I just got a new radiator about 2 years ago and it was nice and clean before it was installed. I just popped the cap off of it a week ago and all the tube entrances visible were covered with a limy deposit. Im not surprised, Im sure everyone has seen this stuff on the edges of heater and radiator hoses and such. My question is, is there a way to dissolve the stuff and flush it out? Obviously it will come back but I would have some peace of mind if I could clean it up periodically. Im sure CLR would dissolve it pretty well but Im not sure if its safe to put that into my radiator and have it run thru my eninge =)

 

You could buy a new radiator. heh. There's chemicals you can buy to do this but it's rather difficult to get it all cleaned off and flushed out and all that mumbo-jumbo.

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89 iroc-z 305 tbi
k&n filtercharger, open element air filter. nuffin' else

 

Get some flush chemicals at Kmart or some store. A lot of people say it actually works. It did not help me, though. I had to get a new rad, mine was so coated with the stuff. I was overheating, tried everything. Nothing worked except getting as new rad.

 

Mm radiator had alot of deposits in it, so I pulled it out of the car, sprayed engine degreaser all in it, set it in the hot sun with the water hose going into the inlet(put the radiator cap on so it fills the entire radiator with water). I left it there for about 3 hours (water on very low) and it worked really well. This in combination with a flex fan, a solid mount and a new airdam keeps my car at 170* all the time. And my radiator is not even aluminium!

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1983 Firebird
TH700R4 Auto
Small Block 400
LG4 ECM, Intake, Carb, Distributor, etc.
Soon to be non-computer.
Clarion Head Unit 45X4
2 Pioneer 400W 12" Subs
Third Gen Performance
"A four cylinder is half an engine."
"Ponies can run, but birds can fly..."

 

I heard no pulp orange juice works good to clean out the radiator. It's also high in vitamin C

 

The above posts address cleaning them after-the-fact but aren't addressing the real problem. The lime is coming from the water that you put into your system. After you clean the system, use only distilled water for your coolant water and this should not reappear. This is what I do to all of my cars.