vinegar safe for engine seals?

[fieromx3]

does anyone have experience using vinegar to flush rust out of their iron engines water passages? vinegar can degrade rubber over time but engine seals and gaskets are a little different and made to withstand some acidity from gas and the sort so im not sure if vinegar will mess up any gaskets and seals?

 

i was thinking of flushing out my mercruiser 260hp 350cid engine which is cooled directly from lake water. want to keep the cooling system clean and prevent any potential future problems

[Capt Vince Pierleoni]

I've had several raw water cooled inboards. No failure of exhaust manifolds using just basic winterizing practices. When you drain block and jackets, use a small screw driver in the drain holes to loosen any rusty scale that may be present. This will also allow the water to drain out completely. When finished pickle properly with a pink antifreeze that has anti corrosion ingredients to protect it over winter. This is what I have done for approx 30 yrs in both small and big blocks. I don't have any experience with vinegar, and don't know anyone who has. 

[Xxx]

The Hull truth has a whole a bunch of posts about using vinegar. It reads that the vinegar really works. They have video on outboards \ inboards. I typed the hull truth using vinegar to clean manifolds

Edited October 21, 2015 by pap

[fieromx3]

thats what i have already done vince but i also drained the block of the pink anti freeze just incase still. apparently you should leave it in because of the anti corrosion properties.... too late now its already stored and shrink wrapped.

 

i searched the internet pap and on iboats. it seems alot of people do use vinegar to clean rust and there are videos, but i havent heard of anyone dumping it straight into their engines was just wondering if its safe for gaskets and all.

 

though there arent many gaskets or seals in the coolant passages, its not like any of the engines oil seals are in contact with the water passages (that i can think of) only stuff like the thermostat housing gaskets, water pump gaskets and your actual head gasket which is steel and wont be harmed

[Xxx]

Yea, I do the same as Vince, and never had an issue with scale and rust. I once bought a boat that had severe rust issues inside but once I got it corrected it's been good to me ever since

[fieromx3]

what makes me wonder if that you are supposed to replace your exhaust manifolds every few years due to rust and if you dont they get to a point where they rust so bad it will clog up the water passage or rust right thru and pour water in the exhaust, how does this not happen to the engine block itself?? engines go on for 30-40 years without rust through the block itself and dont clog up, its very rare they do. what makes the manifolds different from the block itself?

[LongLine]

Vinegar is 95% water and 5% acetic acid.  Acetic acid, although considered a weak acid, will eat iron & steel.  It will also do a pretty good job on copper.  It will not bother good quality stainless steels. As for gaskets, it will eventually do a number on nitriles & SBR rubbers. EPDM & PTFE gaskets stand up the best. 

 

I would strongly advise against using any acid and if you do, make sure you get it all out.

 

Tom B.

(LongLine) 

[lakebound88]

I just cleaned my system using muriatic acid. I filled everything and let it sit for a few minutes, flushed and repeated. My water flow increased and temps leveled out. It's amazing the amount of buildup, especially a boat that sits in the water all season. The strainers just don't get enough on these inboards.

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[lakebound88]

Let me state, this was to clean the heat exchangers. Not the water passages of risers and manifolds.

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