Coolant for F150

[mobilnissan1991]

I’d like to change the coolant in my 2012 F150 with the 3.7 V6. Plans are to drain as much as possible, fill with distilled, run for a few miles, drain it then mix 1 gallon concentrate/1 gallon distilled in a 5 gallon bucket and fill and burp till full...is there a better way to do it? Also should I test my coolant with a tester or strips? Does this engine take Dexcool or motorcraft yellow?

Also, this air dam on the front of my truck, held on my two bolts, does it serve a purpose in regards to cooling or can I remove it with no ill effects? Removing it gives me much better access to remove the Fram Ultra oil filter, which the last two times has been on there super tight, even after I tighten them just by hand. It also looks better without it but I wont remove it permanently if itll negatively affect anything.

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

 

[Ram02]

I’d like to change the coolant in my 2012 F150 with the 3.7 V6. Plans are to drain as much as possible, fill with distilled, run for a few miles, drain it then mix 1 gallon concentrate/1 gallon distilled in a 5 gallon bucket and fill and burp till full...is there a better way to do it? Also should I test my coolant with a tester or strips? Does this engine take Dexcool or motorcraft yellow?

Also, this air dam on the front of my truck, held on my two bolts, does it serve a purpose in regards to cooling or can I remove it with no ill effects? Removing it gives me much better access to remove the Fram Ultra oil filter, which the last two times has been on there super tight, even after I tighten them just by hand. It also looks better without it but I wont remove it permanently if itll negatively affect anything.

I would use that new motorcraft yellow

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

OP, I see you're from Golden Meadow, La. Speed trap capital of the US.
Golden Meadow, Louisiana Speedtraps - Speedtrap.org
Alligator Ticketed In Golden Meadow Speed Trap | THE PUSH POLE

 

[mobilnissan1991]

Blueovalfitter, I’ve sent you filters before. My user name was mobilaltima till I couldnt log in anymore had to make a new account.

 

[mobilnissan1991]

But yes golden meadow is notorious for being a speed trap

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

Blueovalfitter, I’ve sent you filters before. My user name was mobilaltima till I couldnt log in anymore had to make a new account.

Okay.
We used those filters for donated OCI's. Thank You so much! You (and other BITOG members that donated) helped out some very poor people that needed an OCI dearly!

 

[Spectre694]

You'll have to check the manual 2012 could be either gold or orange but not yellow. Kinda confusing yellow and orange are compatible gold is not.

Procedure sounds fine. Don't really have to drive it just let it get up to temp and the fans cycle 2-3 times. I do two rounds with distilled and then add the new stuff.

Air dam should just be for efficiency not cooling but I'm not 100% sure on your vehicle.

 

[bdcardinal]

You'll have to check the manual 2012 could be either gold or orange but not yellow. Kinda confusing yellow and orange are compatible gold is not.

Procedure sounds fine. Don't really have to drive it just let it get up to temp and the fans cycle 2-3 times. I do two rounds with distilled and then add the new stuff.

Air dam should just be for efficiency not cooling but I'm not 100% sure on your vehicle.

It would have been orange which has been superseded by the new yellow coolant.

 

[Kruse]

My employer keeps a fleet of F150 trucks, two of the newest are 2020 trucks, built last September.
If your truck was mine, I'd remove the front air dam and put it in the closet to install when you want to sell the truck.
Otherwise, going by the history of our fleet, it will fall off on it's own anyway and get ruined.

 

[mobilnissan1991]

Should I buy the motorcraft yellow or do they make an aftermarket equivalent?

 

[nthach]

If Ford used a straw or golden colored coolant, stick with that. Otherwise, if it calls for green(NOT old-school silicated and phosphated IAT) or Orange, Ford says their new yellow coolant is A-OK(and by extension, Prestone Cor-Guard).

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Should I buy the motorcraft yellow or do they make an aftermarket equivalent?

The new Motorcraft Yellow is Prestone Cor-Guard the "all makes all models" Dexclone and it's $10 at Walmart, so no need to spend twice as much at the dealer.

 

[mobilnissan1991]

Looks like theres no drain on my radiator....hose isnt exactly at the bottom of the radiator either....whats the best way to drain my radiator...3.7 V6

 

[ripcord]

Instead of trying to premix your coolant, the best way to get to 50/50 after a full flush is to just start by putting in half the amount of coolant that it calls for in the manual, and then top off with water as needed until the level doesn't go down any more. If you try to premix, the water in the block will dilute to less than 50%.

 

[Jake_J]

Looks like theres no drain on my radiator....hose isnt exactly at the bottom of the radiator either....whats the best way to drain my radiator...3.7 V6

There's a drain, look at the bottom corners of the back of the radiator. Here's a video of a coolant change in a 2012 3.5 which uses the same radiator.