Methods for cleaning WC components that have sat around for a few years?

I

indokyne

2[H]4U
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Jun 21, 2006
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Hey all, been out of the game for a while and about to put together a new rig.
I have a couple of 240 radiators, blocks, reservoirs, pumps,etc and I know it's a bit gunky inside.

Can you guys share your methods on prepping / cleaning these components to try and avoid any issues for my new build?
 
If you know there is gunk inside then you can try flushing it out with hot distilled water. You might have to let some of the stuff sit in hot water for a while to loosen it up.

Keep flushing until the water comes out clean. Good luck ;)
 
I saw a youtube video where a company demonstrated how they cleaned loops. It was just a big 10gal bucket half filled with distilled water and an inline pool filter connected, they're let it run for a few hours and it thoroughly cleaned it all out.
 
For my first loop I used a red cooling liquid. Red color is one of the most difficult to "remove".
Funny part, I'm now using a pearl white liquid, and it's ... white heh.
So I did like this:
- First, I cleaned the component with demineralized water (distilled water is fine too). When I say clean, I fill up the block/radiator with it, then I obstructed the input/output with basic plug, and then I shook a lot.
- This done, I used two differents products: white vinegar diluted with water. Same process: fill/obstruct/shake.
- Then I re-clean with distilled/demineralized water.
- Then white vinegar again.
- Clean
- And in order to get rid of this red color, the best chemical is the bleach BUT .... you have to mix it a lot, because it can interfere with your copper part. Also, you don't want bleach to stay too long in your component, therefore, fill up quickly, obstruct and shake very hard.
- Clean, you'll see that the color has already changed
- Second clean= no color left.

That's a long process, and I don't really know if it is a good one, but I'm currently using all the pieces I cleaned for my loop, and the temperatures are great, no red color, and most important: no deposits.
Hope it helps.
 
Another vote for vinegar and distilled flushing.

Ketchup can actually do a surprisingly decent job on cleaning up copper blocks as well.
 
Warm dilute vinegar or bleach.
Just make sure either is 4:1 diluted at minimum.
Pour into rad and rinse like the devil.
Initial rinse can be tap water. Final should be distilled.
Don't use bleach on acrylic.
Take apart parts you can.
 
Try rubbing alcohol for cleaning the radiator. It works quite effectively. Just remember to rinse it out with distilled water after wards. Do not use rubbing alcohol on anything acrylic
 
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