My volvo MD11C is overheating and the raw water side seems OK. I am thinking about using Prestone Superflush to clean the freshwater side. Prestone's website says that their products are safe for all metals and dissolve even thick rust deposits. The volvo is mostly cast iron maybe steel in the cylinders. No aluminum. Anyway has anyone used these products??Results?? With the advent of aluminum blocks etc I haven't flushed a radiator in many years. Seems like I remember using Prestone products on an old ford that had a clogged heater with good results. I can't see any harm in trying this before trying to disassemble the engine to clean it manually. Thanks Tom
Prestone radiator cleaner or super flush
- Thread starter p323ms
- Start date
- Status
And I want to know for my hotrod.
It gets hot when not moving. Aw hell, I'll just buy a bigger radiator. Never mind.
It gets hot when not moving. Aw hell, I'll just buy a bigger radiator. Never mind.
If the current water...
...is clean and contains no rust, should you try it? I would assume that would indicate that the cooling side was clear. But, I guess, doing it won't hurt.
...is clean and contains no rust, should you try it? I would assume that would indicate that the cooling side was clear. But, I guess, doing it won't hurt.
Tom
Not tring to be insultive and not knowing anything about the MD11C, I'm assuming that you are getting a good flow of water out the exhaust and that the exhaust elbow, thermostat, and the impeller have been checked. Any of the three can cause heat rise, and the flush wouldn't help. Another possible cause is the heat exchanger. They can get clogged up also causing heat problems.
Not tring to be insultive and not knowing anything about the MD11C, I'm assuming that you are getting a good flow of water out the exhaust and that the exhaust elbow, thermostat, and the impeller have been checked. Any of the three can cause heat rise, and the flush wouldn't help. Another possible cause is the heat exchanger. They can get clogged up also causing heat problems.
J.B I've checked all of those things
With the MD11C the water always flows through the exhaust manifold and has passages that lead to spaces around the cylinder and head. I thought that it was fixed when I found a broken impeller blade. But that didn't help. The exhaust elbow and heat exchanger seem fine. The amount of water coming out the exhaust seems to be the same as before the overheating. I've checked all of the obvious items that I can think of checking. Plenty of water coming through the raw water strainer. I haven't checked the freshwater side of the exchanger but a flush should clean that along with the engine. Thanks Tom
With the MD11C the water always flows through the exhaust manifold and has passages that lead to spaces around the cylinder and head. I thought that it was fixed when I found a broken impeller blade. But that didn't help. The exhaust elbow and heat exchanger seem fine. The amount of water coming out the exhaust seems to be the same as before the overheating. I've checked all of the obvious items that I can think of checking. Plenty of water coming through the raw water strainer. I haven't checked the freshwater side of the exchanger but a flush should clean that along with the engine. Thanks Tom
MD11
I don't know anything about your engine, but you did not mention thermostat...if it has one is it OK? Had a Crusader once with an overheat problem, it was the thermostat.
I don't know anything about your engine, but you did not mention thermostat...if it has one is it OK? Had a Crusader once with an overheat problem, it was the thermostat.
Checked the thermostat
Yep I checked the thermostat and it opened at about 140 and was fully open by 170-180. The Prestone Radiator cleaner says that it dissolves rust and scale but won't attack solid metal. So right now I plan to put it into the engine on a friday and use the engine for the weekend and then flush it out. then a refill with distilled water and antifreeze. If the passages are completely blocked this won't help but if they are narrow but open it should help. thanks for all the advice Tom
Yep I checked the thermostat and it opened at about 140 and was fully open by 170-180. The Prestone Radiator cleaner says that it dissolves rust and scale but won't attack solid metal. So right now I plan to put it into the engine on a friday and use the engine for the weekend and then flush it out. then a refill with distilled water and antifreeze. If the passages are completely blocked this won't help but if they are narrow but open it should help. thanks for all the advice Tom
Broken Impeller ?
Tom: Just another thought, that may be the heart of your problem. A buddy of mine blew an impeller, replaced it immediately of course, and then started having minor heat problems. Not much, about 10-15 degrees. A small piece of the impeller vane washed through and got lodged in the heat exchanger, blocking water flow. I helped him backwash the system and flushed it out, end of problem, taking the heat exchanger apart was the next step if the flushing didn't work. There could even be a small piece stuck in one of the water passages in the block. IF that is the cause of you problem, I don't believe that the radiator flush will have much effect on the remnants of the impeller. How much heat increase are we talking about here anyway?
Tom: Just another thought, that may be the heart of your problem. A buddy of mine blew an impeller, replaced it immediately of course, and then started having minor heat problems. Not much, about 10-15 degrees. A small piece of the impeller vane washed through and got lodged in the heat exchanger, blocking water flow. I helped him backwash the system and flushed it out, end of problem, taking the heat exchanger apart was the next step if the flushing didn't work. There could even be a small piece stuck in one of the water passages in the block. IF that is the cause of you problem, I don't believe that the radiator flush will have much effect on the remnants of the impeller. How much heat increase are we talking about here anyway?
Use Marsolve or Rydlyme....
Drain the system, pour or suck in either the Marsolve or Rydlyme (they wont dissolve the base metal), let sit a few hours/days then flush (OK to save it for next time). You needs LOTS of prestone or automotive descalers to break up and dissolve the carbonate scale in a marine diesel. If your engine keeps fouling the raw water side, consider to put on a larger volume hihgher capacity raw water pump .... to keep the seawater from going over 150 degrees - which precipitates out the carbonates, the cooler the seawater the less fouling. www.marsolve.com WEST used to carry it.
Drain the system, pour or suck in either the Marsolve or Rydlyme (they wont dissolve the base metal), let sit a few hours/days then flush (OK to save it for next time). You needs LOTS of prestone or automotive descalers to break up and dissolve the carbonate scale in a marine diesel. If your engine keeps fouling the raw water side, consider to put on a larger volume hihgher capacity raw water pump .... to keep the seawater from going over 150 degrees - which precipitates out the carbonates, the cooler the seawater the less fouling. www.marsolve.com WEST used to carry it.
- Status