East Tennessee Region SCCA

So my 1994 F150 has some rust in the engine block. The truck is high mileage so it's not something I would consider unexpected, however, when I sit in traffic with the A/C on max the truck starts to get pretty hot. It doesn't overheat but the gauge does climb to about 215-220*, which is hotter than I want to see. I have done a coolant flush with some store brand flush, run the car for 2 days, flushed again, refilled with distilled water and coolant. Went to look at my overflow tank and more rust deposits have found their way in. I have been doing some research and there are all sorts of options, most all use a light acid (vinegar, woodbleach acid, CLR, hell even Coca Cola) and neutralizer with a refill of distilled and coolant. I am about to buy a new radiator for the truck in prep to get it tow ready, so some anecdotal advice or practical experience is what I am looking for as far as rust removal goes. I think the only way to get it 100% out is to do an electrical chemical flush on the block, but this 300 straight 6 isn't going to get that treatment. So whatever I can do to keep the radiator for getting clogged is about the best it is going to see. Radiators are less than $100 for this truck, but I would like to buy one and be done if possible.

No idea. But! Sweet mirrors.

thrdeye wrote:No idea. But! Sweet mirrors.

Can't tell if you are being sarcastic but, I got them off a 76 F250 out in a field. Took them home and cleaned them up really nice, bronzed the hardware and replaced other pieces. I think I may want to tone down the stainless look a bit and paint the mirror housings matte black like my grill, bumper, and windshield trim.

I did have to make a small patch plate to cover the stock mirror holes. Those factory mirrors sucked. I really dig these overall.

no, i was serious. don't see those often.

We always referred to those as west coast or kalifornia mirrors (not a trademark).


I've got no help on the rust - sorry.

thrdeye wrote:no, i was serious. don't see those often.

Cool, thanks, did a lot of research to find what I wanted with these.

MikeKelly wrote:We always referred to those as west coast or kalifornia mirrors (not a trademark).

Jr. West Coast is how they are often referred when I was looking. Seems Kalifornia mirrors are a thing as well. The vertical viewing is pretty awesome but they really need some convex mirrors on the bottom for extra side viewing. I am trying to find something in a 4 possibly 5" circumference that will look like they were OEMish.

Look at spot mirrors on small box vans. Millsupply or Amazon online or the local truckstop should have auxiliary clamp on spot mirrors

The best rust and vw heater core cleaner. Is Mercedes-Benz citric acid cooling system flush. 2-3 tablespoons with straight water mix. Run 15 min. Then flush, flush , flush.... it works

I think flushing through with a hose is the quickest/easiest way, even if you have to separate the system into separate parts to do it. I would think you could rig a water hose into the radiator return line and let it come out the inlet line and just let it run for a while. Maybe run the hose into a heater line and out at the radiator too? We use CLR with a couple tabs of alka-seltzer for clogged heater cores at work, as an alternative to pulling the dash.

2slow wrote:The best rust and vw heater core cleaner. Is Mercedes-Benz citric acid cooling system flush. 2-3 tablespoons with straight water mix. Run 15 min. Then flush, flush , flush.... it works

I've read that it was Muriatic Acid in the Merc stuff. Does citric acid really work?

lcoleman wrote:I think flushing through with a hose is the quickest/easiest way, even if you have to separate the system into separate parts to do it. I would think you could rig a water hose into the radiator return line and let it come out the inlet line and just let it run for a while. Maybe run the hose into a heater line and out at the radiator too? We use CLR with a couple tabs of alka-seltzer for clogged heater cores at work, as an alternative to pulling the dash.

I will probably do something like this with some higher pressure. There are some plumbing fittings that others have used to make it work. I may try the CLR just to get it out of my heater core. I really don't want that to be clogged. The radiator, although annoying, isn't near the PITA that the heatercore is.

Just remember your residential water hose is probably running at 60 psi and the cooling system was designed for around 20 with some room for error. Be sure you have enough water coming out somewhere to keep the pressure down.


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90civichb wrote:
The radiator, although annoying, isn't near the PITA that the heatercore is.

Maybe that is true, maybe not.

I put off changing the heater core in a 1989 F250 for years because I thought it was going to be a major PITA.

When it couldn't be put off any more, turns out it was relatively painless - it changed out very easily through the glovebox - i.e. remove glovebox, remove one (heater core size) plastic cover behind glovebox, replace heater core, reassemble.

Same thing in a 1990 full size Bronco a few years later.


I do not know if Ford continued that assembly method through 1994??? (but I suspect maybe so)

Both trucks were also equipped with AC.


Those heater cores had a baffle in them that tended to collapse and allow the hot water straight in + back out without going through the coil part (no heat after the baffle fails).

disneyd wrote:Just remember your residential water hose is probably running at 60 psi and the cooling system was designed for around 20 with some room for error. Be sure you have enough water coming out somewhere to keep the pressure down.

Thanks, didn't even question the thought the pressure might be TOO high.

MikeKelly wrote: Maybe that is true, maybe not......

You are probably right. I have never had an "easy" heater core install, so it was mostly based on assumption. This thing is almost identical to the Bronco.

90civichb wrote:
I have never had an "easy" heater core install, so it was mostly based on assumption.

I'm pretty sure those were the only two "easy" heater core changes I ever had.

Makes it easy to remember what was put together with any thought toward future serviceability (you don't often see that)...

MikeKelly wrote:

90civichb wrote:
The radiator, although annoying, isn't near the PITA that the heatercore is.

Maybe that is true, maybe not.

I put off changing the heater core in a 1989 F250 for years because I thought it was going to be a major PITA.

When it couldn't be put off any more, turns out it was relatively painless - it changed out very easily through the glovebox - i.e. remove glovebox, remove one (heater core size) plastic cover behind glovebox, replace heater core, reassemble.

Same thing in a 1990 full size Bronco a few years later.


I do not know if Ford continued that assembly method through 1994??? (but I suspect maybe so)

Both trucks were also equipped with AC.


Those heater cores had a baffle in them that tended to collapse and allow the hot water straight in + back out without going through the coil part (no heat after the baffle fails).

Same procedure for a '96.