Series 3 problem!

Dear all, i'm new to this forum and the restoration process, but im well into a half restore (as best i can do to get it running well) of my 72 series 3 2.25 diesel. Learning by doing and its in a bit of a state, been sitting on the next farm for years and ive had it a year now but it hasnt ran since about september, couple of fuel issues im workin on but im looking to clean and sort out all major components of the engine so that when it does kick over it'll have everything it needs. Its loaded with carbon deposits but i reckon i can see to that when it turns, but when starting to clean the outside of the engine we pulled the coolant hoses off to get the radiator off and the fluid was vile, and then there was the actual innards where the coolant sits in the engine from the hose that comes off the top, the picture is what it looks like with the hose and metal stud type thing off and ive no idea what it is (looks like bubbly rust), whether im stuffed or just what i should do! Any thoughts? Many thanks!

Ebola.

Fairly typical of an engine that hasn't seen anti freeze (Anti freeze acts as a corrosion inhibitor too) in living memory .
Id be be checking the block for cracks before I got too carried away AND seriously consider replacing and core plugs/steel pipes as they will likely as not be paper thing .....

Then IF alls well flush the block through VERY thoroughly ....as it's also likely that the waterways will be full of rusty silt .

Hahaha castor!![emoji23]

Yeah thats probably very true since its seen a few farmer style repairs, when it drained i couldnt tell whether it was the remains of very little coolant or what looked like olive oil and vinegar mix,
Will try those out, thanks for your help!

Just to add to your woes, the cylinder heads can rot away internally due to lack of antifreeze. I would get it running with a coolant system flushing/cleaning solution to see if all is well before going to far with other jobs. Do a couple of runs and coolant changes then add antifreeze, the blue stuff not pink.

is the blue stuff better?

I know its the stuff they put in the range rovers, what chemical is the blue one and is there a best one? I think the blue is the recent type of old green dexcool [emoji53]

The blue stuff is ethylene glycol....
The red is OAT (Organic acid based)

Red shouldn't be used with copper/brass components as it reacts with them and corrodes them....
Mixing them can result in a nasty paste being formed.

OAT is supposed to be far less damaging to cats (furry type) than the blue stuff that's sweet in taste and leads to them drinking it and almost certain death.

There are quite a number of online howtos - unbunging my encrusted orifices kind of things.

mistericeman said:

The blue stuff is ethylene glycol....
The red is OAT (Organic acid based)

Red shouldn't be used with copper/brass components as it reacts with them and corrodes them....
Mixing them can result in a nasty paste being formed.

OAT is supposed to be far less damaging to cats (furry type) than the blue stuff that's sweet in taste and leads to them drinking it and almost certain death.

Click to expand...

well I shall get blue in future, halfrauds told me it didn't matter, gits

I put pink in both my s1 and suburban both have some copper fittings joining hoses together. Although when they get out of shape I tend to replace with the black nylon ones.

Is it worth filling the system with a rust eater for a few days then flushing through? It's a shame it's impossible to use the electrolysis method for rust removal in there.

Why ever are you shopping in Halfords? There are plenty of lower cost auto-factors around with better product knowledge and much more helpful staff who actually work in the trade. Just have a drive around your local industrial estates to find them.

just convenience at the time, both the s1 and sub had had summer water leaks and were filled with just water to be sure the leaks were fixed before sticking antifreeze in, it was the first sub zero night weekend, I had to get some there and then due to sitting on my a$$ for too long and getting caught short, took the kids to a regular weekend activity in Twickenham and Halfords was just across the high street. so in I went

have to say even the Halfords superstore round here is more of a trinket shop now than an auto factor.

Pink antifreeze/summer coolant is OK for newer engines with steel head gaskets. It can be a disaster in our old engines. Having said that before I knew otherwise I used it in a series without terminal problems.

Murtle said:

Is it worth filling the system with a rust eater for a few days then flushing through? It's a shame it's impossible to use the electrolysis method for rust removal in there.



Why ever are you shopping in Halfords? There are plenty of lower cost auto-factors around with better product knowledge and much more helpful staff who actually work in the trade. Just have a drive around your local industrial estates to find them.

Click to expand...

Yeah i reckon that'll have to be done as well as major flushing etc. It looks like bubbly rust but some of it around the seals is actually quite squidgy.
You reckon it wants some treatment just dumped in it and left to sit? Radiator on?off?
I dont know much on its real state but its pretty clear it doesnt want to just have new stuff antifreeze in it and away it goes! [emoji26]

I found a link on all flushing types for systems that are stuffed like this, the 3 day power one seems tempting to me
http://www.sancarlosradiator.com/VoltageDrop/flush.htm

think I would do the 3 day flush when the wife is at home so I can look busy and not get my ear bent for sitting in the sun

Problem is I might have to wait to sort out that cooling system until i get it started again, less i just do it without running the engine, and the only pumps we have is either a big petrol lake/pond water pump or the little fish pond pump, a proper one'll be 150 quid and being 18 thats a lot of money for a few time use water pump [emoji16]

Can you not do it with a electric drill powered pump of ebay circa £12 ish

Molasses, my much respected colleague tells me. Dirt cheap from animal feed store.

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general-archive/rust-removal-using-molasses-90452/

https://www.countrywidefarmers.co.u...eAFeedsLiquids&pgForward=businesscontentbasic

well i'll be, absolutely gobsmacked, I thought they were only good for making rum