Cleaning a rusty radiator

[AlfaGrale]

I need your advice on this guys

Took my car today for a service and a check up before the classic rally and all was well until the mechanic opened to check the water in the radiator

The water was (very) rusty and he recommend to flush the radiator ASAP!!!

He told me that during the flushing there is a possibility that the engine might get "destroyed" but I have no other option

The danger is (as he explained) that during the flushing, the radiator cleaner may "clean up" any possible rusty points or very thin parts, within the water pipes that are on the engine block and thus create a hole (or holes) on them

Is that true? and if yes, is that very common, and what are the chances?

Is there any other way to flush the radiator without that radiator cleaner?

Thanks in advance

[Giulia Cyprus]

Originally Posted by AlfaGrale

I need your advice on this guys

Took my car today for a service and ..............and what are the chances?

Is there any other way to flush the radiator without that radiator cleaner?

Thanks in advance

vartou rigani

[Giulia Cyprus]

Originally Posted by AlfaGrale

I need your advice on this guys

Took my car today for a service and a ...................Is there any other way to flush the radiator without that radiator cleaner?

Thanks in advance

seriously (i can do that) what he said is a possibility, alla nomizo parakamni to ligo... in my experience the wearing down/ pitting of the metal happens at the end of the metal part where it meets the rubber hose (sta heili tis solinas)

If you do just a radiator flush ,,, tote den tha piraxis kan the engine will you!!

Also is your rad an old one, aluminim,?

did you have anti freeze in the system?? sounds stupid alla eho akousi mihanikous na mou lene oti den vazoun se palies michanes antifreeze yati pirazi tes.. oute katalavo to giti alla oute me epise..

as for water pipes in the engine block, you mean the water channels yes?? not so common for theses to rust through kai na sou anixoun tripa mes tin michani.. these maounes (sorry) are well known for solidity, and older engines had as far I know thicker/ greater distances between say the water channels, combustion chambers

Did you ever overheat your engine?? this may be another explanation..

telos panton i would reverse flush the whole system horis farmaka, na tou valo 50% antifreeze kai na to kanakitakso meta apo kamia 500ia kms..

[Supercharged16v]

He is absolutely right !

Thing is though, if you are at the point where the radiator flush will open up holes in your engine, it will probably happen anyway.
I've recently checked over Kofteros's second Sprint - the red one - and where all was looking great, engine was running smoothly and all, I flushed his engine and put antifreeze in it to preserve what I thought to be a good engine !

2 days later it started pouring with antifreeze under the engine from the cylinder heads !
Now, I'm rebuilding the engine, because the head's water channels are very very badly corroded.

Antifreeze didnt corrode them to that point though, it was going to happen sooner or later.

So, in other words, if its going to happen it will happen.
Antifreeze will not corrode your engine.
If the damage is already there, its there !
I would do it before it gets worst

My car is 34 years old and last year when fully rebuild the engine we discovered that the heads were absolutely intact, not even a small hole. This must be due to the frequent antifreeze replacement. Used to flash the radiator and engine block myself and used best but appropriate antifreeze. The old engines use the "Green" liquid, not the "Pink" one. Though when decided to professionally flash the radiator discovered that buying a new one was a cheaper and definetely a better option.

[Giulia Cyprus]

Originally Posted by alfasudcy

My car is 34 years old .......... The old engines use the "Green" liquid, not the "Pink" one.

Radiator Tips, Car Radiator Tips, Automotive Radiator Tips – Radiators Info
Radiator Health

yiati emis i kseroles we have our sources... like my tommy website?? ok sinonimia mono...

so monsieur Alfagrale, inta enna kamis gioun mou?? name changing your car back to the original and widely accepted 'maouna' may sort it out,,, you know car karma,,,,

[AlfaGrale]

Thank you for all the information guys I really appreciate this.

To be honest I behaved stupid enough and never did a serious check on the radiator.
I just relied on the last big service that I did to the car were I told the guy to flush the radiator also and now I checked his invoice from that service and there is no mention for this...

