Evap-o-rust question

[Buick35]

While doing the evap-o-rust treatment should the radiator thermostat be left out or installed? 35 Buick.

[Grimy]

I always remove the thermostat AND (this is important) use a stocking filter in the top tank of the radiator to catch all the dislodged junk that would otherwise clog your radiator.  If you're not familiar with the stocking filter procedure, use the search function on this site, as it's been discussed many times.  You will probably need to drain off a few quarts every couple of hours of runtime, remove the upper hose, remove the stocking and flush out the crud under a faucet, then re-install the stocking and upper hose and drained Evaporust.

[BlueDevil]

I would think out, but that is just me.

[Grimy]

15 minutes ago, BlueDevil said:

I would think out, but that is just me.

We definitely want the Evaporust to come up to full engine operating temperature, so--if necessary because of low temps without t'stat--use a piece of cardboard to block off air to part of the radiator.  With the inline tstat removed the big chunks will travel better "uphill" to be captured by the stocking in the top tank.  Also, the amount of debris in the stocking will let you guess when to remove and flush the stocking again.

Edited April 5 by Grimy
fixed typo (see edit history)

[alsancle]

You can buy inline filters. I just did this last week. You need to take the filters out and clean them every hour of running or so. At least I did.

[Grimy]

@alsancle I prefer the stocking because it's better at catching fine particles.  One of my cars had Iowa lime deposits plus the previous owner had used a lot of soluble oil.  Either or both resulted in what I can only describe as *sludge* being captured by the stocking, and it would have easily passed through a Gano--which I used to use.

[Buick35]

I got in a hurry and installed the thermostat but I'll take it out tomorrow.I did install the stocking.Should it be closer to the top or bottom of the upper hose or dose it matter?  I filled the radiator and now another problem. I have a vertical crack in my upper radiator tank about two inches ,someone said to solder it or would it be better to braze it? Thanks for any info.Greg

[Mark Gregush]

Personally, I would do a really good clean flush job before putting Evaporust in, it does not work well with any type of grease, in fact, if you read the package it says that. You are trying to get rid of rust, it's not a grease cutter. Don't know how well it works on lime and scale. 

6 minutes ago, Buick35 said:

someone said to solder it

Yes, solder is used for radiator repairs not brazing. 

[Grimy]

1 hour ago, Buick35 said:

I got in a hurry and installed the thermostat but I'll take it out tomorrow.I did install the stocking.Should it be closer to the top or bottom of the upper hose or dose it matter?  I filled the radiator and now another problem. I have a vertical crack in my upper radiator tank about two inches ,someone said to solder it or would it be better to braze it? Thanks for any info.Greg

Greg, I use a ratchet or screwdriver *handle* (some blunt tool) to push the toe of the stocking into the top tank of the radiator.  The idea is that the debris stays there and does not fall back downhill into the hose and engine.

[alsancle]

15 hours ago, Grimy said:

@alsancle I prefer the stocking because it's better at catching fine particles.  One of my cars had Iowa lime deposits plus the previous owner had used a lot of soluble oil.  Either or both resulted in what I can only describe as *sludge* being captured by the stocking, and it would have easily passed through a Gano--which I used to use.

George, it’s an interesting filter set up. They are cone shaped with a primary and secondary the primary filter is a fine mesh at the end of the flow. The secondary filter has a hole in the middle and is a bigger mesh. And I believe the purpose of that one is to stop the backflow. When we took them out they were covered in that fine sludge the describing. I think they worked pretty well. But the nylons are certainly cheaper. 

[EmTee]

I have both a Gano and stocking on my '38 Buick.  At first, both were collecting stuff, with bigger pieces (flakes) at the Gano and fine, sandy sediment in the stocking.  The last couple of times I checked there were only a couple of flakes in the Gano and about a teaspoon of sand/silt in the stocking.  At this point, I could probably remove the Gano.

 

One tip if you install a stocking (ankle-high): keep all of the nylon under the hose & clamp.  If any nylon sticks out from under the hose it will slowly wick coolant and dribble down the hose...

 

[ArticiferTom]

I found coating both sides of stocking with RTV seals it from wicking .

[Buick35]

2 hours ago, ArticiferTom said:

I found coating both sides of stocking with RTV seals it from wicking .

2 hours ago, ArticiferTom said:

Hear about the guy who got a job in a panty hose factory? He was pulling down about 40k a year!

 

[auburnseeker]

Evaporust does slowly break down grease,  I use to soak NOS door lock mechanisms in it,  that were greased up from the factory.  But the not greased spots all got surface rust and it seems every one had all kinds of crap stuck in the grease from years of being on a shelf or under someones wood working bench.  After a day or so in the vat,  out they came,  without a speck of grease or rust.  I would spray them down with WD40 after a water rinse and drying on my woodstove then they were ready to sell and looked brand new.    The WD was to prevent them from flash rusting if they didn't sell right away.

[Mark Gregush]

TCE3 Evapo-Rust.pdf (crceurope.com)

[Stude Light]

My two cents on filters….

 

The most important reason to use one is to keep larger particles from plugging up the small tubes in your radiator. For that the Gano is fine.

 

A secondary reason to add a finer filter is just to clean up sediment. This helps prevent sedimentation of your block if the design is prone to that (I.e. the design has pockets that have no flow and no good option to flush out). Fine particles flowing through your system won’t really hurt anything but it is nice to have the clearest coolant you can get.

 

Once the Gano filters on my 1939 LaSalle stopped collecting much I took them out. It was a fresh rebuild but you never get all the pieces out which is why I used them for the first 1000 miles.

