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cooling system flush, with city water?

traildmg99

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Illinois
i am going to flush out my cooling system and replace what needs to be, my question is, can i use city water straight out of the hose to flush it out, then fill it with distilled water the rest of the way when i mix in the coolant? at my old house i used to just run a hose from in the house to the garage to flush it out. now im at a new house and am not too sure if i can do that. any advice?
 
i am going to flush out my cooling system and replace what needs to be, my question is, can i use city water straight out of the hose to flush it out, then fill it with distilled water the rest of the way when i mix in the coolant? at my old house i used to just run a hose from in the house to the garage to flush it out. now im at a new house and am not too sure if i can do that. any advice?

I would recommend that you use some kind of commercial flushing chemical with the city water or some here have posted having success with vinegar.

The following is from another poster here:

HEATER CORE FLUSH:
They disconnected the top and the bottom heater hoses at the block- where the Tstat is. (Not the fire wall)
- Connected the gargen hose to the top hose and flush it through the heater core and out the bottom hose.
- Then connected the garden hose to the bottom hose - flushing the heater core backwards out the top hose.

Connect everything back up.

BLOCK FLUSH:
They said to flush the block - they removed the Tstat
- disconnected the Bottom heater hose
- Connect the garden hose to it.
- turn on the water
- flush the heater core into the block and out through where the hose was connected.


Connect everything back up.

- remove the top hose
- connect your garden hose to that hose
- flush through the Heater core and through the block and out where the hose was connected to.

REPLACE YOUR THERMOSTAT

YOU'RE DONE

Good luck.
 
no. deionized water is the only thing you can use:gee:

yes, hose water is fine. this topic has been discussed eleventy-billion times. some have had good luck with commercially available flush chemicals, but i prefer to use vinegar.
 
If you're questioning the use of the new city water to wash cast iron, I wouldn't drink it. Of course, lots of old plumbing is steel pipe, which has been installed for decades.

Come to think of it, it does get pretty bad - but that's why so many fill up with distilled.

Go for it.
 
The only problem with using city water is that it will introduce lime into your system. Some cities are worse than other, but they all have a certain amount of minerals. It's best to use only distilled water.

IMHO the best way to flush a colling system is to go buy 6 or 7 gallons of distilled water and two gallons of the brand of antifreeze you prefer and same brand radiator flush. Empty the system out by removing the lower radiator hose at the radiator. Put the flush in along with enough distilled water to fill the system. Let it run until it gets warm with the heater on full blast. Drain and repeat at least two more times until it's clear when you empty it. On the last fill put full strength antifreeze in it (there's already distilled water in the block) until it's full. Empty the overflow tank and clean it really good. Put a 50/50 mix or full strength in it. Watch the overflow tank because you'll have to add to it for a few days as the air gets out of the system.

That's the best way to keep out minerals that kill cooling system.
 
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