caustic soda for cleaning?

[puddlesurfer]

I was told by a mechanic friend to try cleaning out the coolant sytem on my truck using caustic soda!

I was telling him about the overheating problems these trucks have due to poorly mantained coolant systems and he suggested adding caustic soda to the system running it for 15 minutes then draining it to clear out the sludge - he did say if the radiator is on it's way out it'll probably kill it!

Has anyone tried this?

PS. I did search first on caustic soda coolant

[gwh200]

I would STRONGLY advise not to. Any calcification of aluminum parts, when it cones into contact with the soda, will liberate toxic gas...just use fresh water to flush it.

[puddlesurfer]

I would STRONGLY advise not to. Any calcification of aluminum parts, when it cones into contact with the soda, will liberate toxic gas...just use fresh water to flush it.

Fair point, will just use water - I was going to flush it out soon anyway (probably when I lift it - so I'll take the rad out completely and flush it), was just curious to see if anyone had tried this

[Albannach]

I second what Graham said. Unless you know exactly what you are using, exactly what they'll come into contact with and exactly what will happen (chemically) when they contact, don't use Caustic soda or any acids anywhere on your truck.

Proper cleaning solutions, using minuscule quantities of caustic/acidic solutions, excepted.

[puddlesurfer]

Worst case then - I'll pay him to do it!

[Albannach]

was just curious to see if anyone had tried this

Your mechanic friend has?

Use a proper cooling system flush; or better still, take it and have a power flush done.

[puddlesurfer]

He is a mechanic and he regularly does complete rebuilds of cars - he has cars with chevy big block engines etc all modded up to ridiculous amounts of BHP - he also put a cosworth engine into a mk2 escort and currently has a Ferrari 355 sitting on one of his ramps, I assume he knows what he's doing (unlike me!)

[Albannach]

He is a mechanic and he regularly does complete rebuilds of cars - he has cars with chevy big block engines etc all modded up to ridiculous amounts of BHP - he also put a cosworth engine into a mk2 escort and currently has a Ferrari 355 sitting on one of his ramps, I assume he knows what he's doing (unlike me!)

I'm not doubting he's the best mechanic in the world and that he knows everything there is to know about Big Block V8s and Ferraris, but he knows bugger all about, and shows an ignorance towards, chemistry.

[puddlesurfer]

I'm not doubting he's the best mechanic in the world and that he knows everything there is to know about Big Block V8s and Ferraris, but he knows bugger all about, and shows an ignorance towards, chemistry.

I never said he was the best mechanic in the world, I said I assume he knows what he's doing (example: you wouldn't send a Ferrari to a bodge it merchant - well at least I wouldn't)
That's why I was asking if it had been tried, when he said it I thought it sounded a bit strange but I thought as he knows more than me about cars he would be right - apparently not.

[slobodan]

Mechanics here use Soda Bicarbonate for cleaning out radiators.
I used it in my Jeep Cherokee to clean out the system.
The engine is still going OK.
But with good aftermarket products available it would be wiser to use those.

[Albannach]

I said I assume he knows what he's doing (example: you wouldn't send a Ferrari to a bodge it merchant - well at least I wouldn't)

Never assume anything about mechanics or garages. Some of the best mechanics I know work out of lockups and some of the worst ones I know work for high end dealerships.

[gwh200]

Vince-garage at home-lexurf...nuff said.
Is it caustic soda, or bicarbonate of soda. Both are indeed soda, but are vastly different. Caustic soda is..err..caustic.
bicarb is basically the flash remains, comprising the rather less volatile carbon elements, these were bound up in the soda, but removed by various recondite processes. You generally use bicarb to make your cakes rise.

[puddlesurfer]

I'm pretty sure he said caustic soda! I'm not going to do it now anyway - just a serious flush through will be fine!

[Albannach]

just a serious flush through will be fine!

The higher the flow, the better.

[puddlesurfer]

I've been using the search button!
If I remove the Thermostat and back flush the system from the bulk head with the engine running it should get most of the cr@p out! I'll let it flush through for ages then remove the radiator and flush that again