CLR, thermocure or evaporust?

[NY John T]

Which of these would work better to get the rust out of my 23 block that has been sitting forever? CLR, Thermocure (made by Evaporust) or Evaporust itself? Thanks. John

[NY John T]

The rust is in the water jackets

[PDGx]

Not familiar with thermocure, but EvapoRust does work reasonably well with deep seated rust. You do need to agitate it occasionally and drain the sludge out of the lower areas, as it works.
I used it on my Mack water jackets with reasonable results. I plugged the bottom drain and filled it a couple times. Left it soak for 3-4 days each fill - then rinsed and repeated until it rinsed fairly clean.
A chaser of CLR might be to your advantage after flushing the EvapoRust out.
Depending on how bad your rust is, run a magnetic rod into the jackets as well and see if you have any major rust particles or pieces. You will be surprised what you will find, no matter what the block is supposedly made of.
(Got 3 gallon buckets of ER thru Amazon the cheapest.)

[Scott_Conger]

There is nothing wrong with using a commercial product the way it was intended. Thermocure has lots of adherents, who are outnumbered only by folks who love to dabble with projects using every OTHER possible product outside of it's specifically intended purpose.

Iron-oxide is para-magnetic and thus almost completely or essentially non-magnetic, so if a whole bunch comes out on your magnet, don't call us first, call Ripley's and get your name in the paper.

FWIW, Thermo-cure is made by the makers of Evapo-rust and they do not consider them interchangeable products. CLR manufacturer specifically states that it is not to be used in radiators. Not that any of this is going to stop any of the amatur chemists and general dabblers out there.

[Henry K. Lee]

FLUSH, FLUSH, and FLUSH with cold water back and forth with a garden hose from top to bottom, bottom to top many times with the radiator removed and water inlet/outlet/hoses. Get about 3 gallons of white distilled vinegar, reinstalled radiator and hoses, pour in and let run up to operational temp many times for about a week. Remove radiator and back flush it and the engine block again as stated before many times. Collect all the nasty vinegar for some recycled weed killer. Heavy scale normally will flush out. Ré-torque head after all is done the next day cold.

Good Luck,

Hank

[Chris Haynes]

I used the RUST 911 concentrate in my engine. I drained and flushed my cooling system with the garden hose. Then I filled the cooling system with RUST 911 and let it sit for 24 hours. When I drained it the water was black. I refilled with more RUST 911 and let it sit with another batch of RUST 911. After 24 hours it drained light gray. Repeated the procedure one last time. This time it drained clear. I removed the hoses and found the inside of the block and head bright, clean and 100% rust free. The radiator was also free of any rust flakes and 100% clean.
One bottle of RUST 911 will do this and leave lots left over for de-rusting other stuff.
https://www.amazon.com/Rust911-16-gallo ... 233&sr=8-2

[JBog]

I used irontite's product for flushing and it did wonders. Crud and rust was coming out for nearly half an hour when I followed the treatment with a garden hose.

[TRDxB2]