 

Scott 

[EmTee]

Aside from the appearance of the split upper hose, there's no downside to leaving the Gano filter in place.  So, I'm in no hurry to remove mine, but the next time I either check the stocking or drain coolant I may consider taking it out and reinstalling the reproduction 'wrapped' style hose.

 

Edited April 7 by EmTee (see edit history)

[dodge28]

Vapo Rust is designed to remove rust from feros metal. To clean radiator it is best rig up a mini steam plant inject steam into rad. t is time consuming.

[edinmass]

1 hour ago, dodge28 said:

Vapo Rust is designed to remove rust from feros metal. To clean radiator it is best rig up a mini steam plant inject steam into rad. t is time consuming.

I run evapo rust backwards through the radiator at 190 degrees.  Works fantastic. 

[dodge28]

edinmass, thank you for the insight. I have quite a bit of experience with Vapor Rust. I once forgot a small lighting steel  pot immersed in Vapor rust over the winter . The liquid dried up and left a brown sludge . Part of the pot was eaten away. I soaked some 3/8 bolts with light rust  over night . The bolts were clean but the liquid was dark. Good result. I left some bolts in for 2 days. the liquid became black and a film of black slime was left on the bots. I had to use a steel brush to remove the black slime. 

My point is you need to experiment with the metals, the amount of rust ( needs different timings) Non ferros material can be cleaned by brushing the object with a paint brush and rinsing with warm water. Always wash off vapor rust .

If I must use Vapo Rust to clean my rad  I will  turn off the drain cock , and lay it  flat. Leave it over night , drain and check the color of the liquid .  The color of the liquid will tell you a story. You cannot buy experience.

However, you are on the right path. 

[Walt G]

I am getting a bit confused here - Evapo Rust and Vapor Rust are mentioned - is this the same thing but being referred to by assorted names?  Are they interchanged the same as the words gasoline and petrol??   Not trying to bust any ones chops just thinking this may be confusing the issue. Am I the only one that sees this?

[Bloo]

It's Evapo-Rust, not Vapor Rust. For all intensive purposes, they are one in the same. I see it spelled like this alot. I chock it up to the similar sound. Some want to nip this common miss spelling in the butt, but I could care less. 

 

 

 

 

OK I'll show myself out...

 

Edited April 8 by Bloo (see edit history)

[dodge28]

I do not care for the spelling. We all know it is the same.

[Buick35]

4 hours ago, dodge28 said:

edinmass, thank you for the insight. I have quite a bit of experience with Vapor Rust. I once forgot a small lighting steel  pot immersed in Vapor rust over the winter . The liquid dried up and left a brown sludge . Part of the pot was eaten away. I soaked some 3/8 bolts with light rust  over night . The bolts were clean but the liquid was dark. Good result. I left some bolts in for 2 days. the liquid became black and a film of black slime was left on the bots. I had to use a steel brush to remove the black slime. 

My point is you need to experiment with the metals, the amount of rust ( needs different timings) Non ferros material can be cleaned by brushing the object with a paint brush and rinsing with warm water. Always wash off vapor rust .

If I must use Vapo Rust to clean my rad  I will  turn off the drain cock , and lay it  flat. Leave it over night , drain and check the color of the liquid .  The color of the liquid will tell you a story. You cannot buy experience.

However, you are on the right path. 

Someone said to leave it in for a couple of months, is that too long?

[Bloo]

It wouldn't hurt anything, but once it gets chemically used up, it does no good to leave it in any longer.

[Buick35]

1 minute ago, Bloo said:

It wouldn't hurt anything, but once it gets chemically used up, it does no good to leave it in any longer.

Thanks. I don't drive it as much as I should.

[Jim Bollman]

I have lost a radiator full of Evapo-Rust twice now.  The first time it found a pinhole in a metal part of the hose system, the second I'm guessing the radiator has a leak that had been clogged with rust and reopened.  I think it is doing its job but I will have to try a third time even if I have the radiator rebuilt, it was the engine block I was trying to clean. Luckily it is a Crosley, so the system doesn't hold a lot, but it still made a mess on the floor.  Should have learned after the first time to put a drip pan down.

[dodge28]

The chemical will remove cruds that are blocking the holes. Now it is necessary to repair the holes. A rad man is equipped to do that. If you are handy and decide to take a challenge you can do it yourself. Tools required are a fairly wide flame propane torch and # 1 soldering  flux. Make your own soldering flux by adding pieces of tin in muriatic acid  until it becomes clear like rain water. brush the acid on the fins around the hole in the rad and heat with the cool flame . Continue until the solder on the fins becomes soft and loose. Use a hacksaw blade and move the fins away from the leak {hole} After soldering the leak brush more liquid on the fins to keep the sold er soft and move them back in place .

If there is a leak in the tank it is impossible to solder that point alone because the crack will keep spreading along the seam. Brush the flux along the seam and heat. gently tap the seam at the same time, add more flux, heat, tap until the tank breaks loose from the dish. Be generous with the flux. Wipe old solder and re solder tank. Old solder is difficult to break loose without wetting it with flux and heat. Do not braze. 

[dodge28]

Jim Bolman, most leaks in engine blocks are in the frost plugs. The frost plugs  holes are really for casting the block and not  for frost. They are easily removed and replaced.

[dodge28]

After repairing the rad it is time to put it to test. There are special cone shaped rubber plugs of different sizes on Amazon. Plug the lower outlet and use a rad pressure tester . Pump to 18 pounds and hold for 5 minutes. Watch for needle drop.

[dodge28]

Mark Gregush,  you are correct. It has limited effect on lime. Absolutely no effect on grease.