Vinegar coolant system flush?

[CalG]

I poured straight vinegar into the empty radiator and ran the engine through two heating cycles before dumping the flush.. (red residue evident?)

My tap water is a bit alkaline. How many "flushes" with tap water will it take to "neutralize" the acidic vinegar? \

If the answer comes to you,

"How many pancakes does it take to shingle a dog house? " ;-)

by the way, the visible portion of the cooler fill opening looks much the better for the vinegar flush!

 

[TMGT]

Distilled water is what I use for the final flush on cooling systems, especially in diesels.
Too many minerals in tap water, I would do at least 3, prefer all with distilled but if nothing else at least the last one with distilled water.

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

I'd start with one flush with baking soda in the water, maybe a quarter cup. Then proceed with distilled water as TMGT recommends.

 

[TMGT]

Also not sure what you were going to use for coolant but I would recommend the Peak Fleetcharge, it's designed for diesels and it's low silicate, I'm slowly switching all my diesel equipment over to it as service is needed.

 

[CalG]

Why baking soda when I know the tap water is PH in the positive. (i have run over 200 gallons of tropical fish aquarium. I know my tap water. ;-)

 

[CalG]

You might know that distilled water becomes acidic on contact with the CO2 in the air. No better than De Ionized water in the end.

 

[CalG]

I'd start with one flush with baking soda in the water, maybe a quarter cup. Then proceed with distilled water as TMGT recommends.

A quarter cup of "baking soda" in a 3/4 gallon system is A LOT OF BAKING SODA!

 

[TMGT]

You might know that distilled water becomes acidic on contact with the CO2 in the air. No better than De Ionized water in the end.

It's not as much the acidity, it's the minerals and other deposits in tap water (especially well water) that are the problem.

 

[CalG]

It's not as much the acidity, it's the minerals and other deposits in tap water (especially well water) that are the problem.

I use the water from the de humidifier for engine coolant needs. Filtered of "dust", it seems a great match for "aluminium based" systems.

Caustic based systems applied to cast iron just makes sooooo much sense!

 

[TMGT]

Might be ok if you you a very fine filter, is this a diesel you're currently working on?

 

[CalG]

Might be ok if you you a very fine filter, is this a diesel you're currently working on?

I've seen no filters in the coolant systems of any of the any of the tractors I have,

 

[TMGT]

Not in the tractors system, I was refering to the filter you said you ran the de-humidifier water through. Although a cooling system filter in a diesel isn't a bad idea.

 

[grm61]

I've seen no filters in the coolant systems of any of the any of the tractors I have,

Why not just use the premixed 50/50 green?

 

[grm61]

Not that I am pretending to know something but mine is do

 

[CalG]

Why not just use the premixed 50/50 green?

Yup/ a 50/50 mix of dex-cool to be run on, but this thread is about "flushing out the vinegar".

;-)

I'm going to do a tap water flush three times with operation of the tractor between each, then call it good. The system got the "running garden hose in the filler neck with the drain plug out" treatment when the vinegar was dumped.

 

[CalG]

Not in the tractors system, I was refering to the filter you said you ran the de-humidifier water through. Although a cooling system filter in a diesel isn't a bad idea.

Coffee filters..... ;-)

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

A quarter cup of "baking soda" in a 3/4 gallon system is A LOT OF BAKING SODA!

So knock it down to a tablespoon. /shrug/ It's not critical. And it flushes out very easily.

Tap water may be alkaline, but it's still got a lot of other minerals in it.

 

[jenkinsph]

Gee, I never heard of a negative pH. :confused3:

Me either. ^^^^

Further household vinegar is not very strong to start with. A rinse with distilled water and flush, then refill with the proper coolant is all that is needed.

 

[CalG]

Me either. ^^^^

Further household vinegar is not very strong to start with. A rinse with distilled water and flush, then refill with the proper coolant is all that is needed.

in a system where "7" is neutral, It's not hard to count plus or minus . i.e Raise the ph 2 points, lower the ph a point and a half etc. Math is a language.

 

[CalG]

So what's wrong with saying a pH of 9 or 5.5 instead inventing your own scale and letting us guess what it is? :confused2:

Because such information would add nothing to the question of the number of flushes that might be required to remove the residual acidity after a treatment with vinegar.
I certainly wouldn't want to diverge from that theme into "How many flushes with DI water does it take to neutralize my well water". ;-)