19 replies to this topic

[Bobbins]

I was recommended by a Mini specialist to drop a dishwasher tablet into the top of the radiator ... I've not yet tried it though!

[sonscar]

I thought dishwasher tablets were for removing head gasket failure products?Steve..

[Aly-g]

i haven't got a dishwasher so no dishwasher tablets......only me and i use mild green fairy liquid ..! it was to wet and miserable today so tomorrow going to try a sharp drill bit driven with my fingers then once i've got the drain plug clear I'm going to start trying the various descaler's  and crud removing  liquids, me thinks this isn't going to be a five minute job..!

 

Allan

[sonscar]

Might seem extreme but you could knock out the core plugs at the front and use part of an old speedo cable in a drill to rave about between the bores and anywhere else you can reach.You may find that descaling causes the plugs to leak anyway.Steve..

[Aly-g]

here we go again, got a 8mm x 100 mm long drill bit, drilled the crud out until I hit solid metal the drill bit went in the drain plug hole 80mm but no water came out..!

 

so then i went to Screwfix and purchased some Zep calcium, lime and rust remover, i then attached a tube to a bottle to squirt the Zep liquid  into the drain plug hole, no more crud came out or water, then i removed the heater valve after draining the water from the system, i then poured about 3/4 litre of the Zep into hole where the valve was removed, fitted a new heater valve ,replaced the hoses topped up with water and ran the engine for about 30 mins with the drain plug on the block removed and still nothing came out of the hole, so i've replaced the plug and am going to run it as it is for a couple of days hoping that the rust and crud remover unclogs the system and doesn't rot my rad or heater matrix. I should add that i replaced a leaky core plug last Friday the one at the side of the engine above the bell housing, it was clear with no crud behind the core plug.

 

Allan

Edited by Aly-g, 20 September 2021 - 09:44 PM.