Welcome! Please use the navigational links to explore our website.
PartsASAP LogoCompany Logo Auction Link (800) 853-2651

Shop Now

   Allis Chalmers Case Farmall IH Ford 8N,9N,2N Ford
   Ferguson John Deere Massey Ferguson Minn. Moline Oliver

Farmall & IHC Tractors Discussion Forum
:

Anybody Ever Use CLR on a Radiator?

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register
Author 
Red Dave

04-29-2005 09:05:42




Report to Moderator

I have a couple of radiators that have been running hard water in them for years. Not cooling as good as I think they ought to and was thinking about trying to clean them with a couple of bottles of that CLR stuff you can buy in the grocery store for rust and calcium deposit removal.

Anybody ever try it? I have a little voice in my head that tells me it may cause more trouble than it solves so I'm looking for anybody with opinions or experience with the stuff.

Whatta ya think?

[Log in to Reply]   [No Email]
Micchael Soldan

04-29-2005 17:58:46




Report to Moderator
 Re: Anybody Ever Use CLR on a Radiator? in reply to Red Dave, 04-29-2005 09:05:42  
Red Dave, I have used CLR on radiators several times and I have always had good success. The first time I used it was on a 1935 Ford tudor, it cleaned the rad up pretty good and there were no leaks. I was building up an '80 Camero and I got another used rad which I plugged, filled with CLR and let it sit in the sun. That little bit extra heat really got it working, came out real clean. I gave my H a swish with it when I had it torn down. It is quite good on calcium deposits, we use it to clean shower heads, tea kettles, bath tub stains etc. I have not had a problem using it in radiators, but I don't leave it in for two or three days either, usually in hours 4-6, then dump it out and check what it has done, put it back in for a while longer if the need be. I suppose if you are thinking new radiator, you have nothing to lose and you may as well try it. My experience is that I have not destroyed a rad with it and it does clean them very well, I don't think it is more corrosive than vinegar....Mike in Exeter Ontario

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
arod

04-29-2005 12:34:11




Report to Moderator
 Re: Anybody Ever Use CLR on a Radiator? in reply to Red Dave, 04-29-2005 09:05:42  
I did the 50% vinegar solution on my H. Seemed to clean it out pretty good.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
CNKS

04-29-2005 11:53:03




Report to Moderator
 Re: Anybody Ever Use CLR on a Radiator? in reply to Red Dave, 04-29-2005 09:05:42  
Sometimes, the hard water deposits are all that's holding them together, don't be surprised if it leaks afterward. I had a C radiator rodded one time, too many leaks to fix afterward.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Red Dave

04-29-2005 12:03:37




Report to Moderator
 Re: Anybody Ever Use CLR on a Radiator? in reply to CNKS, 04-29-2005 11:53:03  
Yea, that did occur to me too. I might start out with a radiator and end up with a sprinkler.

I probably ought to just pull it out and put in a new one and be done with it. But I'm kinda cheap.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
old

04-29-2005 09:33:06




Report to Moderator
 Re: Anybody Ever Use CLR on a Radiator? in reply to Red Dave, 04-29-2005 09:05:42  
I use vinegar for that problem, drain the Rad. fill with vinegar, run it for an hour or so. Drain the vinegar and flush with water. I have an Oliver 77 that would run hot and I tried a number of the auto parts store flushes and none of them helped but the vinegar did and it hasn't got hot since. Its also cheaper then any thing else I have tried



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Red Dave

04-29-2005 09:46:36




Report to Moderator
 Re: Anybody Ever Use CLR on a Radiator? in reply to old, 04-29-2005 09:33:06  
I've been thinking about vinegar too. The CLR ingredient list looks to me like it's just a stronger mixture of acetic acid, but I'm not knowledgable enough in chemistry to be sure.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Moki

04-29-2005 09:44:17




Report to Moderator
 Re: Anybody Ever Use CLR on a Radiator? in reply to old, 04-29-2005 09:33:06  
Do you use straight vinegar, not diluted? Just let it idle for an hour or half throttle? I have an IH that gets warmer than it should under load (plowing for instance) and does not leak so this sounds like a "plan." Thanks for the suggestion and answers.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
old

04-29-2005 09:58:23




Report to Moderator
 Re: Anybody Ever Use CLR on a Radiator? in reply to Moki, 04-29-2005 09:44:17  
100% vinegar let it run for an hour or so, I had some things to do when I did it and just said to heck with it I'll kill to birds with one stone and did the work with the vinegar in it. Also with the price of gas now days why not do a little work at the same time. But you can just let it sit and run or work it. I also made up an adaptor so when I flushed it out it was going in to the block at the block drain plug. Of course you need to have the engine cool.cold when you flush it out. I let the water run for about and hour with the rad cap off so it flushed it out back wards, also gave me a reason to crack open a beer LOL

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Dave_Id

04-29-2005 09:28:54




Report to Moderator
 Re: Anybody Ever Use CLR on a Radiator? in reply to Red Dave, 04-29-2005 09:05:42  
It might help if the tubes aren't plugged up, then I think you would have to have a radiator shop have them rodded out



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Red Dave

04-29-2005 09:44:39




Report to Moderator
 Re: Anybody Ever Use CLR on a Radiator? in reply to Dave_Id, 04-29-2005 09:28:54  
Thanks, they aren't plugged completely. I guess I'm looking for a cheap, easy way to avoid taking it out and getting it done right.

It's not on a tractor, it's my old Jeep that mostly needs it. Trying to find a way to avoid dealing with removing it from the little space between the fan and the air conditioner coil. To get it in they must have greased it and used a shoehorn.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
[Options]  [Printer Friendly]  [Posting Help]  [Return to Forum]   [Log in to Reply]

Hop to:


TRACTOR PARTS TRACTOR MANUALS
We sell tractor parts!  We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]

Home  |  Forums


Copyright © 1997-2023 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy

TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters

Website Accessibility Policy