Trad Sunny Radiatior Problem

[maheshw]

Hi Experts,

can any one of you update me on this asap.i'm having a problem in my car radiator.as i fel it's having a block inside the radiator & the valuves. i thought to clean it by using a raiator cleaning liquid by few of my frinds informed me not to do it as it will bit harmfull to some interior equipments. so please let me know which one best.

cleaning by using a liquid or remove all the eqpmnts related to radiatoer & clean them manually?

Thanks & good day to all.

[Ripper]

how do you know that the radiator is blocked?

[maheshw]

yesterday when i satrt from colombo i have filled top to the water to radiator. when i reache to the nittabuwa indicator goes up & i have stop the car & let it to be cool. after i open the radiator cap inside of that fully cuverd with a thing like mud. water also changed to dark brown & very dirty. so i have refilled it again to the top & it didnt give mch trouble where i reach to kandy. ..

[Ripper]

looks like you have a leaking head gasket there buddy.

the mud like stuff you see on the radiator cap is oil coming off the engine into the water jacket and then into the radiator bits.

I would not drive the car anymore and get the head gasket replaced asap.

[maheshw]

looks like you have a leaking head gasket there buddy.

the mud like stuff you see on the radiator cap is oil coming off the engine into the water jacket and then into the radiator bits.

I would not drive the car anymore and get the head gasket replaced asap.

Oh... thanks for the info. it put me on a big truoble. any way with your advices i'll go to meet a tchnicial. i''ll keep you all update on this. many thanks...

[Watchman]

Does the mud like substance mix in the water? if it does, it might just simply some rust. But that's more a light brown than a dark brown

Try this, when the engine is cooled down start the engine with the radiator cap off and see if you get any air bubbles. That's another sign for a bad head gasket.

[MasterDon]

After the gasket replacement better to clean the radiator to clear out all the gunk.It involves taking apart the radiator and cleaning the cores manually.Not a DIY job for a novice.

[maheshw]

After the gasket replacement better to clean the radiator to clear out all the gunk.It involves taking apart the radiator and cleaning the cores manually.Not a DIY job for a novice.

watchman @ master don .. yah i checked it little while ago. when i satrt it w\o the cap water is trying to come out. i think this is not normal. few bubles too there.

[jdnet]

watchman @ master don .. yah i checked it little while ago. when i satrt it w\o the cap water is trying to come out. i think this is not normal. few bubles too there.

head gasket for sure. Take it to a mechanic and get it sorted out before doing any more damage to the engine. Also if you want to be certain you can do a compression test.

[NRX]

Oh... thanks for the info. it put me on a big truoble. any way with your advices i'll go to meet a tchnicial. i''ll keep you all update on this. many thanks...

Have you already fixed the issue and forgot to keep us updated ?

[Black Death]

seems just rust build up. when the cores get blocked, the radiator tends to overflow since the water cannot go through the cores. the first thing to do is to drain out the water and keep the radiator filling with a garden hose flowing water while the engine is worked up to optimum temp so that all rust n mud will be rotating when the thermostat valve opens. of course the rad cap has to be removed at the start itself.

then use a flush if needed and top up with a litre of coolant after the cleanup. a full gallon ud also do the job!

[Sylvi]

Members,

As for my experience you have to use coolant in all new automobiles, If you dilute then have to use distilled water.

Once I used tube well water and my radiator got blocked totally. had to remove one end and use thin strip of steel blade to clean the entire Radiator.

I have number of tube wells in my garden and they all have water with plenty of corrosive effect and chemicals which will block radiators.

I did it my self because I have the facility to do most automobile repairs.

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

[The Don]

Members,

As for my experience you have to use coolant in all new automobiles, If you dilute then have to use distilled water.

Once I used tube well water and my radiator got blocked totally. had to remove one end and use thin strip of steel blade to clean the entire Radiator.

I have number of tube wells in my garden and they all have water with plenty of corrosive effect and chemicals which will block radiators.

I did it my self because I have the facility to do most automobile repairs.

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

Sylvi, tube well water has more compounds than usual treated tap water so that might have caused you issue. I personally have never had an issue with standard tap water and I personally think using distilled water in radiators is a bit over the top. Because copper or aluminium will corrode anyway whichever type of water you use and it's probably better to periodically flush the coolant system with fresh water to prevent blockages and then refill it with fresh coolant diluted with water rather than spending money on distilled water.

[Sylvi]

Sylvi, tube well water has more compounds than usual treated tap water so that might have caused you issue. I personally have never had an issue with standard tap water and I personally think using distilled water in radiators is a bit over the top. Because copper or aluminium will corrode anyway whichever type of water you use and it's probably better to periodically flush the coolant system with fresh water to prevent blockages and then refill it with fresh coolant diluted with water rather than spending money on distilled water.

'The Don',

Thank you for your post. I agree that distilled water is expensive I buy in large 4 gallon cans so the cost is not that much As I use a new vehicle I examine the Radiator periodically. I have still done only 7650 kM on my vehicle.

After that incident I did not want to take a chance for that reson I use coolant diluted with distilled water.

I have municipal water supply. Use same for coocking and washing eatebles.

I live on a commercial building so every lessee is given seperate tube well water supply with a seperate pump.

For drinking every one takes big water bottles from a commen supplier more than 50 big bottles are dilivered to us every 6 days.

Happy new year to you and your family.

Sylvi Wijesinghe.