Citric Acid Radiators flush ?

Discussion in 'Mechanics Garage' started by kale43v3r, Aug 10, 2017.

  1. kale43v3r

    kale43v3r New Member

    Country:
    Romania
    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2017
    Messages:
    7
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    13
    Hello everyone,

    I'm a new proud owner of a 44k km 5th gen VFR 800 FI
    I have above average mechanics skills so i started to investigate / learn how to remove the fairings.
    Indeed i replaced a lot of screws, mounted a PC Fan on the RRectifier and small stuff there and there

    Then i came across green coolant that the previous owner had no knowledge about it (how old it was or how many km it had)
    I observed that the VFR runs a little hot (read about this here on the forum) and so i started to investigate how can i clean any deposits inside the coolant system.
    Some one posted how to Citric Acid Flush the coolant system but as far as i know and investigated, citric acid attacks aluminium... So i wanted to ask about this...

    Has any one tried this Citric Acid Radiators flush ?
    I want to remove any rust, mineral deposits, and miscellaneous crud that the system may have for an 19 years old bike and add BelRay Moto Chill coolant or Motorex M3.0 (these options are available for me)


    Thank you in advance !
     
  2. derstuka

    derstuka Lord of the Wankers Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2007
    Messages:
    6,733
    Likes Received:
    193
    Trophy Points:
    108
    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Map
    First of all, I have ZERO experience with the citric acid flush, but I know "some" car guys have done it for years. Mercedes even has a solution they sell. I'm sure it will clean the internal passages, however, on our aluminum blocks I would be worried about once it cleans the oxidation off, the freshly exposed aluminum would be up for attack and potentially cause leaks that the oxidation was plugging (e.g. waterpump) My fears might be unfounded, but I would avoid. You might do more harm than good. I'm sure someone else will be along shortly with better advice.

    https://www.eeuroparts.com/Parts/53126/Citric-Acid-Cooling-System-Flush-000989102511/
     
  3. derstuka

    derstuka Lord of the Wankers Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2007
    Messages:
    6,733
    Likes Received:
    193
    Trophy Points:
    108
    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Map
    BTW, welcome to the World! Throw up an intro thread when you can....well, in the intro forum I mean.

    :Bounce:
     
  4. ksoholm

    ksoholm New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2017
    Messages:
    244
    Likes Received:
    33
    Trophy Points:
    28
  5. kale43v3r

    kale43v3r New Member

    Country:
    Romania
    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2017
    Messages:
    7
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    13
    Thank you for the strong support !
    I will follow the advice and avoid citric flush...

    Now for the coolant, i now have 3 choises: Motorex M3.0 / BelRay MotoChill and Motul Motocool.... From what the store told me, all of these are ready to use, no mixing required. Belray MotoChill is based on propylene glycol and Motorex M3.0 is based of ethylene glycol

    LE: Ended up with Motorex M3.0, 3 Liters
     
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2017
  6. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2007
    Messages:
    13,741
    Likes Received:
    1,557
    Trophy Points:
    158
    Location:
    Chilliwack, BC Canada
    Map
    I don't have an opinion on what brand name of coolant to use. I have no experience with citric flushed either. But the manual, written by Honda, just recommends flushing out with water if I remember correctly. If there is no tell tale signs that there is an issue, that is all I would do. That is all I have ever dine on my 6th gen and the mileage is huge on this bike. No signs at all of any issues that can be associated with the cooling system.

    Now for the coolant. You can't go wrong with Honda MC coolant as far as I am concerned. If the engineers at Honda call for its use, who am I to disagree or challenge their expertise. But what I have fond out is this. Honda MC coolant is the exact same stuff, made at the same source to the same specs as Honda Car coolant, which is considerably cheaper. All that is done is the label is changed.
     
    Lint likes this.
  7. Allyance

    Allyance Insider

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2013
    Messages:
    3,522
    Likes Received:
    391
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    East Bay, California
    Map
    As far as dissolving mineral deposits in your engine, any mild acid solution would work. Googling Citric Acid seems to be for health and medical benefits whereas Acetic Acid (Vinegar) is a common household cleaner used in coffee makers and irons to clean out deposits, and mineral deposits in showers etc. I would just flush engine with clean water as Honda recommends and if your tap water has a high mineral content, then just buy a gallon of distilled water at the super market for a couple of bucks. (Not designer water). Distillation removes all impurities. Stick to the 50/50 ratio and all will be well.
     
    34468 Randy likes this.
  8. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2007
    Messages:
    13,741
    Likes Received:
    1,557
    Trophy Points:
    158
    Location:
    Chilliwack, BC Canada
    Map
    You can also flush using fine single malt scotch. Put tap water in the engine and flush your palate with the scotch thoroughly. It is important that you do not ride the bike until well after the palate flushing though. Can be injurious.
     
    Riding a 2000, Samuel and Bubba Utah like this.
  9. GreginDenver

    GreginDenver New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2016
    Messages:
    503
    Likes Received:
    194
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    Denver, Colorado
    Map
    Also, it's important to occasionally clean the road grime and goo off of your VFR's radiators.

