Date: Sat, 15 May 2010 09:55:04 -0700
Reply-To: Marc Sayer <marcsayer@HUGHES.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Marc Sayer <marcsayer@HUGHES.NET>
Subject: Re: What to soak radiator in to dissolve slime
In-Reply-To: <776B92E7-E541-4B5E-96CE-6148237F208A@shaw.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Yes, I agree. Drano and similar products are a combination of sodium
hydroxide and either aluminum and/or zinc (plus some other stuff, salts
mostly). When added to water, you get an instant chemical reaction that
produces heat, hydrogen gas, and some other products/effects. That
bubbling when you add it to water is the release of hydrogen gas. I
would be very careful using such products in systems with aluminum
components.
Oh and the liquid Drano, is even worse in my opinion, it is a
combination of sodium hydroxide and sodium hypochlorite (chlorine bleach).
Best solution (sorry bad pun) for a safe and effective cleaning is to
take it to a radiator shop and have them rod it out. They will
chemically and mechanically clean it and can tell you if the core is
good or not. Costs a bit more than some DIY magic solution, but it is a
known process and the best way to fix the problem. Nothing worse than
having to R&R a rad more than once, just to try and save a few pennies,
(well except for that cracked head because the radiator dumped all your
coolant before you realized things were getting too hot).
Just my HO
Alistair Bell wrote:
> this "advice" I will give you is only based on my other experiences
> with strong bases and aluminium, and not meant to pooh pooh draino
> advice, but be careful with draino, its lye, sodium hydroxide, and
> strong solutions will eat the aluminium up lickety split.
>
> I'd be very very careful.
>
> alistair
>
>
>
> On 15-May-10, at 8:55 AM, Zoltan wrote:
>
> Aha, Draino. That sounds like something that unclogs stuff.
> Zoltan
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: VWBrain@aol.com
> To: thewestyman@GMAIL.COM ; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Sent: Saturday, May 15, 2010 8:35 AM
> Subject: Re: What to soak radiator in to dissolve slime
>
>
> In a message dated 5/14/2010 7:12:24 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> thewestyman@GMAIL.COM writes:
> am trying to find a way to get the radiator soaked into
> something that would lift the slime from the inside of it, so I can
> just blast it out with water and compressed air. I have a copper
> radiator and an aluminium one. They are both loaded with slime.
> I know, I can buy a new one. That's not the question now.
> There are many of us on the list who would like to know this. And
> maybe it is a good practice to rinse it sometimes, I guess. It can
> be done while still in the car. Then we would not have to replace it.
> I think of something acid or alkali kind. Maybe there is one
> that is already being used long time and I just don't know of. One
> maybe for aluminum one for others.
> Anyone?
> hey guys we have used draino on these and heater cores without
> any problems. normally we let them soak for a couple of days. these
> were done this way because the customers couldn't afford to fix them
> right. So far none of them that was fixed this way have had any
> problems later mark dearing
>
--
Marc Sayer
Journalist, Photographer, Dog Trainer (APDT member #062956)
Board member - Western States Great Dane Rescue Association
Director of Operations& Training - Deaf Dane Rescue Inc.
Oakridge, OR USA
My Homepage - http://gracieland.org
Deaf Dane Rescue - http://deafdane.org
White Danes Yahoo Group - http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/whitedanes
Western States Great Dane Rescue Association - http://wsgdra.org
RescueWatchdogs - http://rescuewatchdogs.org
Association of Pet Dog Trainers - http://APDT.com
|