water passages on block

[gozu81]

Hi everyone,

I'm a newbie around here, i would like to ask if anybody have ever clean the water passages
in the engine block, cause I'm cleaning my stepside, and i found my radiator with some sludgy
orange brown substance, i look around for oil  while i was draining the radiator and i did not found any,this
because a possibility of a leak on the head gasket  or crack in one of the heads.

I flush the cooling system  just with a water hose, with the thermostat removed and around 5 min, water start came out
clear, nevertheless i would like to clean through the water passages but i never have done this before, any suggestions will
be appreciate.

All this was made with the engine cool.

[klaussk]

We used to use the hot water faucet coming out of my friends wood burner. It was something like 230 degrees. That usualy cleand them really good. But I have thought about this myself and maybe you could try some kind of high pressure hose after pouring a bunch of simple green or something into the holes and letting it soak. I have never tried it though. Maybe someone else has a better way of doing it.

[slammed79]

I'm personally none too sure about running simple green through an engine. I'd just pick up a bottle of radiator flush and do it again if you're worried about it.

The sludge was more than likely rust from the radiator, since the water came out clear after a few minutes, I'd just load it up with fresh antifreeze and go about my business.

My 2¢ on it.

[nlauffer]

I have had the same experience with the sludge.  From what I can tell it is just a build up of rust and antifreeze.  I have tried the coolant flushes that come in a bottle from the local parts store.  They work O.K., but never seems to come completely clean.  You definitely want to watch out if you have aluminum radiator, intake, or heads.  Some of these cleaners are too harsh and state so on the bottle.  I would just buy on you like, follow the directions, and remember your probably not gonna get sparkly clean.  Also, the radiator is a good source for the culprit and is probably dirtier than the block.  You could take radiator out and have it tanked, cleaned and any fixing at a radiator shop.  This is a good idea on any old pickup if it still stock radiator. 

[gozu81]

thank you all of you guys for your prompt
 answers