This will not happened again and I hope everything will be ok and no serious damage will reveal after the flush

Is just the guy that I went now really made me **** on my pants about this
He told me "mpros gkremos kai piso rema"!!!!.... and then I collapsed

I really rely on the fact that this is a very robust And solid engine and the fact that it has absolutely no problem with overheating.
I remember that despite all that hard rallies that we participate the last 2 years and especially during July the temperature is always within the acceptable range and never even got close to the upper heating limit.
I hope that means something
Also Thoma I am not sure want kind of radiator it is, but the mechanic told me that is from alluminim and cooper

So you guys recommend not to use radiator cleaner, just flush it with water a couple of times and then put the antifreezer?

[AlfaGrale]

Yes the mechanic was talking about the water channels in the engine block.
Every other pipe can be fixed, but the water channels???

[Giulia Cyprus]

Originally Posted by AlfaGrale

Thank you for all the information guys............So you guys recommend not to use radiator cleaner, just flush it with water a couple of times and then put the antifreezer?

this reads like an excerpt from the uk house of commons but,,, "I refer the right honourable gentleman to the reply I gave some moments early"
play safe file, mono me nero, kai ksana checkare to meta apo liga kms... BTW confirmed oti im coming to the rally... we have a 2 car team akoma yes??? need co-driver....

[Pavlos Pavlides]

Nikola, my suggestion is to replace the radiator with new, and after this replace the coolant every 1000kms fr the next 3000kms....

[AlfaGrale]

Originally Posted by Giulia Cyprus

this reads like an excerpt from the uk house of commons but,,, "I refer the right honourable gentleman to the reply I gave some moments early"
play safe file, mono me nero, kai ksana checkare to meta apo liga kms... BTW confirmed oti im coming to the rally... we have a 2 car team akoma yes??? need co-driver....

Ok yes if everything else is ok with the car we are also coming for sure. We are 2 cars teams and I think we need a third one (of am not misaken we should be 3 cars per team)

Originally Posted by Pavlos Pavlides

Nikola, my suggestion is to replace the radiator with new, and after this replace the coolant every 1000kms fr the next 3000kms....

Might as well do that also... I will check if I can find one in Cyprus otherwise check from abroad
But for now I nead a temporary solution for the rally

[super105]

Giulia Cyprus
Hi from Australia. Just a suggestion. Have you tried back flushing your radiator to dislodge the gunk blocking the core. You could try this method using only water.
If that doesn't work you might have to remove the top and bottom tanks and get the core thoroughly cleaned out.

Are there many/any other Giulia Supers or TI's in Cyprus?
Love to add any to the Giulia Super Register.

Good luck with the radiator
Barry
Melbourne
giulia105@optusnet.com.au

[Pavlos Pavlides]

Hi Barry.

Spent the day with Nikolas today and adviced him the same...

There are a few Giulias around in Cyprus, and 2-3 belong to our members (Alfa Romeo Cyprus Club).

One of the owners is also member of this forum, so he will see yr post.

[Giulia Cyprus]

Originally Posted by super105

Giulia Cyprus
Hi from Australia. Just a suggestion. Have you tried back flushing your radiator to dislodge the gunk blocking the core. You could try this method using only water.
If that doesn't work you might have to remove the top and bottom tanks and get the core thoroughly cleaned out.

Are there many/any other Giulia Supers or TI's in Cyprus?
Love to add any to the Giulia Super Register.

Good luck with the radiator
Barry
Melbourne
giulia105@optusnet.com.au

hello Barry. I am aware of a few running around on various states/condition. If I understand you correctly you want photos, vin nos.?? I have photos but please let me know what you need and I am willing to help

[super105]

Originally Posted by Giulia Cyprus

hello Barry. I am aware of a few running around on various states/condition. If I understand you correctly you want photos, vin nos.?? I have photos but please let me know what you need and I am willing to help

Hi Giulia Cyprus
If you could email me direct I can send off Register Memebrship forms to you (and any other Super or TI owners)