should you muriatic acid flush your engine?

[keakar]

I saw on a website somewhere, a recommended solution to remove corrosion in your engine, was to do a 50/50 muriatic acid and water solution in a tank, and then let the engine run in it for 30 minutes to an hour to pump it through the entire cooling system.

while I have no doubt this does dissolve corrosion, I am not sure its it safe on the rest of your engine and the aluminum itself.

does anyone know for certain if its harmless to everything except the corrosion in the engine?

I have concerns about any gaskets there might be in the cooling system somewhere as well as the paint on the lower unit.

[calcutta37]

Not a good idea.

[Duck Butter]

This post falls in that 20% lemon category keakar

[marty f]

Every time my boat hits the water the very next day (next day cause I normally don't get home till after 10p)first thing I do is I fresh water flush the engine for 30 mins, religiously every time, first thing done before any washing

[Natural Light Kid]

Originally Posted by Duck Butter

This post falls in that 20% lemon category keakar

Took the words right out of my mouth.

[southern151]

I'd bet a 12 pack that an engine salesman wrote that formula!

[fishfighter]

it works really well, after you do your boat then do your truck, pour a gallon in a full tank of gas, makes it run like brand new

[Nickt87]

Just did some googlin on this the other day bc my thermostat was Fubared and had some serious build up in the housing. Majority vote was a light vinegar solution or Salt-Away.

[keakar]

Originally Posted by Nickt87

Just did some googlin on this the other day bc my thermostat was Fubared and had some serious build up in the housing. Majority vote was a light vinegar solution or Salt-Away.

so a vinegar solution eats corrosion? i never heard that before, interesting

[Matt G]

Originally Posted by keakar

so a vinegar solution eats corrosion? i never heard that before, interesting

That's how I restore rusty black pots. It may take a few treatments, but it usually works wonders. Same with calcium deposits on plumbing fixtures. I don't see why this would be any different. It's always a good practice to start with the least harsh method first. At least that's the rule I always use.

I would definitely stay away from the muriatic acid though. I've used it to clean water stains off of my fiberglass boat and I distinctly remember the instructions warning not to use on aluminum. The runoff had a pretty harsh reaction on the galvanized trailer as well.

[Nickt87]

Originally Posted by keakar

so a vinegar solution eats corrosion? i never heard that before, interesting

Vinegar will eat about anything you can imagine if its left there long enough. Seen it strip galvanizing off in about an hour.

[keakar]

Originally Posted by southern151

I'd bet a 12 pack that an engine salesman wrote that formula!

this was the forum I was reading about it:

Procedure for acid flushing and pressure flushing - Moyer Marine Atomic 4 Community - Home of the Afourians

Procedure for acid flushing and pressure flushing - Moyer Marine Atomic 4 Community - Home of the Afourians

[Duck Butter]

Vinegar is acetic acid and water

Muriatic acid may not be the worst idea then if acid works. If so, I retract the previous 20% lemon comment.

[keakar]

Originally Posted by Duck Butter

Vinegar is acetic acid and water

Muriatic acid may not be the worst idea then if acid works. If so, I retract the previous 20% lemon comment.

so your only 20% sure now? lol

[CaryLab]

Muriatic acid is the same as hydrochloric acid. Does great on water scale but I do not recommend using it in or on your motor. It also does not affect aluminum.

[FF_T_Warren]

Muriatic acid will straight up eat aluminum into nothing. It'll keep eating until it either neutralizes because it's ate so much or until all the aluminum is gone. Go throw some foil or a can into muriatic acid and give it about 5 minutes. It'll be gone. Also on the vinegar subject go soak old green pennies in vinegar. Things will blind you when they come out

[CaryLab]

yeAh that's my bad had a brain f**t for a second

[duckman1911]

Vinegar will clean most anything without an issue. Mix it with baking soda and it really cleans. Not a joke. I don't know about mixing them for an engine flush but the rest of the boat oh yeah. When mixed they foam up lifting dirt out of all kinds of places. Perfectly safe. No hazardous fumes just a good, cheap all around cleaner.

[kcinnick]

Like it has been said, it is HCL. It also comes in different strengths. It is used to clean metal stains from gunnite pools, any metal stain. It eats it up pretty good. I might take a part out and use acid on it, but a flush, hell no.

[Duck Butter]

The 20% comment still stands then. Sorry keakar