Clogged up water gallery's on a small engine.

[tinman]

I have a wee 3 cylinder engine here thats a bit sick, amongst other problems it looks like its been overheating as well, when i drained it earlier a certain amount of water came out of the drain plug low down but a lot of water remained close to the head even tho the drain plug low down had went to a trickle if not drops.
looks like it only ever seen water as a coolant which led to a lot of rust and gunk building up in the gallery's, it looks clear enough for water to pass round but something isnt right either.

im tempted to strip the block totally (have the head off) and use electrolysis to clean it up, anyone ever done it on an engine block or am i missing a simpler solution?

 

[TripleSix]

Pop all the core plugs out and go at the water galleries with the steam cleaner?

Should blast it nice and clean.

 

[milkloss]

I thought phosphoric acid was the trick for this sort of thing. Wouldn’t need too much to fill a small engine for a few days.

 

[Mursal]

Aerial tabs or a bit of caustic soda or even rad flush. Don't do mad with the caustic if the block has age .........
Lads have been known to fill the block with diesel to clear the sludge out of the bottom, just run for a bit and drain.

 

[tinman]

Pop all the core plugs out and go at the water galleries with the steam cleaner?

Should blast it nice and clean.

could do but you wouldnt be able to get everywhere either, or i dont think so neways, its what you cant see that could be still a problem.

 

[tinman]

I thought phosphoric acid was the trick for this sort of thing. Wouldn’t need too much to fill a small engine for a few days.

Aerial tabs or a bit of caustic soda or even rad flush. Don't do mad with the caustic if the block has age .........
Lads have been known to fill the block with diesel to clear the sludge out of the bottom, just run for a bit and drain.

i suppose it might of worked if it was still in one piece, its half ways down now.
ive had good success with the electrolysis with rust removal in the past on other items just not on an engine block, using it means the clean metal isnt affected but the rust is altho ive never tried it on a block before.
its what im still leaning towards at this point but im not sure if it would damage anything either.
i was wondering if anyone had ever tried it on a block, best guess its going to need zapping for 3-4 days.

 

[Mursal]

Fill your boots ..............

 

[JohnBoy]

I don't know if it will have much of an effect inside the block channels, it relies on electric current moving from a to b, I don't think you'll get much flow from Inside the block.

Have you ever tried molasses, supposed to do a similar job but should work better for the internals

 

[Dave W]

Thread hijack on a similar vein.
Heater matrix in cab roof it blocked. Assume with rust gunk judging on what’s dripping out.
Tried air line up it but won’t shift owt.
Any ideas? Not keen on roof removal etc

 

[tinman]

I don't know if it will have much of an effect inside the block channels, it relies on electric current moving from a to b, I don't think you'll get much flow from Inside the block.

Have you ever tried molasses, supposed to do a similar job but should work better for the internals

you would have a valid point there and that was one of my concerns, its possible that something agitating the water gently could improve flow but id be stepping into the unknown with that.
i havnt done a big pile of electrolysis but what i have done, all be it on the outside of items has been very successful as long as you give it time.
the molasses is a good job, ive seen videos where lads got the kiddy pool and dropped a whole panel off an old car into it, what came out was astonishing but its a far longer process, iirc they were talking about leaving it to stew for weeks on end.

i had a better look at it today, altho it looks like there is a lot of encrustations, there seems to be a lot of gunk too so as already stated a pressure wash may do the trick, id steam wash it anyways and after that ill see how good or bad it is, i may be over thinking the whole affair, which in fairness wouldnt be the first time that happened.
whats got it to where it is now was a case of too much water in the coolant id say, if even there was any of the latter at all.

 

[tomlad]

Thread hijack on a similar vein.
Heater matrix in cab roof it blocked. Assume with rust gunk judging on what’s dripping out.
Tried air line up it but won’t shift owt.
Any ideas? Not keen on roof removal etc

Hose pipe opposite way ? Has worked for me in the past
reverse flow

 

[Dave W]

Hose pipe opposite way ? Has worked for me in the past
reverse flow

Tried airline both ways with no joy

 

[tomlad]

Ahh

 

[Mursal]

Would the control tap (if it has one fitted) be turned off?
Just a thought ...........

 

[TheTallGuy]

Thread hijack on a similar vein.
Heater matrix in cab roof it blocked. Assume with rust gunk judging on what’s dripping out.
Tried air line up it but won’t shift owt.
Any ideas? Not keen on roof removal etc

Holts radiator flush - the two part one. If you can get the matrix out, then set it up at ground level and use gas to heat it instead of instead of the engine. Usually find that the first part clears most build ups. One word of caution though - make sure that you thoroughly flush, flush & flush again as if anything is left in it will find a way out...

 

[8100]

Would that dishwasher cleaner not work overnight.

 

[Mursal]

Aerial tabs as he just mightn't have a dishwasher .............

 

[masseybreaker]

put the block in the dishwasher do two jobs at once clean the engine and have a divorce