[Healeys] Cleaning out cooling system

[Al Fuller]

Jorge:

I used the vinegar method of cleaning out the cooling system just a couple
of weeks ago on my '62 BT-7, which gets up to about 212 degrees in
stop-and-go traffic with ambient temperatures in the 75-85 degree range...

Since you asked, here is what I did and the results:

After draining the cooling system, I flushed it out with water a couple of
times.  I then added 1.5 gallons of distilled white vinegar and topped it
off with distilled water (from a 5 gallon bottle sourced from Home Depot).

I ran the water vinegar mix in the car at idle for about 90 minutes, then
drained.  Upon draining, I could see some scale was being flushed out - but
not a whole lot (and not as much as I would have expected).  At best, the
water coming out was "cloudy" but not "milky" or "chunky", as others have
reported.  I then flushed the engine with distilled water a couple of times,
and refilled with coolant.

I can't say that the car runs much cooler than before, but then again I
haven't driven it much, either...

I hope hearing about a first-hand experience helps.

Al

Al Fuller
Fuller Compliance, LLC

Quality Systems Consulting
Software Quality, Validation + 21 CFR Part  11

714.335.0248
 www.fullercompliance.com



-----Original Message-----
From: healeys-bounces+al=bighealey.org at autox.team.net
[mailto:healeys-bounces+al=bighealey.org at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of Jorge
Garcia
Sent: Sunday, August 10, 2008 9:56 PM
To: Austin Healey
Subject: [Healeys] Cleaning out cooling system

Has anyone ever used vinegar to clean the engine cooling passages and the
rest of the cooling system of any mineral build up? If you have please let
me know your results.
Thanks
Jorge Garcia
65 BJ8
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