was needed.

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