Fact or Fiction ?

[Alpineandy]

A few years ago an acquaintance said that he had cleared the blocked heater matrix on a car that had a particularly inaccessable matrix, By taking the hoses off, Blasting a 'mains' hose through it (to take the 'loose stuff' out) before Blocking the lower outlet and pouring in Vinegar (or was it lemon juice, or a kitchen limescale remover - this senility is a terrible thing!), leaving it for a day and then flushing from the mains again. He swore this worked. Having said that, he was V Knowledgable about air cooleds but regularly full of 5h1t on other subjects.

Would this work?

[kevinday]

It may do, I use vinegar to descale my coffee maker and kettle. The hose on the garden tap definitely works to remove lumpy stuff, done it myself before now. Can also use it to clean out the water ways in the engine itself.

[deltaf]

Descalers will usually do the trick. You may need to leave it to act for some time tho.
The hose idea also works so long as the pressure dosent go too high.

[v8 racing]

9 times out of ten if you back flush the heatre with a hose normaly does the job, i have however in the past beleive it or not used coca cola in the water system, leave it in there for a few days then flush it out!!!! it does work i promise!!

[GavinPearson]

White vinegar is the stuff to use. If you blast the majority of the rubbish out with a hose, then connect up a hose for the inlet and outlet to get a 'head' of vinegar in there, just pour the stuff in via a funnel and leave it there for a day. Flush out and repeat. System will be as good as new.

It also works for radiators.

[Alpineandy]

Thanks guys. I have the problem, which jogged my memory about this claim. Now I know it's possible I'll give it a go.
Cheers