Chris Mottram wrote that he used a radiator cleaner based on trisodium
phosphate and a bisulfate. TSP is a strong alkali and anything with
"bi" means acid. What you probably have is TSP (Na3PO4) and sodium
bisulfate (NaHSO4) which is half neutralized sulfuric acid. It will
depend on the ratio of acid to base how aggressive the cleaner was.
In any event aluminum is an amphoteric metal (a four bit word for a
metal that will dissolve in either acid or base). I don't know about
all series Alpines but my SV has an aluminum head. If you have an
aluminum head I would watch my head gasket for a while.
This is as good a time as any to preach about corrosion inhibitors in
radiator systems. Borax-nitrite is the standard in the industry and is
present in all antifreezes. If you don't use antifreeze then go to a
truck stop or commercial diesel shop and buy some Nalcool, Drewguard, or
something from Betz-Dearborn. Read the MSDS for the product. Silicates
are a specific corrosion inhibitor for aluminum and should be present in
the product. For copper tolytriazole should also be present.
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