Cleaning the inside of the radiator overflow bottle

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Cleaning the inside of the radiator overflow bottle

Postby snwtoy » Sun Jul 24, 2011 10:21 pm

Does anyone have any surefire tips to getting rid of the rusty brown crap that builds up inside the radiator overflow?

I can get a scrubbing brush in there, but the shape is really irregular and it's impossible to brush every surface.

Is there a product which breaks down the rusty stuff? Maybe a radiator flush or something?
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Postby Alex B » Sun Jul 24, 2011 10:22 pm

CLR?
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Postby snwtoy » Sun Jul 24, 2011 10:23 pm

That thought crossed my mind - where do you buy it these days? I remember it from as seen on tv about 15 years ago!
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Postby Alex B » Sun Jul 24, 2011 10:24 pm

Mitre 10 etc
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Postby Bling » Sun Jul 24, 2011 10:25 pm

Coke? :lol: srs

Radiator flush could be a go though. Whatever it is, it will have to be strong I imagine. Bleach? Something else in the laundry cupboard.
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Postby MrOizo » Sun Jul 24, 2011 10:30 pm

I use gravel with water - maybe about a handful and half full of water. Give it a good shake up and it loosens the sediment. A bottle brush works for most of it for me but can never get the pressure on certain bits :o
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Postby Mr. Mainstream » Sun Jul 24, 2011 10:44 pm

jif, boiling water
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Postby matt dunn » Sun Jul 24, 2011 10:51 pm

MrOizo wrote:I use gravel with water - maybe about a handful and half full of water. Give it a good shake up and it loosens the sediment. A bottle brush works for most of it for me but can never get the pressure on certain bits :o



Same,
Dishwash and gravel from the drive,
the type with sharp corners, not round pebbles.

Works great.
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Postby snwtoy » Sun Jul 24, 2011 11:01 pm

That's a great piece of advice. What grade would the gravel be? Piece size? I don't have any gravel driveways nearby though, wonder if sand would work..
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Postby MrOizo » Sun Jul 24, 2011 11:05 pm

You can use chipseal stones.
They usually have atleast 2 straight edges and have good edges for removing the build up.
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Postby AE82 FXGT » Sun Jul 24, 2011 11:08 pm

+1 for gravel, (I though I was clever for using this and was looking forward to sharing it) works a treat, just use what ever sharp bits you can find. I don't think that sand would be abrasive enough...
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Postby Sick Puppy » Mon Jul 25, 2011 12:03 am

AE82 FXGT wrote:+1 for gravel, (I though I was clever for using this and was looking forward to sharing it) works a treat, just use what ever sharp bits you can find. I don't think that sand would be abrasive enough...
Yeah, I'd be figuring whatever you use would need to have some kind of mass...
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Postby rollaholic » Mon Jul 25, 2011 9:37 am

i've found a really vigorous shake with just some water in it works ok, just rinse and repeat (literally, hah!) four or five times. doesnt get it all though if you want it really sparkling.
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Postby ch4ng » Mon Jul 25, 2011 11:44 am

Or nuts and bolts instead of gravel
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Postby BZG Wagon » Mon Jul 25, 2011 11:55 am

I found my waterblaster worked a treat.
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Postby MAC_HATER » Mon Jul 25, 2011 12:46 pm

had a friend who thought hed be brainy and thought he could cut one in half, clean it and then plastic weld it back together

well that went well - the moment the hacksaw touched it the 20 year old plastic bottle shattered 8O
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Postby MAGN1T » Mon Jul 25, 2011 5:30 pm

Rice.......as in Rice.
You put that in there and shake it around. It even works too, perfectly.

Just leave it dirty? it won't make the car go any faster.

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Postby rollaholic » Mon Jul 25, 2011 5:45 pm

no point cleaning it out till you've fixed the BHG it obviously has, right steve :P
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Postby Sick Puppy » Mon Jul 25, 2011 6:27 pm

MAGN1T wrote:Just leave it dirty? it won't make the car go any faster.

Now how is that going to appeal to our sense of OCD... :lol:
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