Cool;ant header tank on a 1998 940

[wrinkles]

What is the best way to clean the brown muck out of it as there is a baffle in it and I cant get past it or do I have to replace it.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by wrinkles

What is the best way to clean the brown muck out of it as there is a baffle in it and I cant get past it or do I have to replace it.

Super-strength denture tablets!

Seriously, get a tub a bit bigger than the tank, remove the tank and clean the worst out under the hot tap, drop the tank into the tub and add 5-6 super-strength denture cleaning tablets then boil the kettle a few times and fill it up. Leave it to soak overnight, giving it a shake every so often.

Remove, rinse and refit in the morning. May not be 100% clean but will be 98-99% clean.

I did have photos of one i did until i got Photobucketed.

[bob12]

A few years ago I had to replace the pipe on my 745 from the rad to the header tank and subsequently one of the two pumps (windscreen) failed. On both occasions once the tanks were out I use "Oxy Plus' a foaming oxygen based cleaning agent that is primarily for laundry and other heavy duty household cleaning tasks. A similar product is marketed by 'Vanish'. There are other similar Supermarket own brand products.

You use hot water and add the powder and leave. After a couple of uses the tanks came out very clean. I did have to use a bottle brush on difficult parts but overall I was very pleased.

Bob.

[Forrest]

If you’re planning on removing the tank there is a good chance the plastic on the hose connector will be brittle and break. If it cracks too badly the joint will leak upon reassembly and you’ll slowly lose coolant. Leaks there can be hard to spot. If this is the case plan on replacing the tank. New replacements, both OEM and pattern, are still readily available. Saves the trouble of cleaning the old tank.

[GreenBrick]

Grains of rice chucked in with whatever cleaning solution you use will provide a bit of "grit" to get the harder stuff off, with a good bout of shaking.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by GreenBrick

Grains of rice chucked in with whatever cleaning solution you use will provide a bit of "grit" to get the harder stuff off, with a good bout of shaking.

Surely they will swell up over time and also leave a starchy residue behind? I've never tried using rice for that very reason

[Rversteeg]

I would recommend to replace the complete tank. Not expensive and as already mentioned, the metal insert at the bottom outlet tends to corrode and expand, causing the plastic connection to crack. If you replace the tank, go for a replacement with a level switch, so you will be warned if the coolant level drops too low.
I sacrified the low level indicator of the washer fluid and connected the cable to the coolant level switch. I recently swapped the wire at the back of the instrument panel to the position for the coolant indicator light.

[LPTJoe]

Originally Posted by wrinkles

What is the best way to clean the brown muck out of it as there is a baffle in it and I cant get past it or do I have to replace it.

Apologies if I'm mixing you up with someone else but I seem to remember you mentioning you'd treated your car to a dose of K-Seal?

If so the tank (And the rest of your coolant system) will be lined with a copper coloured sludge.

In ordinary circumstances I find a good soak with washing powder and dish soap followed a thorough wash out with a high pressure hose, that brought mine up sparklingly clean even with the baffles in the way.

In circumstances where a car is a former K-Seal victim, I'd look to replace the tank if it is ever to look clean again, that stuff tends to cling like nobodies business to everything it settles on and I think you'd be up against it trying to get the tank to look good again.

[wrinkles]

Thanks for all your ideas on this I will try some of them and if no good I will replace the tank.

[360beast]

The valeter at work soaks the washer bottles and header tanks in bleach overnight and they look brand new the next day.