I have used all of the pictured products for rust removal except for the 30% Cleaning Vinegar. I did not find CLR to do a good job on rust but use it to clean (short soak) Copper and Brass. Rustoleum makes the Krud Kutter products and as far as I can tell "The Must for Rust" and "Rust Dissolver" are the same solution in a different container. All 3 of these products are phosphate based. I did an experiment with RUSTX, THE MUST FOR RUST. EVAPORUST and CLEANING VINEGAR using similar rusted items. All 4 produced the similar results, however EVAPORUST took the longest and the Cleaning Vinegar began to show some oxidation after a few hours. My preferences are the Krud Kutter products and for something like a head I'd used Cleaning Vinegar because it does a great job and is very inexpensive and no need to seal the metal as the other products claim to do (going to try the 30% some time.) To make these products last longer, it helps to de-grease and remove dirt off the parts first. Also transferring the solution after use to another clean container leaving the residue behind will also help.
What the manufacturers say
Krud Kutter®Rustex™Rust Converter is a rust inhibiting coating which converts rusted metal overnight into a rust retarding, paintable surface. When applied to rusted surfaces,iron oxide (rust) is chemically changed to ironphosphate, an inert, hard substance that turns the metal black. This increases the paint adhesion, and durability of the coating
Krud Kutter® ThMust for Rust - Rust Remover & Inhibitor
The proprietary formulation penetrates into every void of a metal surface and dissolves rust/oxidation through chemical action. Then tiny, rust-inhibiting crystals are formed and become integral with the surface molecules of the metal to resist future rusting. The corrosive agents attack these crystals instead of the metal. Once completely dry, the surface is ready for the next step, whether it be painting, welding, plating, lubricating, etc. Or simply leave the surface bare, and the crystals will inhibit future rust formation.
Rust Dissolver
Quickly penetrates every void of metal surface to dissolve rust FAST! The powerful, proprietary formulation takes the hard work out of rust removal and transforms surfaces to like-new condition. Rust-Oleum® Rust Dissolver Bath is a specially formulated water-based product designed to dissolve and remove rust and oxidation on a variety of surfaces. It is suitable for use on iron, steel, aluminum, chrome, galvanized metal, porcelain, tile, fiberglass, glass, auto cooling systems and firearms. Apply by brush or as a bath
EVAPO-RUST® rust remover is an environmentally-safe water-based product that removes rust in minutes, without scrubbing or sanding. It’s so easy to use, anyone can restore their rusted tools, auto parts, hardware, cookware, and even firearms to like-new condition. Since Evapo-Rust® Super Safe Rust Remover is reusable, one gallon will remove 1/2 lb of dry ru

[VinTin23]

I tried a number of recipes before I finally used Evaporust. My T had water left in it for 25+ years. Multiple water and Shelf Radiator cleaner flushes did nothing. CLR did nothing except waste my money. Vinegar did close to nothing but created a horrible smell and left an incredible stain on everything it touched. I will never use the vinegar recipe ever again.

In the end I used Evaporust, filled it right to the very top of radiator. Let it sit for few days, I then drained it down to just above the fins and ran it every day for 10 minutes and then let it sit. After a week or so, I drained it all out, and I flushed it at least 25 times to get all the sand, dirt and goo out of it.

It did an amazing job and it’s good as new now. I bought the 5 gallon Evaporust bucket off Amazon.

[NU2theT]

CLR does a good job @ removing rust stains i.e.to clean porcelain, concrete ect.

I would recommend the Hank method, although rust building up for that many years may have found a spot through the block somewhere. Lets hope not.

[Rich Bingham]

Thermonuclear ?!?

[SurfCityGene]

D, Did you use the regular Evaporust or the Evaporust Radiator cleaner that they also make. My brother bought some of their radiator cleaner and said you could leaver it in the system for an extended period of time without any issues. After a few months he drained his and was super happy with the results on his RV. Found it online at a great price!

[TRDxB2]

The rust is in the water jackets

Seems like the thread got a bit off track about cleaning the radiator. Also cleaning vinegar is clear and will not stain, that's why its used for cleaning, its oder is much less than that used as in a vinaigrette dressing which is useless to use. Back to cleaning the water jacket. IMHO I would use something that just dissolves rust. I used cleaning vinegar in a round gas tank, filled it up halfway and let it sit on end over night. Next morning some vinegar was leaking out from a pin hole of dissolved rust. Cleaning vinegar is very inexpensive and if is doesn't do the job you can try EVAPORUST or MUST-FOR-RUST next. Don't use RUSTX or a similar product that converts rust, some of the hardened converted rust may loosen and....

Another method that may be applicable is Electrolysis Rust Removal
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/70 ... 1513524723
By Eric Dunlap - Orlando, Florida on Saturday, December 16, 2017 - 07:14 am:
Jim and others:
The process is super simple. I learned everything from the forum a few years ago when I was trying to deal with rusty sheet metal without the benefit of a sand blaster. I got a super large garbage can, filled it with water, added the arm and hammer laundry soap powder, and hooked it up to the old battery charger, and the rust just disappears. It�s amazing,, inexpensive, and involves minimal labor.
Below are some links with details about the process:
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/25 ... 1355350571
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/50893/79805.html
http://www.antique-engines.com/electrol.asp
This one has good pictures:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Electro ... aka-Magic/
http://www.htpaa.org.au/article-electro.php

[VinTin23]

D, Did you use the regular Evaporust or the Evaporust Radiator cleaner that they also make. My brother bought some of their radiator cleaner and said you could leaver it in the system for an extended period of time without any issues. After a few months he drained his and was super happy with the results on his RV. Found it online at a great price!

