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This may work for an engine block, as I have done this with domestic heat cast iron radiators, not only to clean them but to add "stop leak" to small leaks in an otherwise un-repairable and very expensive unit.
Important-remember to take your heater core out of the loop by just jumping across the two ports on the block with a length of hose.
First you'd need a electric 110v circulator motor from a hot water boiler with it's pump and 2 pipe flanges attached, examples are a B&G 100 or a Taco 007. These are pretty common. You'd then adapt a fitting that accommodates a garden hose thread on one side and a pipe thread on the other. Let's say you use 2 clothes washer hoses from there, then you'll have to determine a way to cleverly attach one of each of these to the inlet and outlet on the block.
( "Fernco" fittings are one way to go, available at a plumbing supply house or Home Depot.) Which goes where will be determined by the pumps direction of flow, usually cast into the pump itself.
Elevate the pump and attach the inlet hose. Then fill the block with your cleaning solution until water runs out of the block end of the other hose, then attach that to the inlet on the block. Assuming you've already figured to add a cord set to the circulator motor, just plug it in and it will gently circulate the water through the block indefinitely, quietly and w/o making the local newspaper.
After it's run for whatever period you determine to be enough, replace the cleaning solution with plain water for a good rinse.
Now that's the basic plan. If you'd like to embellish on this, elevate the pump and place the inlet hose in a 5 gallon pail of water, then direct the discharge from the block into that pail. You'll need to prime the pump to get it started. You can heat the water in the pail with a roofing torch, propane torch etc. or place the pail (steel presumably) it on a single burner stove, like a propane turkey fryer, for a more control. Use a thermometer to keep the water to 180 degrees or just don't let it boil.
Further if you want to add some pressure use a 4 way pipe fitting in the line at the outlet flange of the circulator. The hose goes on one of the 3 remaining ports, a tire valve stem on another and optionally a plug, or a fitting you can place an a/c style thermometer in, or a gauge to monitor the pressure, in the last. When I've done this, through the valve stem, I can add a small amount of pressure (keep it under 10 lbs for sure, maybe lower). With a domestic radiator I don't need the valve stem as I heat the radiator itself with a propane roofing torch until the water reaches180 degrees and keep a loose fitting thermometer in place. The port the thermometer is in is loose enough to act as a relief to keep everything from exploding, although I have launched a thermometer about 30 feet into the air when things got a little too hot. That was pretty cool. Do not heat a closed system without providing some sort of pressure relief. This would be extremely dangerous.
Complicated I suppose, but a very elegant approach.
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