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I put motor oil in my radiator by mistake. How best do I clean it out?

krennokrenno Member Posts: 1
in General
I have not started the engine and siphoned off all the oil floating on top. Next I will drain and flush radiator with hot water. Is this good enough? Any suggestions? ....Oh yeah, I poured about a pint of oil in by accident. Yeah I know I'm a [non-permissible content removed]? Thanks in advanced.
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Comments

  • swschradswschrad Member Posts: 2,171
    there might be a little circulating oil after you refill with a fresh 50/50 mix of antifreeze. and it might even blow out into the overflow jug if you've been living right otherwise. so you're on the right track.
  • 79377937 Member Posts: 390
    Flush it out with concentrated dish washing liquid and water which will disolve the oil. Your rubber hoses will suffer if you don't.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    At least your water pump will get a good lube job!

    I don't think a pint will hurt anything as long as you flush it. The dishwashing soap is probably a good idea too.
  • tbonertboner Member Posts: 402
    run it a while with the cap off and get some video tape of the suds coming out of the radiator cap, LOL.

    TB
  • zr2randozr2rando Member Posts: 391
    makes less suds...
    I would use some detergent to break up the oil and clean it out, then flush with water, then refill with coolant.
    Sounds like about as good an opportunity for a good radiator flush as any....
    see ya.
    Rando
  • zueslewiszueslewis Member Posts: 2,353
    use a Prestone flush, but make sure (I haven't seen this warning here yet) that you don't start the car and cycle the laundry detergent or dish soap into the engine.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I think the idea would be to disconnect all the radiator hoses before attempting this.
  • 79377937 Member Posts: 390
    I don't see any danger of the detergent going through engine. If oil has been poured into the radiator it has surely found its way into the engine by now and coated the insides of the radiator hoses. Oil can enter the cooling system in many ways. I know from experience that a leaking gasket can introduce oil into the cooling system. I have used liquid dishwashing detergent with success to clean out an oil contaminated cooling system after the leaking gasket was replaced. In fact, I ran the car for many miles with the detergent in and let it get up to temperature. Remember, dishwashing liquid is designed to cut animal and vegetable grease and it also does a very good job with mineral oil. Just pour some drops of mineral oil into a container of water with a few drops off dishwashing detergent added, shake it up, and see the magic.

    Just make sure though that when you are satisfied that all the oil is removed to flush the detergent out again.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    He said a pint of oil only, and that he siphoned most of it out, so I was thinking there couldn't be much in the block as he apparently did not start the engine.
  • swschradswschrad Member Posts: 2,171
    I would think you wouldn't want to consider any more than a quarter-teaspoon of detergent. this stuff really does have a lot of power nowadays, including lots of exciting solvents and busters. I'd put a Prestone-type home flush adaptor on the heater hose, put in the detergent, run it warm, and do a power flush with hot water in the garden hose until clear... then shut down, have a break, and drain the system with the petcock. close it up, add the indicated amount of new coolant from the jug, top off with water, and run it until warm with the cap off to burp out most of the trapped air.
  • zueslewiszueslewis Member Posts: 2,353
    and we're debating for no good reason....it would only take 5 minutes to flush the radiator.
  • jc1973jc1973 Member Posts: 63
    HI EVERYONE I HAVE A PROBLEM I CHANGED THE ANTIFREEZE ON MY FORD VAN TODAY I ACCIDENTLY DROPPED FOIL SEAL FROM ANTIFREEZE JUG INTO RADAITOR WILL THIS CAUSE A PROBLEM I NOTICED MY REAR HEATER ISNT WORKING NOW BUT MY FRONT ONE IS FINE ANY INFO MUCH APPRIACITIED
  • 79377937 Member Posts: 390
    If it were mine I'd really try and get it out at all cost. A modern car cooling system is a maze of pipes and small holes where the coolant must circulate through and any blockage could cause extensive damage. Try and get the foil by disconnecting the radiator hoses and letting the coolant run out. Then flush the system with a high pressure hose. Hope you get lucky.
  • swschradswschrad Member Posts: 2,171
    and have enforced that luck by always pulling seals on antifreeze, wiper fluid, PS fluid, etc. on the other side of the engine compartment from where you pour the slop into. that works even if you are not at a workbench. also helps if you have an empty container for overflows, etc. that you put the seal into so it is not going to get anywhere near your work zone.

    good luck getting that little line-plug out. eventually you could get it out of any peripheral spot (heater cores, etc.) by disconnecting everything and backflushing, I suppose... but if it happens to get into an engine cooling galley, this would not be a good thing.
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