How Can I Remove Algae from Coolant Overflow Tank?

[RallyEclipse98]

So like most of you, my coolant overflow tank is lined with green algae. I'm not concerned but since my fluid is drained, I want to clean it out if possible. I have tried vinegar, non-diluted bleach, and dawn dish soap. Nothing really worked. Any suggestions?

 

[boosteddsm98]

Ha, may be silly but purple power cleans alot of shit. Maybe it could tackle your problem?

 

[Shadow21]

If you used bleach, its not algae.

 

[Kapok6]

Go to the pet store and buy a couple small algae eating fish. Who knows...it may work.

 

[1992 Eagle Talon TSi]

10:1 concentrated aluminum wheel cleaner acid. Used it on mine when I pulled it from the salvage yard had some sludge and other various things in it, filled it up and let it sit for about ten minutes. Of course I rinsed it out with soap and water before I put coolant in it and put it in the car. Haven't had a problem since.

 

[Jesse2012]

I tried cleaning mine too..nothing worked. Maybe find something to brace it in and stick the end of a power washer in it?

 

[Colt4G63 also]

Go to the pet store and buy a couple small algae eating fish. Who knows...it may work.

I think simple green and a bottle brush would make it new again.

 

[Number1dad]

Baby bottle brush and some purple power, let it sit then go at it. Throw away brush. No lather rinse repeat on that.

 

[4Lurker4]

I used Comet with bleach and it cleaned it right out. Must give it some good shakes though and you must go through the hole process a couple of times to get it all out. A brush does help for those places where it's stubborn.

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Just make sure to rinse thoroughly afterwards.

 

[rommel rojasgsx]

Find one thats not as dirty??? Or what everyone else said

 

[Number1dad]

Maybe hot/mild water would lossen it up and I'm sure you could pressure wash it. They are cheap at the you pull it sometimes

 

[gorf]

Try CLR Calcium Lime Rust remover available at most grocery stores. You probably have a build up of rust and lime. Get a bottle brush, you probably will have to scrub it out.

 

[Kapok6]

In my experience for cleaning crap in general, simple green works much better than purple power. I have soaked original 100k mile heads in simple green then powerwashed and the head looked new. Purple power worked as well but didn't seem to work as well.

 

[XLR8]

Brakleen.

 

[RallyEclipse98]

Thanks for the replies! A bottle brush should do the trick since where I could get my finger in to scrub, the slime came off fine with just soap and water. I'll report back and mark the thread as resolved.

Okay, so I've been using a bottle brush and it's not capable of getting deep around the bottle. Notice, it's for a 420a... I'm moving on to CLR.

 

[95tclipser]

Put some paint remover in there, let it sit for 2 minutes and wash it out.

 

[Mishimoto]

Put some paint remover in there, let it sit for 2 minutes and wash it out.

I would think this would begin to eat away at the plastic, even for a few minutes. Another vote for purple power/simple green and a brush.

 

[RallyEclipse98]

A bottle brush is really hard to get inside the overflow tank on the 420a. I ended up using a bottle brush where I could and then soaked the tank in CLR overnight. That got rid of 95% of the algae.

 

[GRAVEDIGGER]

Algae??? What did you run in your cooling system??... Pond water?

 

[RallyEclipse98]

What I did was filled the bottle with CLR and let it sit over night. Then I used a bottle brush to scrub. This got rid of 95% of the scum. Now I can see how full the container is now!

 

[Deadpool25]

Just buy A new one like I did works way better than the original
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