[Mgs] Flushing the cooling system?

Denise Thorpe xyzabcde at earthlink.net
Mon Mar 9 19:25:22 MST 2009


This is one of those debates like towing with/without the driveshaft 
removed, LMA vs silicone brake fluid, and cats.  What was the dispute about 
cats?

But anyway... water is polar and likes to have ions in it so distilled 
water, which is pure, polarized water, tends to leech minerals out of 
whatever it touches including the iron in your engine block.  So yes, tap 
water has lots of junk in it, but it won't dissolve your engine.  My Toyota 
Tercel, which has an aluminum head, requires de-ionized water and the only 
source I could find for this is pre-mixed coolant.  Whatever was in the car 
when I got it did dissolve the head almost through to the combustion 
chamber.  I've always used tap water and coolant in my B and never had a 
clogging or dissolving problem.  And I flush the cooling system and the 
brake system whenever I remember which is about once every ten years.

While I'm on the subject, it's possible to flush the cooling system with the 
cheap Prestone adapter without removing the thermostat.  You hook up the 
garden hose and set it to trickle and then run the engine to operating temp. 
You'll know when the thermostat opens because the flow suddenly gets bigger 
and dirtier.

Denise Thorpe

Danny V. said:

After flushing, ALWAYS use distilled water with or without antifreeze.
Mineral deposits are usually caused by the use of tap water in cooling
systems.
Danny V.
'58 MGA
'79 MGB V-6 



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