Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) detergent in radiator?

[wildmanben]

Still trying to clean the oil mess out of the radiator after the recent HG letting loose. How much cascade do I dump in? I was thinking about a cup. Any other thoughts?

 

[GHarman]

Still trying to clean the oil mess out of the radiator after the recent HG letting loose. How much cascade do I dump in? I was thinking about a cup. Any other thoughts?

Im not sure about cascade as the best degreaser. Dont you have to get the water hot? You have got to make sure it gets totally desolved. Dawn dish washing liquid works well on food based grease. Dont know about petroleum products. I know this may be more trouble than you care to deal with, but OAKITE is an excellent degreaser. The water needs to be HOT. This is an industrial bath for parts that need a rust based finish. (gun blue) GregH

 

[Mundgyver]

Do not use Dawn or any deteergent that will suds up. What you want to use is Electrosol Powder Dishwasher Soap. This works very well. Drain down you system and fill with fresh water. Start your truck and get it warmed up about half way to operational temp. When the fluid in the radiator starts getting warm, pour in two dispensers fulls (about 4 table spoons) of Electrosol and then put the cap on and go for a 40 to 50 mile drive enjoy the country.



When you get back drain down all the way and flush with fresh water and go for another drive or repeat the treatment. The object is to flush down with fresh at least 2 more time and then fill with radiator fluid.



If you use soap tha suds up, you can and will hurt things (overheat) and it will take forever to flush out the motor.



Voice of experience here I use 50 cents worth every two years for a flush and I have no scale build up or rot of any type. 200,000 and still going strong

 

[MMiller]

At one Cat shop I worked at we used Cascade dishwasher soap,(the white powder in the green box). Where I work now, we have special Caterpillar radiator flush to clean oil residue from the cooling system. When a oil cooler fails this is what I do.



Pull the radiator hoses and t-stat. Using a HOT pressure washer I flush the system to rid it of the pudding. After I am sure I can no longer wash out anymore oil I put everything back to gether and fill it with the hot water and drain it, then fill it and add a healthy dose of the cooling system cleaner. Then I have the customer run the machine for an hour or so, working it, getting it good and hot, then while its still hot, drain the system. Depending on how bad the system is, I do this 2,3,4 times, and when no more residue comes out I fill with coolant.



Michael

 

[wildmanben]

At first I tried the dawn, it helped a little. But there is still residue inside and the coolant looks kidna milky. I figured putting some dishwasher detergent in will prevent foaming, then I can go for a drive, get it mixed in and dump and start over like you guys said. I figure I should get this done before it gets too cold up here.

 

[GHarman]

Thats good stuff to know. I always thought you had to pull the radiator to clean it. Didnt consider using the engine as a hot water heater=). GregH.

 

[WDimig]

i just did a oil cooler on a ISC motor at work today, and Cummins/Fleetgaurd has a product called restore that is used to clean the cooling system, it comes in a gallon jug, and is used for a 12 gal system, it costs roughly 30 bucks, i put restore in the truck which by the way must have had about a gallon of oil in the cooling system, what a mess, the coolant filter looked like the oil filter :-laf, i put a gallon of cleaner in the system, and filled with water, got the engine hot, and allowed the thermostat to cycle, drained the water, had this brown murky colored water come out, after that i flushed the engine 2 more times, and had no signs of oil in the cooling system. this stuff works great, i know it's bit $$$, bu this is an alkaline cleaner that removes any kind of dirt scale and corossion in the cooling system. just thought i share that if anyone was looking for a strong cooling system cleaner.



wes

 

[wildmanben]

That sounds like the best idea yet. Can you get that at a Cummins dealer? Or anywhere that sells Fleetguard products?

 

[Hammer]

A cup of Cascade,powered, and run the motor until it allows the thermostat to open,then drain it. Do it a second time and drain it again. If the water comes out fairly clear you may be able to finish the job if not you will need to do it once more. It makes it alot easier if you slip out to the local department store and buy a large laundry solid basket to use as your dumping station when you drop the lower hose to drain it... ... ... Andy

 

[wildmanben]

Well I got the gallon of Restore today. $26. Will see how it works this weekend maybe. The parts guy said it makes it look like new inside.

 

[turbo torque]

I have been flushing mine (24v) all summer. I had to limp home, (200 mi. ) so, I put 9 gal. of oil into the system to make it. Real Mess! I herd cascade was hard on aluminum and other things, so I used a gallon or so of any laundry detergent and some Dawn too, about 5 times with complete flush each time (garden hose to head, while running). Im finnaly ready for anti-freeze & distilled water

 

[CumminsPower98]

I wouldn't recommend the garden hose to engine while running. Hope nothing got hurt. I did this once to a little Nissan Stanza I had and ended up cracking the block around the head bolt threads, which caused the HG to leak. I didn't start with the cold water on a hot engine either. Also don't drain a hot engine and then fill it right back up with cold water or you are asking for trouble.

 

[turbo torque]

Do this while the motor is cold. I did it at least six times... just idle & let it flush.

 

[Jetpilot]

Liquid ALL detergent works well also.....



Doug Smith