    When I purchased my '99 5th generation VFR last year I found that the bike's radiators were coated in road grime and goo, and they had a lot of tiny little rocks and bits of debris stuck in between the cooling vanes.

    It was obvious the outside of the radiators had never been cleaned during the entire 18 years that had passed since the bike was new.

    The last and most important step in the VFR's cooling system is the interface between the aluminum of the radiator and the free-flowing air moving past the motorcycle. Cleaning the outside of the bike's radiators aids the cooling system's heat rejection equation.
     
  10. carlgustav

    carlgustav New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2008
    Messages:
    374
    Likes Received:
    34
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    Heart of Dixie
    Cask strength Laphroaig would be good for this. High octane Ardbeg is another fine choice ...

    ACE
     
    Riding a 2000 and Bubba Utah like this.
  11. dbuzz77

    dbuzz77 New Member

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2017
    Messages:
    161
    Likes Received:
    52
    Trophy Points:
    28
    Location:
    South Lake, Saskatchewan
    Map
    I always wanted to try this waterless coolant https://www.evanscoolant.com. Jay lenno uses it in all his stuff so you know it is the best. things run cooler and make more hp. Maybe the vfr will be my 1st crack at it.
     
    Samuel likes this.
  12. Diving Pete

    Diving Pete Member

    Country:
    United Kingdom
    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2016
    Messages:
    1,969
    Likes Received:
    548
    Trophy Points:
    143
    Location:
    London
    Map
    Don't bother your money...

    As posted above 50/50 changed every 2 years or 24,000m which ever is sooner & your system will be fine. These bikes run hot, always have, always will. Don't fix a problem that doesn't exist - life is too short.
     
  13. dbuzz77

    dbuzz77 New Member

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2017
    Messages:
    161
    Likes Received:
    52
    Trophy Points:
    28
    Location:
    South Lake, Saskatchewan
    Map
    that stuff is a one time shot, it never deteriorates or corrodes so no changes ever again. it stays in for life, that can be a lot of regular coolant even in 10 years
     
  14. Bubba Utah

    Bubba Utah Member

    Joined:
    May 27, 2016
    Messages:
    1,384
    Likes Received:
    324
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Utah
    Map
    So doing the math. $100 for the coolant and the prep + tax and shipping and a hour of man time. Vs. say 10yrs @ 5 changes and $20 a change + 5 man hours. I guess it just depends on if you want to work on your bike more. Also this stuff will go on future than 10yrs supposedly. And if you hate plastic like I do I may jump at this in 2 yrs. Little f..king rivets and shit!:Amen::Drum:
     
  15. Diving Pete

    Diving Pete Member

    Country:
    United Kingdom
    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2016
    Messages:
    1,969
    Likes Received:
    548
    Trophy Points:
    143
    Location:
    London
    Map
    Sadly most people won't have their bikes 10 years ( or do 5 coolant changes)
     
  16. Samuel

    Samuel Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Aug 15, 2006
    Messages:
    856
    Likes Received:
    337
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Los Angeles County
    Map
    Thanks for the heads up Dbuzz!
     
  17. squirrelman

    squirrelman Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2006
    Messages:
    9,839
    Likes Received:
    743
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    Buffalo, NY
    Map
    old school method uses baking soda aND A SHORT RUN TO HEATit up, then drain.
     
  18. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2007
    Messages:
    13,741
    Likes Received:
    1,557
    Trophy Points:
    158
    Location:
    Chilliwack, BC Canada
    Map

    Most of us aren't that old there Squirrel. Even Me at my age am unaware of that one. And I developed and patented dirt.
     
    Lint likes this.
  19. Lint

    Lint Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2012
    Messages:
    4,805
    Likes Received:
    950
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Simi Valley, Ca.
    Map
    I has confuse...
    Baking soda is extremely Alkaline, aka, doesn't dissolve squat. How is it supposed to help a radiator? It's a base, not an acid. As a matter of fact, it neutralizes acid. Maybe once you've run the citric acid/acetic acid you could run DISSOLVED baking soda through, but help me with the science on how sodium bicarbonate is supposed to passively clean anything.
     
    Last edited: Nov 3, 2017
  20. CandyRedRC46

    CandyRedRC46 Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2009
    Messages:
    3,503
    Likes Received:
    66
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Orlando Florida
    Map
    Waterless/ Evan's coolant is 100% Glycol. (either Ethylene or Propylene Glycol) which has very bad heat transfer properties, when compared to typical coolant, which is a 50/50 mixture of Glycol/water and even more so versus straight water (H2O). If you use Evan's coolant, your coolant temperatures and more importantly, engine, oil and cylinder head temperatures, will be higher.

    The VFR's cooling system is on edge already. Further reducing it's ability to transfer heat with waterless coolant is a bad idea.
     
    Last edited: Nov 3, 2017
Related Topics

Share This Page