Clean out cooling system

[SteveHall]

The e-tec has been in storage now for a few months, and one job I know I need to do is change the thermostats.

I removed them easy enough but was shocked how much sludge, snotty stuff and salt residue was there.



Is there a good way to clean all this out before refitting the new ones?


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[henryfreston]

guy on my campsite reckoned baking soda and vinegar in a flush bucket does just a good a job as any?

[SteveHall]

Was thinking like putting the hose pipe in the holes, or running the hose on the flush port with the caps back on but no stats.


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[diver12]

Take the pressure relief valve out as well and flush through. Hose it out in both directions
The vinegar idea will help but boat bottom cleaner will work better. Only problem is finding a big enough bucket and a very large quantity of acid to do anything useful for a 175hp gearbox.
I dont think the baking soda will do anything except neutralise the acid.

[Landlockedpirate]

Best stuff to use is Rydlyme, used it on a few engines and it works well

Rydlyme Marine Descaler

[Phil M]

I cleaned out the passages on my ill fated mariner 75. A bit more involved but I dropped off the gear box to allow a pipe to be fitted directly to the water tube, bypassing the pump which would have stopped the flow. I connected a sump pump to the tube and pumped a mixture of water and tesco value vinegar around the engine for about 6 hours, with a bucket and plastic sheet collecting the dripping fluid allowing it to be recirculated. It worked very well and cleared out a load of crap from the engine. Cost about £2 in vinegar and the only down side was the craving for fish and chips.

Phil M