I used Straight Evaporust. I bought 5 gallon bucket on Amazon. It did an amazing job.

[TRDxB2]

Here are some articles on how to remove and/or prevent rust on different surfaces (cars, guns, carpets etc)
https://www.theruststore.com/Rust-Removal-C39.aspx
Evapo-Rust Frequently Asked Questions
https://www.theruststore.com/Evapo-Rust-FAQ-W21.aspx
Rust Converter Frequently Asked Questions
https://www.theruststore.com/Rust-Conve ... W48C2.aspx
How to use a Rust Converter
https://www.theruststore.com/How-To-Use ... W29C2.aspx

How these products work NOTE: Read the label to confirm the product claim
Selective Chelation
Evapo-Rust works by chelation. The word chelation comes from the ancient Greek term for claw. In essence, a chelator is a molecule that grabs on to metal ions. It works by wrestling away the iron from rust, which is an iron oxide. After that, another chemical frees up the chelator so that it can attack more rust. This is what makes the product re-usable. Because the chelator is not strong enough to break the iron-to-iron bonds of sound steel, it doesn’t harm uncorroded metal.
Evapo-Rust can take 5 minutes to 30 minutes to remove light rust; up to 6 hours for medium rust; and up to 24 hours for heavy rust. After treatment, the part can be rinsed with water, dried and sealed. Or the product can be left to dry. As a dried film, it will inhibit rust indoors for up to two weeks.
Rust Removers will...
- strip rust from metal using a concentrated acid formulation. Most are extremely corrosive and hazardous. The rust removal can be pretty time consuming as the acid takes a while to be eaten away. There are a few on the market that claim to be non-toxic so be sure to look for those.
- require soaking of rusty items in the solution. For larger or stationary objects, you'll need to coat the surface with the rust remover then cover with plastic to prevent evaporation. Often times, multiple treatments are required and care must be taken to avoid unnecessarily overexposing the surface to the rust remover as the harsh chemicals will cause pitting in the metal. Once rust is removed the item is rinsed. Some removers include a feature to prevent flash rusting which can occur to exposed bare metal.
BEST USE: If you're looking to resurface metal and require that the end result be exposed rust-free bare metal, then a rust remover is better suited for the task. Think rusty screw driver or the inside of a gasoline tank... items that you would NOT want to coat with paint but rather restore to a pure metal state.
Rust Converters will...
- literally convert rust into non-rust using naturally occurring plant-based acids. Rust converters chemically react with rust transforming it to an inert and paintable black substance. Most are water based and non-toxic. Rust is essentially removed as a surface problem and you'll be able to coat with water-based or acrylic-based paint.
- apply easily like paint and the reaction is fast and long lasting saving time and money. Many rust converters also act as a metal primer and a few claim they are vapor barriers that prevent further corrosion. Most topcoats are compatible including high performance coatings required for a wide range of industrial, construction, OEM, automotive restoration and marine application.
BEST USE: If you will eventually paint the object, like a storage tank, automotive body part or fence railing, you’ll want to use a rust converter. Even better is to use a rust converter and primer in one - that way you only have to apply one coat.

Just one more thing
"Distilled White Vinegar" is "Cleaning Vinegar" the higher the concentration the more effective at removing rust
Labels saying just "White Vinegar" or "Distilled Vinegar" are not exactly the same as the above.

[Chris Haynes]

Rust 911 is superior to Evaporust and much cheaper as it is a concentrate.
https://www.amazon.com/Rust911-16-gallo ... s9dHJ1ZQ==

[TRDxB2]

Rust 911 is superior to Evaporust and much cheaper as it is a concentrate.
https://www.amazon.com/Rust911-16-gallo ... s9dHJ1ZQ==

In checking this out....
Chelation Products:
Evapo-Rust at your hardware store for $25 a gallon.
Rust 911 concentrate doing the math, works out to about $4 a gallon. Could prove to be a economical choice depending on how long the solution will remain active.