Water Jacket Flush

[Ghostkls]

I was working on my RX7 yesterday and was horrified by the rubbish in the cooling system....

Coolant has been replaced regularly but this is the first time I have removed the pump to see what was hiding away and have found massive amounts of white crystals which seem to be blocking up everything - at least not much rust....

Anyone got any tip/ideas to flush out the block?

[TOOL]

It's a strip the motor and rebuild job unfortunately.

It'll look like this on the inside:



This one's not too bad. but I've seen them gummed up all the way round the bottom galleries.

[Ghostkls]

I had a feeling someone was going to tell me that....

First step, sort out the Rad and see how the temps and that look from there as the motor is running Sweet at the moment.

[User Banned]

What causes this? Will this happen if always using green glycol based coolant and demineralised water ( as i plan to do)? Also, Im a little confused as to how to whether to earth the radiator.

[codge]

Well I'd say the rad's earthed already via it's fixing bolts. Never had occasion to think about earthing it......

I use only 'Blucol' coolant, available here, the glycol based blue stuff not the more modern long lasting stuff (which is said to damage classics).
At coolant changes as I've said previously, my old coolant is still clear blue. Also I use tap water, tut tut.

I change every 2/3 years....I think that's the best preventative there is.

[spoddy]

with my 92 mx3 its 50/50 coolant/water, so i assume it would be something similar with the fb?

[codge]

40/60% coolant/water, from memory,

Protects down to -30 centigrade or thereabouts.

[spoddy]

i got the rx8 coolant flushed a few years back, might do it again sometime in the near future.
i top'd up with distilled water, ie stuff in supermarket for use in batteries etc.

[ian65]

I was working on my RX7 yesterday and was horrified by the rubbish in the cooling system....

Coolant has been replaced regularly but this is the first time I have removed the pump to see what was hiding away and have found massive amounts of white crystals which seem to be blocking up everything - at least not much rust....

Anyone got any tip/ideas to flush out the block?

Keith, try some marine engine flush....... the cooling systems of engines running in saltwater often rust up and suffer build ups of salt crystals if they don't get flushed out with fresh water..... there are numerous different specialist marine flushes available.

[Ghostkls]

Thanks Ian. Tried normal engine flush and a lot of dirt came out the system but the white crystals did not seem to break down at all.

I will post a pic of the tubes in the radiator, most of which had completely been blocked by this crystal build up, even the thermostat was covered.

Hopefully the marine flush helps....