Clogged Radiator

Hi Everyone. I have a clogged radiator in my 1997 A4 2.8Q. There are
some cold spots when feeling around. Slight overheating while going
up a large hill/mountain has been a probelm since I bought the car 5
years ago.

Is there any way to get rid of the scale on the inside. I'm not too
keen on the idea of buying a new radiator. I'm half tempted to put a
bottle of CLR in the system; then flush it out, to see what happens.
Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Aaron

On Fri, 29 Jun 2007 18:48:10 GMT, aaron >
wrote:

>Hi Everyone. I have a clogged radiator in my 1997 A4 2.8Q. There are
>some cold spots when feeling around. Slight overheating while going
>up a large hill/mountain has been a probelm since I bought the car 5
>years ago.
>
>Is there any way to get rid of the scale on the inside. I'm not too
>keen on the idea of buying a new radiator. I'm half tempted to put a
>bottle of CLR in the system; then flush it out, to see what happens.

Why would you apply a bandaid when the right solution is to replace
the defective part? I know these cars are expensive to maintain, but
they run correctly and wonderfully when they're properly outfitted,
and CLR is not by any stretch of the imagination any sort of
appropriate solution. Either do the right thing and replace the
radiator, or sell the car. Jeez!

CLR will not solve the problem; remember these scales have been accumulating
for at least five years. However, if you lived with an overheating car for 5
years, why would you all of a sudden develop a conscience now?.

"aaron" > wrote in message
...
> Hi Everyone. I have a clogged radiator in my 1997 A4 2.8Q. There are
> some cold spots when feeling around. Slight overheating while going
> up a large hill/mountain has been a probelm since I bought the car 5
> years ago.
>
> Is there any way to get rid of the scale on the inside. I'm not too
> keen on the idea of buying a new radiator. I'm half tempted to put a
> bottle of CLR in the system; then flush it out, to see what happens.
> Any suggestions?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Aaron

Try some recommended flushing chemicals. Flush well, maybe 2 times, try to
backflush and rinse well. I think some flushing chemicals you might be able
to drive around for a few days.
I will be trying a flushing chemical in my Jeep which is experiencing
problems very similar to yours.

If that doesn't work then a new radiator is a lot better (labor and dollar
wise) than a new engine and new radiator! ;-)

I think that some people have used CLR along with boiling water AFTER they
remove the non-aluminum radiator so it can sit for XX minutes. CLR will
supposedly eat away certain metals like aluminum.
from
http://www.diyforums.net/forums/cars...-radiator.html
"If an alkaline based flush makes you feel good, get some aluminum foil and
chop it up and dump it in some plain Drano [or just sodium hydroxide]. Do
this outdoors in a well-ventilated area with no flames nearby, as this is
how the US military generates hydrogen gas for weather balloons. "

Even the Radiator Flushing chemicals are dangerous! Be careful and friendly
to the environment! ;-)
http://www.gunk.com/msds/C2124.PDF

--
later,
dave
(One out of many daves)

"aaron" > wrote in message
...
> Hi Everyone. I have a clogged radiator in my 1997 A4 2.8Q. There are
> some cold spots when feeling around. Slight overheating while going
> up a large hill/mountain has been a probelm since I bought the car 5
> years ago.
>
> Is there any way to get rid of the scale on the inside. I'm not too
> keen on the idea of buying a new radiator. I'm half tempted to put a
> bottle of CLR in the system; then flush it out, to see what happens.
> Any suggestions?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Aaron

"aaron" > wrote in message
...
> Hi Everyone. I have a clogged radiator in my 1997 A4 2.8Q. There are
> some cold spots when feeling around. Slight overheating while going
> up a large hill/mountain has been a probelm since I bought the car 5
> years ago.
>
> Is there any way to get rid of the scale on the inside. I'm not too
> keen on the idea of buying a new radiator. I'm half tempted to put a
> bottle of CLR in the system; then flush it out, to see what happens.
> Any suggestions?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Aaron

Replace the radiator before it springs a leak. It happened to me on my '98
A4 2.8.

On Fri, 29 Jun 2007 23:33:58 GMT, KLS > wrote:

>On Fri, 29 Jun 2007 18:48:10 GMT, aaron >
>wrote:
>
>>Hi Everyone. I have a clogged radiator in my 1997 A4 2.8Q. There are
>>some cold spots when feeling around. Slight overheating while going
>>up a large hill/mountain has been a probelm since I bought the car 5
>>years ago.
>>
>>Is there any way to get rid of the scale on the inside. I'm not too
>>keen on the idea of buying a new radiator. I'm half tempted to put a
>>bottle of CLR in the system; then flush it out, to see what happens.
>
>Why would you apply a bandaid when the right solution is to replace
>the defective part? I know these cars are expensive to maintain, but
>they run correctly and wonderfully when they're properly outfitted,
>and CLR is not by any stretch of the imagination any sort of
>appropriate solution. Either do the right thing and replace the
>radiator, or sell the car. Jeez!


Listen, when I need to spend money on my car, I do so. But a car is a
car. I'm not going to open up my wallet at every occasion for a 10
year old car. It is worth about $4000; and adding up a few other
repairs that have emerged, I am looking a significant portion of the
car's value. I might just sell it, as you suggested and buy
something newer.

