Descaling an engine

[peter]

Hello,

Can anyone tell me what is the best way to remove a build up of limescale in a 1931 16HP Mk 1 engine. It has a cast iron water jacket, and an alluminium head. It is not connected to a radiator currently. Would kettle descaler work, given enough, or central heating descaler. Without damaging the cast iron, or alluminium.

Thanks

Peter

[standarda]

Are you sure its a 16? I thought the 16 was a 6 cylinder all cast iron engine.

I awaiting enlightenment.

ps As for the descaling, stripping it down and scraping out the gunge is your best option.

[peter]

Hi,

Yes it is a 16HP, and I have scraped away as much as I can. But there is a lot still remaining. Some in places not easy to get to !

Thanks

Peter

[standarda]

I have used a length of 1/4 inch stainless tube attached to an airline, once the business end was cut to a point it proved very effective in removing rusty gunge from the water jacket of my Model A block.

[Ian Leggett]

Hi. A good dose of kettle descaler will loosen the scale also . Every little helps in those narrow water jackets. Just check the product is suitable for aluminium, ie not acid based. Regards Ian

[tinawalker]

Hi Ian, As you know I had a lot of bother with 2 of my cars recently with sludged up rads. I had previously obtained a spare one of each, and while they were off to the menders to be recored, I did try your suggestion of 'Kettle de-scaler' in my "Pennys" rad.( I used 2 sachets of crystals from ASDA), and I left the de-scaler in the rad for a week though, although I had flushed it out several times before that with no improvment. When it came time to change the rad for the "new" one, the mess that came out of it looked not unlike "beetroot juice with a shade of rust". With it stood on a drain I poured a further garden watering can full of clean water into it, and that also came out just like what had come out when removing the pipes, which went all over my shoes and ruined my new white socks. (don't stand with your feet under the area of the bottom hose when removing it). So, it would seem that your suggestion may well be 'very relavant to this problem'. However, that rad has now become my "spare" rad for "Penny", as the "new" ones have bigger pipes in them, (about 50/60% bigger), and give a super flow. The original rad looked like it has steel pipes. Aren't kettles now often made of aluminium now anyway, so the descaler may not harm the alloy? The heater even works just fine now. "Good suggestion Ian". Tina

[shakey]

Dear Tina, I had a similiar problem with my 1947 12hp, but I could run the engine, I used dishwasher lime scale remover, ran it, left it a week, ran it again and then let the bottom hose go. I got what looked like a liquid breezeblock run out! Shakey.

[tinawalker]

Hi Shaky. Yes that was about the same description as the stuff that came out of mine. I just poured the two packets of domestic kettle de-scaler into it, and washed it in with water and ran it for a week. I recon Ian was right about that being something that would shift the stuff. The old radiator looks to have steel tubes, but they are a lot smaller ones than the new ones, (which are about 60% bigger, and gives a far better flow), The recored rads, are now in both my cars. The one that came out of my 'Penny' was the one I 'de-scaled', and it is now going to be a spare one - just in case something nasty happenes to the new one. Even the heater now seems to work better even without the thermostat in yet, which I will do after a further flushing out before I replace that and the antifreeeze before the winter. Tina

[doris]

If its any use to you, I am rebuilding an engine that has not seen the light of day for almost sixty years which was full of rust and lime scale, I used Caustic Soda, bought from our local DIY superstore, you must use gloves, be in the open and near a drain, (It is used for clearing drains, Made by Barrettine at £4 a 1 kg bottle) and follow the insructions to the letter)

I cleaned the exterior of the engine with a small wire brush working in the soda that had boiled over. I left the soda in the engine over night and gave it a good rinse, (use goggles) the water ways are now spotless and clear and I have been able to see if the water ways had corroded to the extenct that it could not be used. (It hasnt), and the exterior came up like new, but paint it straight away to avoid surface corrsion.

DO NOT USE IT ON ALLOY. IT WILL GIVE OF GASSES. AND WILL MELT YOUR EXPENSIVE ALLOY RAD!