Inline coolant filter?

[Ivan_B]

Has anyone used these? I am thinking about installing an inline coolant filter, to catch debris remaining inside the cooling system. I did a quick water flush, but that does not get rid of all the contamination inside the system, and I do not have the means to disassemble the engine, etc., to do a proper cleaning, at this time

There are specific automotive filters available, that go into the top radiator hose. But these have a rather large mesh (not very effective) and I do not really want to mess-around with the radiator flow.

How about putting a regular bowl water supply filter/strainer into the heater return hose? These have a considerably smaller meshes and the bowl might even clean some smaller sediment. I just need to find one rated for boiling water.

Do you think it will filter much at the heater line? ?

[soth122003]

Hey Ivan,

While I think your idea has merit after a proper flush is done, I also think that most of the debris in an engine is stationary. What i mean by that is the rust, calcium and lime deposits tend to stay stuck to the inside iron and brass walls of the engine and radiator. A water flush will move the floating debris out of the engine and radiator,  but it will not remove the crud stuck to the walls. What I do is go to the dollar store and buy 2 gallons of vinegar and fill my cooling system with 1 gallon of water and 2 gallons of vinegar and run the engine for about an hour or so or I drive it for a few days to let the vinegar solution dissolve the calcium, lime and rust into the mix and then drain and flush the cooling system with water. When I drain the engine after this I flush the water/vinegar solution with clean water running the engine between flushes until it warms up. The first draining comes out like rusty brown water till about the 2nd rinse and by the 3rd it is clear. 

 

I do this about every 2 years because I don't usually use anti freeze/coolant in my engine. When the cold snaps come I usually drain my cooling system and then refill after the cold snap is done. My engine usually runs about 165 on the gage year round here in Florida. This has worked for me for over the 13 plus years I've owned my car. Hope this helps.

 

Joe Lee

 

 

 

[Ivan_B]

Hi Joe,

 

You are basically describing a standard acid flush. I did not dare to do that, just reverse-flushed the block, radiator, and the heater with tap water, and then with distilled water (to get the tap water out/diluted). I did get some muddy water from the radiator, at first, which cleared overnight to reveal some calcium deposits. The antifreeze that I drained, produced no sediment, so this is good.

I might use the acid, next time. I wasn't even planning to flush... Just wanted to replace the old hoses ?

 

You are right, though. The fact that virtually no manufacturer installs coolant filters probably suggest that this is not necessary... As long as you flush the system and change the coolant regularly.

[Sniper]

Seems coolant filters are common in the diesel world. 

 

https://www.baldwinfilters.com/us/en/solutions/cooling-system-filtration.html

 

https://www.donaldson.com/en-us/engine/filters/products/coolant/replacement-filters/donaldson-blue-filters/

 

https://www.wixfilters.com/Products.aspx?ct=phcf

 

Not sure if it makes any monetary sense for us, but then again nothing with our hobby usually makes monetary sense.

[Dave72dt]

I first started seeing coolant filters in the 70's on wet sleeved diesel engines and don't recall any on dry sleeved or blocks that had to be bored oversize to rebuild although other manufacturer's than I was familiar with may have.  These were engines that seemed to be prone to electrolysis and they did seem to reduce the effects of it.  That had something to do with the static electricity that occurs in a diesel that doesn't cause a significant problem with plug fired engines.

[soth122003]

3 hours ago, Ivan_B said:

Hi Joe,

 

You are basically describing a standard acid flush.

That's pretty much it. Except the 2 gallons of vinegar is cheaper and just as effective as the over the counter stuff. The big plus with this is you don't have to pull or disassemble the engine. Also like said in the previous, it dissolves the crud into a solution that drains out with the water, and with these old iron engines, it won't hurt the iron or the gaskets with this dilution rate. Helpful hint, drain the rad and block, then add the vinegar first, wait about 5 minutes then add the water to top it off. this lets the vinegar work on the rad from the top down and the block from the bottom up, where the crud likes to settle.

