Has anyone had success or failure using citric acid to flush out their radiators? Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
MoparMeg '66 Valiant Station Wagon

I've been thinking of using some dilute muratic acid (HCl).......

_________________
Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

Many years ago I used TSP trisodium phosphate. Now you use it to make meth or bombs. I can't remember much after the lab explosion!

_________________
'72 Duster 198 stock cam, 3:23's Hookers on jack stands for 8 years in the driveway
'79 Maxivan 360 Offy Qjet Comp RV cam/rusting in the driveway.
93 D350 160HP Cummins Auto Dually Clubcab needs a injector pump
2005 Golden Couch Buick

Just where do you get citric acid anyway?

_________________
Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

Photo supply shop used in the development of the pictures. You can get it really strong not like vinegar.
It should work good but would take awhile.
Just remember that anything you knock loose will plug you rad.
Some people put a filter in line and then flush.
I dont remember which hose that would go on for the /6.
Frank

_________________
Scrapple: Because a mind is a terrible thing to waste.
73 Duster - Race Car
66 Dart Wagon - DD
178" FED
82 D150
All Slant powered

Nope...the stuff used as stop bath in photo development is acetic acid, which is not the same as citric and would not be a good choice for cleaning a radiator.

_________________
一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

You won't need alot of this stuff!!! About 3-4 ounces with LOTS of H2O, drive for about 10-20 minutes, flush with H2O, drive 10-20, flush, drive, flush. You get the idea, I hope? This stuff will eat metal fast if your not careful, Better to use to little more often then to dump a bunch in and watch your system eaten alive. But does a wonderful job clearing out scale and gunk.

Dans right my Bag.
Frank

_________________
Scrapple: Because a mind is a terrible thing to waste.
73 Duster - Race Car
66 Dart Wagon - DD
178" FED
82 D150
All Slant powered

Thanks for all the advice guys! I also heard that I have to do a neutralizing flush using baking soda after the citric acid flush so that the cooling system doesn't corrode afterwards.
MoparMeg~ Super Six 66 Valiant Station Wagon

I was checking the MSDS for the flushes and found they're using citric acid (sodium citrate)

The run of the mill flush is about 10% with 650ml (22 oz )

and the heavy duty stuff is about 40% with 1 liter (33.6 oz)

_________________
Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

Any supply house that deals in telcom supplies, Greybar for example, can get you citric acid - Trade name is D'Gel; used to clean 'icky pick" (cable jelly) and for it's intended purpose, nothing works as well. About $7.50 a quart last time I purchased - in 1999.

Use with care - it's 100%

Assuming you were initially serious about this product. I used a dry powder product from a paint store that was trisodium phosphate. Don't recall the name of the product now but it was a cleaner that you mix with water or other chemicals..is it called TSP possibly? If that's a good radiator flush i'll remember it if they still sell it over counter . I've used Texaco green anti-freeze @ distilled water on a 50/50 ratio in everything i've owned since 1979 and i've never had a cooling system issue. I hear the newer vehicles with these exotic metals call for the newer anti freezes but i'll never know because i won't ever buy anything built after 1990 or preferably after 1979 for that matter . g'luck

_________________
1965 Plymouth Valiant100 170c.u. 3 on the tree with A/C

I used TSP in my '67 Ford Falcon Club Wagon when I was in high school.(1974) ran it for a couple of days with tap water. It cleaned really nice. I didn't use anti freeze then. I moved North out of Florida and had to!

_________________
'72 Duster 198 stock cam, 3:23's Hookers on jack stands for 8 years in the driveway
'79 Maxivan 360 Offy Qjet Comp RV cam/rusting in the driveway.
93 D350 160HP Cummins Auto Dually Clubcab needs a injector pump
2005 Golden Couch Buick

Fyi, just to correct some misinformation:

1. Mercedes specifies citric acid (100 grams per 1 liter of water) as their coolant flush (p/n 0009891025).

2. In photography, stop bath is a buffered acid solution, and citric acid can be used in lieu of acetic acid. The benefits on silver gelatin (both negatives and prints) is (1) lower ph (more acid) which creates greater shrinking of the gelatin for less internal light diffusion, and almost no odor (as opposed to acetic acid, which smells like vinegar). Ilford markets citric acid stop baths as "no odor," but you can get raw citric acid powder for much less money.

We use citric acid at work to dissolve soluble wax cores used in lost wax casting. It comes in a powder that you mix with water. We get it from mcmaster carr. They sell it in a 5 pound bucket which would be a fairly large amount.

_________________
1968 Dodge Charger 225 a833 OD
1962 Valiant 170 2 door post car
1962 Valiant Signet (junker right now)
1962 Valiant Signet, one owner car, waiting for me to pick it up. Scratch that-got it!