As a mechnical engineer, I am well aware that replacing the radiator
is the easiest, most obvious and most expensive solution. I might
just replace it with a new one, or call up shokan and get a tested
used one; but before I dump my money, I will ask for the alternatives.
Jeez back at ya.

On Fri, 29 Jun 2007 20:13:04 -0400, "Tony" > wrote:

>CLR will not solve the problem; remember these scales have been accumulating
>for at least five years. However, if you lived with an overheating car for 5
>years, why would you all of a sudden develop a conscience now?.
>
>"aaron" > wrote in message
.. .
>> Hi Everyone. I have a clogged radiator in my 1997 A4 2.8Q. There are
>> some cold spots when feeling around. Slight overheating while going
>> up a large hill/mountain has been a probelm since I bought the car 5
>> years ago.
>>
>> Is there any way to get rid of the scale on the inside. I'm not too
>> keen on the idea of buying a new radiator. I'm half tempted to put a
>> bottle of CLR in the system; then flush it out, to see what happens.
>> Any suggestions?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Aaron
>

The car doesn't overheat 99.9% of the time. Here on the coast of CA,
a hot day is above 75 degrees. My car runs great almost all the time.
In fact, it is only looking back at a few occasions (90+ going up a
mountain) I noticed that the temperature gauge went past half way.
Only a few weeks ago, while driving the Mojave, did I see significant
problems, thereafter diagnosing a logged radiator. Driving around
town, I would have never found out about the problem, until total
failure.

On Fri, 29 Jun 2007 19:13:16 -0500, "dave AKA vwdoc1"
> wrote:

>Try some recommended flushing chemicals. Flush well, maybe 2 times, try to
>backflush and rinse well. I think some flushing chemicals you might be able
>to drive around for a few days.
>I will be trying a flushing chemical in my Jeep which is experiencing
>problems very similar to yours.
>
>If that doesn't work then a new radiator is a lot better (labor and dollar
>wise) than a new engine and new radiator! ;-)
>
>I think that some people have used CLR along with boiling water AFTER they
>remove the non-aluminum radiator so it can sit for XX minutes. CLR will
>supposedly eat away certain metals like aluminum.
>from
>http://www.diyforums.net/forums/cars...-radiator.html
>"If an alkaline based flush makes you feel good, get some aluminum foil and
>chop it up and dump it in some plain Drano [or just sodium hydroxide]. Do
>this outdoors in a well-ventilated area with no flames nearby, as this is
>how the US military generates hydrogen gas for weather balloons. "
>
>Even the Radiator Flushing chemicals are dangerous! Be careful and friendly
>to the environment! ;-)
>http://www.gunk.com/msds/C2124.PDF


Thank you for the heads up regarding CLR. That's why erred on the
side of caution, to see if I was way out in left field. But, really,
I was eliciting suggestions just like you gave me, thank you for the
link.

My Audi mechanic already flushed the system and changed the bottle. I
might try it again.

Thanks

"aaron" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 29 Jun 2007 19:13:16 -0500, "dave AKA vwdoc1"
> > wrote:
>
>>Try some recommended flushing chemicals. Flush well, maybe 2 times, try
>>to
>>backflush and rinse well. I think some flushing chemicals you might be
>>able
>>to drive around for a few days.
>>I will be trying a flushing chemical in my Jeep which is experiencing
>>problems very similar to yours.
>>
>>If that doesn't work then a new radiator is a lot better (labor and dollar
>>wise) than a new engine and new radiator! ;-)
>>
>>I think that some people have used CLR along with boiling water AFTER they
>>remove the non-aluminum radiator so it can sit for XX minutes. CLR will
>>supposedly eat away certain metals like aluminum.
>>from
>>http://www.diyforums.net/forums/cars...-radiator.html
>>"If an alkaline based flush makes you feel good, get some aluminum foil
>>and
>>chop it up and dump it in some plain Drano [or just sodium hydroxide]. Do
>>this outdoors in a well-ventilated area with no flames nearby, as this is
>>how the US military generates hydrogen gas for weather balloons. "
>>
>>Even the Radiator Flushing chemicals are dangerous! Be careful and
>>friendly
>>to the environment! ;-)
>>http://www.gunk.com/msds/C2124.PDF
>
>
> Thank you for the heads up regarding CLR. That's why erred on the
> side of caution, to see if I was way out in left field. But, really,
> I was eliciting suggestions just like you gave me, thank you for the
> link.
>
> My Audi mechanic already flushed the system and changed the bottle. I
> might try it again.
>
> Thanks
>


the other big issue you encounter with chemical flushes is all that debris
that has accumulated inside your cooling system may be stopping a few
leaks... once you wash it all out you might well start losing coolant.

"Spark" > wrote in message
k...

>
> the other big issue you encounter with chemical flushes is all that debris
> that has accumulated inside your cooling system may be stopping a few
> leaks... once you wash it all out you might well start losing coolant.


Then it is time for that new radiator! <g>
AFAIK you should flush out your cooling system before installing a new
radiator/engine/water pump anyway.