 

When I first did the cleaning of the rad when I first got the car I used CLR and that got all the crud out of the rad, then used vinegar for the engine to flush the crud out. (and there was a lot of it). The antifreeze contains a rust inhibitor which helps prevent the rust, but the vinegar flush will dissolve the calcium and lime and rust into a slurry that drains well and won't clog up in different part of the engine.

 

Joe Lee

[Merle Coggins]

Those coolant filters used on diesel engines have a conditioning agent in them to replace depleted chemicals in the coolant to extend it's life and keep internal corrosion at bay. They may also do some filtering of debris, but their primary purpose is to recondition the coolant. 

[Sniper]

They make them with or without conditioner and either type is rated at 30 microns, I looked at all that.

[Merle Coggins]

Good to know. All of the ones I've dealt with had conditioner. 

[Ivan_B]

Thanks for looking into this. I've done some tube research, and it seems that there are at least a few people, out there, who use filters on cars. The most common seems to be a fuel filter (or an oil filter with a remote flange) on a heater hose setup. The solution I will try is a pressure sprayer strainer with a spin down bowl, which is easier to clean. Apparently, the household sediment filters/strainers are not rated for the required temperature. The sprayer strainer is rated at 140-150F but at high pressure. Without pressure it can hold greater temperature (there is a confirmed use case for coolant filtering). The finest I've found is 200 mesh (74 microns) and this is what I'll try (people report good results with even coarser mesh).

The only down side is I have to order parts. Tractor supply sells these, but they are non-transparent (not fun ) and I need the matching color valve, adapters, clamps, etc., to make it look reasonably acceptable under the hood... I'll be back with a report after a while.

 

[Sniper]

Aside from the cost aspect I don't really see any downside to this. But to be honest with you if I were going to do it I do the remote filter setup and use a coolant rated filter. The coolant filters themselves aren't really much more expensive than a good oil filter. And to be honest you don't need to change them nearly as often. The ones I looked at were rated at 150,000 miles and as often as we drive our cars that would be our lifetime's most likely LOL

[Ivan_B]

Well, makes sense. I just don't like adding a lot of aftermarket stuff to the car, so a smaller inline filter seems to be more appealing than a full-size remote one (unless it is hidden under the car). I am just experimenting, for now. The strainer is about $15-20, it is a metal screen, so you just unscrew the bowl and flush it. The valve and fittings are probably another $20. I'll see how it looks and work. If I don't like it I'll remove it.

A proper remote coolant filter appears to be a more involving setup. Maybe I'll do it later

[Ivan_B]

The deed is done.

 

[Hickory]

It doesn't look that bad, it would have been better if it looked like a fuel bowl. Looks good for an experiment 

[Hickory]

Fyi the diesel filters would stabilize nitrate levels to keep cylinder liners from pitting tiny holes in them. The caterpillar engines seem to need them the most. Some didn't need them, especially once red coolant was developed. The new Detroit dd15 used a filter that would plug up with a slimy grey matter, then they did away with it.

[Ivan_B]

16 minutes ago, Hickory said:

It doesn't look that bad, it would have been better if it looked like a fuel bowl.

I agree, but I could not find an old-style fuel filter with a large-enough inlet for the 5/8 hose. Technically, for the looks, I can make a black/tan cloth cover to put over it. You will still see the cover, of course, but would not necessarily be able to guess what's going on underneath

[Hickory]

You could use hose covering and the paint the plastic housing with hammer paint and it would look good 

[Ivan_B]

At this point, I am still debating whether or not to keep it. I am definitely accumulating some sediment. But, for some reason, this strainer's flow accumulates the dirt inside the mesh cylinder, and not outside as I would expect. I have followed the correct installation instructions, but am actually thinking about reversing it, because the mesh is glued in place and not removable (hard to clean on the inside, and difficult to see whether or not it is full).

[Hickory]

I typed hammer paint but auto correct strikes again.