Cooling System Fluid Solidified! Advice pls

Elan Discussions
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Hi all

So the ‘resurrection’ of my S4 Spring sage continues. After coming out of storage for 5 years, it is the joy that keeps giving!

Having Replaced most of the fuel system due to gummed up fuel. Replaced the charging system due to corroded regulator, dynamo etc.

We now come to the cooling system. I realised the thermostat wasn’t opening so ordered a new on (SJ Sportscars, thank you) and duly removed the thermostat housing. OMG, what the hell is all this! I can only guess that the anti-freeze has somehow turned into a waxy solid gel. I have never seen anything like it before, no idea this could happen. But it did… :frowning:

So pls, any help, advice or just general enlightenment as to what has happened and how to sort it.

So far I have removed the radiator, dug out the thermostat, removed the gunk from the stat housing and also the same from the bottom hose inlet to the water pump. My garden hose jammed in the stat housing and sealed up now runs freely out of the bottom of the block.

Worried about any other implications and what to do to mitigate any other possible problems.

Thanks for any advice!

Cheers

Mark

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Remove the brass drain plug from the side of the engine block, awkwardly located behind the exhaust manifold, clean out with a piece of wire and flush out from there too..

Run the car with water and a flushing additive, flush, then run with water, drain, check , repeat till clean, then add the coolant, I use the old school blue type, which contains no additives at 33% concentration with distilled, not tap water (but you can go up to 50% in vokd climates) and I change every 18 months. Some use the modern IAT antifreeze, which lasts longer, but never mix brands. Do not use a modern OAT antifreeze..

Good luck..Tony