Re: [ihc] Rusty water

[John Hofstetter <hofs@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> Imagine my surprise on checking the coolant yesterday - it looks like
> mud again! How can I fix the problem?
> -- 
> 
> -=[ grant ]=-  KD7JNW

Grant, 

A couple of things you should know.

One is that regular anti-freeze contains silicates that settle out from the
anti-freeze and form a sludge in the radiator. This sludge can become a real
problem. The "lifetime" antifreezes don't contain silicates so don't need to
be changed as often as regular. With regular anti-freezes, you need to
change the fluid at least every two years. In my opinion, every season is
better. Adding any kind of a booster to the old anti-freeze may help prevent
rust, but doesn't do anything for the silicates problem.

If your "mud" is mostly rust and not silicate sludge, then you can probably
best deal with it by adding a soluble oil to the radiator fluid. Jim Grammar
recommended, and I now use, a substance called RMI 25 (or something close to
that name). It provides wonderful protection to your radiator.

If you are still kicking up sludge, then you'll have to take more extreme
measures to get it moving up and out. You might want to use a good radiator
cleaner such as the one Prestone makes, follow the directions completely,
and then refill with new anti-freeze and some RMI 25.

In my big Dodge diesel, I use a propylene glycol anti-freeze that never
needs to be changed. It uses no water whatsoever, is totally non-toxic (is
contained in a lot of prepared foods), but is horribly expensive. A leak
that let it drain out would break my heart and my pocketbook.

Our Greg Herman doesn't approve of the NAPG that I use, but it has served me
very well. In about 16 more years, it will have paid for itself. <g>

John
John Hofstetter
www.goldrush.com/~hofs