flushing/cleaning rads help please

[vijay]

Hi,

I need to flush/clean a rad which is connected to 10mm pipes. Its around 25 years and never been cleaned and nowwont heat up properly. Can you advise me if I can clean this myself , or do i need to get a specialist in. If i can clean my self is it just a case of taking the rad off and pouring water down one end?

 

[oilman]

......is it just a case of taking the rad off and pouring water down one end?

Would be a good start, though you might wish you hadn't used the word "just" by the time you're finished. . Make an adaptor to connect the hose to the radiator and you will find it easier to flush it. Give the radiator a tap with a rubber mallet to dislodge any debris.

This would deal with the radiator, but the blockage might be in the pipes. You could shift this by connecting a hose onto the radiator connection and flushing the pipe but this gets a bit involved as the debris will go somewhere, and may be a further problem. You would also need to deal with the header tank as it will probably overflow, so make sure the overflow pipe is connected and clear.

Alternatively hire a powerflush machine, failing that get someone in to do it.