[Molten Stenberg]

Due to my lack of experience on gauging mineral deposits, I would love some of you guys to take a look and tell me what you think. Do I need to take it to a Rad shop to be cleaned or is it okay for use?
Water flows out of the radiator at about the same rate as it is introduced.

 

[CXPHREAK]

It could be blocked but on the appearance in the photo it's not.

Stick your garden hose in the bottom outlet and backflush it while taking note on whether the flow seems restricted.

If it seems to flow OK it likely is.

 

[DdogG]

Cap off the upper and lower hose outlets and fill it with CLR (calcium lime rust) a great product for removing what's in its name. Available at Home Depot and Lowes and most other hardware stores. Let it stay for a couple days, then rinse it out thoroughly with water. This will clean it out well. You'll see brass.

 

[bahn88]

CLR can take some of the brass with it...do you use a std dilution?

FAQ | CLR Calcium Lime & Rust Remover

clrclean.com.au

quote:
CLR can not only remove the finish off of brass, aluminium and copper, but can also pit certain grades of brass, copper and aluminum.

 

[mtreis86]

There are many radiator shops around, I'd let them acid bath it, or find out what type of acid they use and how strong it is.

 

[THX1138]

I would simply tape over the outlet and drain. Pour in some white vinegar in then tape off the top. Rotate it about every fifteen to twenty minutes and after anywhere from two to four hours, flush everything out and then check it for buildup. If you don't see any, let water flow through and make sure it flows well. That's about all you can do for something that is over thirty years old.

 

[CXPHREAK]

Vinegar works well and it's what I use, much as THX describes.

I would also add the step of flushing it through with a bicarbonate of soda solution afterwards to neutralise the vinegar.

If you make a fitting to connect your garden hose securely and leak free to the bottom hose outlet it can be pressure flushed with the garden hose. Watch your pressure.

 

[bahn88]

There are many radiator shops around, I'd let them acid bath it, or find out what type of acid they use and how strong it is.

And when you dilute it remember the chemist rule..."do as you oughta add acid to water...."...else you'll generate a lot of heat............

 

[beast]

the best radiator cleaner ive ever seen was plain old brown apple cider vinegar, it deoxidizes most things, eats lime and returns rusted netals back to like near new. you just gotta give it time and refresh it once in a while.
its best if you can totally submerge it in the vinegar but filling it works good too. after its done it job, flush it with hot soapy water til all the black is gone. i took the bed chins off an old horsedrawn shit spreader and soaked them in the cider.. after 4 weeks you could read the part numbers on them

 

[bahn88]

Was the part #POO 101? (couldn't resist)....
The vinegars have a Ph of 3.....mild acid.
Remember the ph scale is not linear so a ph of 1.0 would be 100 times more acidic than vinegar.....

 

[beast]

vinegar is ascetic acid, eats oxidation, not metal. here most vinegar is diluted to 5% acidity. plenty strong