Best chemical to clean a heater matrix

[RaceDiagnostics]

I have my heater matrix out of the car at the moment so plan to give it a flush through, any suggestions of what would be good to use, other than proprietary banded radiator flush? I was thinking caustic soda.

 

[julianf]

Would be fine with copper brass lead, etc. but make sure there's no aluminium in sight...

 

[bigegg]

I used central heating flush from toolstation/screwfix

 

[colnerov]

Hi, The only concern is that the matrix corrodes with little pinholes, the internal corrosion that builds up and blocks the cores also blocks the pinholes. Caustic Soda will certainly shift the internal corrosion and you then get the pinholes exposed and the leaks. So you may then end up buying a new rad anyway.

Colin

 

[CompoSimmonite]

Wine making citric acid is what I use to dissolve limescale that builds up in car rads.

 

[8ob]

I just reverse flush them with a hose, its normally only sludge that builds up in these things. It seems to clear them and if they are any worse than that they are normally scrap.

Bob

 

[Turbo]

Vinegar, it's the active ingredient in some radiator flushes!

 

[123hotchef]

a dishwasher tablet works well too but I am with Bob flush it through both ways with the hose

 

[Burdekin]

Have you access to a UT bath?

 

[the snooper]

I've used a product similar to brick acid it worked well and that was well nicer a year ago and no leaks

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

I flushed it through a few times each way then put some caustic soda in it overnight and will flush out again this evening.

Cheers guys.

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

Have you access to a UT bath?

What's a UT bath?

 

[HMB]

Think he means ultrasonic bath

 

[armalites]

a dishwasher tablet works well too

I'm liking the sound of that, so if I put a dishwasher tablet in will someone have emptied and sorted it by the time I get up in the morning?

 

[123hotchef]

I'm liking the sound of that, so if I put a dishwasher tablet in will someone have emptied and sorted it by the time I get up in the morning?

if you leave it soaking in the kitchen sink yep it will be sorted by the morning I guarantee

 

[Swift&Bold]

Nah, save the caustic for your electrolysis tank!
A mild acid kettle descaler would be fine.

 

[octo0072000]

Vinegar, it's the active ingredient in some radiator flushes!

Vinegar is citric acid sorry wrong acid it's Acetic acid
it's been 50 years since chemistry lessons

http://www.thekitchn.com/what-is-vinegar-and-what-makes-it-a-good-cleaner-236459

 

[123hotchef]

Vinegar is citric acid

I think vinegar is acetic acid

 

[Rig Pig]

I flushed it through a few times each way then put some caustic soda in it overnight and will flush out again this evening.

Cheers guys.

Caustic probably won't touch limescale, I use vinegar on the combi boiler heat exchanger.

 

[octo0072000]

I think vinegar is acetic acid

just redid the post it is