Removing oil from a vehicle cooling system

[Seadog]

The oil cooler was leaking on my Merc when it went in for service aboit 4 years ago. After explaining to them that it wasn't a blown head gasket (obviously looking to earn a lot more from the job), they decided that the coolers are a known problem.
They used an expensive eco-friendly cleaner on the system. 2 one litre bottles at £38 a pop and indisted in fitting a new header tank
I never went back to them.

 

[brightspark]

I have used tfr before, apporx 2 litres in a 45 litre cooling system, worked well.
Neat tfr can be wicked shti.

its an acid neat needs watering down about 50 to one in hot water washers

 

[Ross365]

Think TFR's are usually alkalis. If this was my problem, I'd think about buying 1 litre of the ultrasonic cleaning fluid used to clean carbs, and so known to be fully compatible with metals like ali. Now, you don't have an ultrasonic source in your coolant system but the pump is next best thing - drive around with it for 30miles and I reckon it will emulsify the oil and most of it will come out when drained down?
People might underestimate the corrosion risk I've suggested above, but if the heat exchanger for the interior heater springs a leak, and the whole dashboard needs to come out to get at it, that would spoil your day!

 

[Turbo]

its an acid neat needs watering down about 50 to one in hot water washers

It's definitely an alkali, I used to sell the stuff!

 

[brightspark]

It's definitely an alkali, I used to sell the stuff!

which ever both take your skin or paint off neat

 

[Onoff]

No that was back in the old days when they were out at Hoo Marina! Do you know the area?

Were they opposite the fork lift place & P & W Nash?

I've still got a number of blue plastic barrels from there that I use as water butts.

 

[Onoff]

When I cleaned out SWMBO'S neglected Pug's cooling; new water pump, rad & heater matrix etc, I used a "radiator flush" and some citric acid powder.

 

[richie00boy]

My oil cooler started leaking into the water so replaced it and had to clean it out. I used a fairly strong mix (may have been 4:1) of water:detergent with the detergent being Screwfix No-Nonsense Degreaser. They have changed the makeup of this product now though, but if you have any of the old stuff in your garage it worked well. I ran it for three days then drained and flushed.

An important step is to flush through several times with just water after the cleaner, before you put antifreeze mix back in, ensuring engine gets up to normal temperature, i.e. thermostat open, each time. Think I flushed it three or four times. First couple of flushes could tell there were remains of detergent still left.

I had to take the header tank off and wash it separately, this was quite hard to clean properly but a few goes vigorously shaking with hot water, detergent and dishwasher tablets (not at the same time) did the job.

 

[Windy Miller]

Were they opposite the fork lift place & P & W Nash?

I've still got a number of blue plastic barrels from there that I use as water butts.

Yeah that’s it - I worked in the Citroen Garage that was in there before the forklift guys moved in

 

[Onoff]

Yeah that’s it - I worked in the Citroen Garage that was in there before the forklift guys moved in

Small world.

 

[Onoff]

I had to take the header tank off and wash it separately, this was quite hard to clean properly but a few goes vigorously shaking with hot water, detergent and dishwasher tablets (not at the same time) did the job.

I put some pea shingle in SWMBO's along with detergent and anything else going and shook it up, it was that rust stained. Came up well.

 

[voipio]

How much oil is there in the cooling system? Most of the oil will accumulate in the header tank, and remain floating on top. It might be possible to remove that top layer using some sort of suction device, or maybe placing a piece of polypropylene carpet, face down and just touching the top surface of the liquid in the header tank. Alternatively, an absorbent pad from an oil spill kit could be used.

 

[Melvyn Best]

Forte fuel system cleaner breaks down oil in cooling systems , recommended in their technical bulletins