My Cherokee was running hot last summer. Replaced the Radiator. Thermostat was new as well. Still running hot. I broke my shroud and replaced it later. Thought that might be the problem.

Anyway, the other morning I made a pre sunup drive for about 30 minutes. No Heat! I added a little bit of fluild. It helped some but not really. The engine will heat up and when I turn on the heater...the engine temp drops. I plan to flush out the heater core this weekend. I have heard of using CLR or DrainO. I thought this might hurt the core. I read here on this site of using both. If I use either one of the products, how much and how long? And how often?

Also I have heard of using some type of Amway product and a engine flush...anyone heard of this?

 

Prestone radiator flush is a good, cheap effective product.

 

The Amway product is their laundry detergent, they call it SA8. Find a dealer online. Just toss in a quarter cup and drive around for a few weeks. Flush it out, replace the coolant, and you have a clean system.

Somebody said that Dawn dishwashing liquid also works. Dunno, haven't tried it, but I have used the Amway and it WORKS.

Won't hurt anything either. If life gets busy and it stays in there an extra week or month or two, no problem.

Don't try that with the commercial flushes.

 

So I just add this SA 8 to the coolant already in my Jeep? I'm asking a silly question to prevent a really dumb mistake later on.

 

Cascade has been used for years by shops and is proven to work well.

 

My choice still is for a product made for the job, I have used several different of the quality ones and have obtained very good results always if directions are followed.

 

Yep. Just toss it in, and drive.

 

Agree with this comment. I'm not sure why anyone would take a chance with something that's not designed for the job when there are several products that are.

 

Because it's not "taking a chance". It's a well-proven technique that's been around 40 years that I know of, and was old then. It works, and works well.


Read the cautions on those commercial radiator flushes some time. They are nasty.

Leave the SA8 in the radiator for a few months, and all you'll get is a clean cooling system. Try that with a commercial radiator flush and you'll be crying the blues.

 

Engine temp is better but no heat yet. Any vacuums line I need to take a gander at?

 

Just to confirm, it's blowing but just not hot? If so try flushing the heater core I don't know how good this guys video is but there are a few ... It's fairly simple so...

 

Depending on how gunked up the system is using a bottle flush is just wasting your money with no gain. When flushing just use water it's free. It took years for that scale and sludge to build it up your not going to remove it with any otc flushes no matter how many time you use it. To do the best you can is to remove the block drain plug and flush out the block. You want to have full flow to flush out this area. Without removing you will not do nothing but drain the block. While the block is draining you take a wire about a foot long and stick it in the hole and jerk it off until the water comes out clean. It's a pain to do on these sixes with all the crap hanging off the left side. When your done flushing take a short brass nipple 1/8 or 1/4 npt and screw into block. Get the correct size full port ball valve and screw that into the nipple the screw on a 90' elbow facing down and put a pipe plug in the elbow. Next time you drain and flush the block it's now a cinch and doesn't get all over the place. Drain and inspect t everything you drain out to see how much crap your removing each flush. When it all comes out clean that's the best your gonna get. As for adding soap to your system yeah it might work too good and you can plug up other things that cost alot more than water. So does the repair.

 

I just use water too.. But depending on your climate it may be a bad idea this time of year

 

Are you speaking from your vast experience with this method?

 

Yes, I operated hi pressure boilers for 40 years. We would use tide and caustic soda to "boil out" re tubed boilers this way before putting the boiler on line. For scaled boilers we used other chemicals that removed the scale. Removed too fast you can break away so much stuff that it will block the heater core and radiator passages and settle out in the block or it could block a cooling passage in the head not to mention a blocked radiator drain. If not closely monitored with the wrong chemicals will eat certain metals and care must be taken. the reason I keep mentioning flushing the block is because it's the junk yard of the cooling system just like a boiler.