How to handle a rusted block?

Asked by migration_judge_roy Jun 29, 2013 at 11:14 AM about the 1988 Volkswagen Quantum GL Wagon

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

Two of my vehicles had to be scrapped because someone in the vehicle's history had
used plain water causing the coolant passages to rust up, causing insufficient coolant
flow and an overheat...basically nothing can be done short of flushing with perchloric
acid or something that will eat the rust---problem is, how do we get rid of this rusty-acidy
mess? flushing it down is not acceptable...keep diluting it? car was toast after the first
overheat...sadly had to scrap both these vehicles.  shame 'cause the Quantum had
Jetronic and Power Steering....drat~

3 Answers

You are to be commended for your concern about just washing it in to the ground, but other than collecting and taking to a haz~ mat disposal facility, I don't see any alternative to keep diluting it. A Lot.

1 people found this helpful.

...it breaks my heart to have to part with this one...it's "swan song" was taking the hazardous old paint and things that could not be thrown into the garbage can....that ole quart of DDT left over from the fifties...amazing what you have to deal with from grandma's basement...anyways the thing overheats, middle of winter...like my chevy van which kept having the links to the transmission fall off, gotta snobble down under that to put it right~ oh well, no regrets...yesteryear really wasn't all that sweet, but points of it are unique~

Never actually had the nerve....understand that you can buy this at the pool store in a special locked cabinet~ there was one more product an old timer recommended....perhaps "sea foam" might do, haven't any experience with sea foam...will it de-rust a block, I wonder?

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