Cooling System Flush & Fill

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1) With the engine cold, remove the radiator cap and open the radiator drain plug and drain the radiator until it is dry then close the radiator drain plug.

2) Fill the radiator with distilled water. Put the radiator cap back on.

3) With the automobile parked, run the engine with the heater on high at the hottest setting until normal operating temperature is achieved for 10-15 minutes.

4) Repeat Steps #1, #2, and #3 at least three more times until the distilled water in Step #1 drains clear.

5) Drain, fill, and rinse out the coolant overflow tank 3 times with distilled water. I recommend removing the overflow tank while doing this but this is optional.

6) Pour in a bottle of either Zerex Radiator Super Cleaner or Prestone Super Radiator Cleaner into the radiator.

7) Pour in distilled water until the radiator is full then put the radiator cap back on. Fill the overflow tank with distilled water to the "full" or "cold" mark.

8) Drive the automobile for 4-6 hours (can be on and off over a few days). Be sure to constantly check the level of distilled water in both the radiator and overflow tank. Be sure to run the heater on high at the hottest setting all the time if you can stand it. If not, run the heater on high at the hottest setting at least 3 times for 10-15 minutes during the 4-6 hour period.

9) Repeat Steps #1, #2, and #3 at least three more times until the distilled water in Step #1 drains clear.

10) Repeat Step #9 one more time just to be sure the distilled water drains clear.

11) This would be a great time to install a new thermostat and gasket if you know how to do this. Some vehicles do not have a thermostat gasket. If yours has a thermostat gasket, be sure to have a small tube of black gasket sealant. Be sure to correctly apply it to both sides of the thermostat gasket.

12) This would also be a great time to replace that old radiator cap with a new one.

13) With the engine cold, remove the radiator cap and open the radiator drain plug and drain the radiator until it is dry then close the radiator drain plug.

14) Pour in straight coolant sticking with whatever your manufacturer recommends NEVER SUBSTITUTE TO SAVE MONEY! Use enough to achieve no less than a 50/50 mixture of coolant and distilled water but no more than 70/30. Refer to your vehicle's owner's manual for the correct capacity of your cooling system. If you have a 12 quart cooling system, you will need 6 quarts of coolant (1.5 gallons) to achieve a 50/50 mixture of coolant and distilled water. If you want a 70/30 mixture of coolant and distilled water, you will need to pour in about 8 1/2 quarts of coolant (2.125 gallons).

15) With a half full jug of distilled water, fill it up with straight coolant to have a 50/50 diluted mix for top off. Be sure to shake it for about 3-5 seconds so it mixes.

16) Top off both the radiator and overflow tank as needed. Put the radiator cap back on.

17) Keep a watch for any coolant leaks. Repair any coolant leaks immediately.

18) Repeat all of the above steps every 2 years.

I think using a garden hose and a back-flushing tee is a bad idea since city water has additives and chemicals in it such as chlorine, fluoride (except for Indiana), etc. Well water is even worse.

You can get a jug of "Sam's Choice Distilled Water" at Wal-Mart for $.59. It is a good idea to buy a baker's dozen so you have enough. A few more jugs won't hurt anything either especially if you have a large capacity cooling system.

I own a 1998 Ford Mustang GT. It originally used conventional green coolant. Since green coolant is starting to get hard to find, I replaced it with Motorcraft Premium Gold Engine Coolant (Zerex G-05) which I bought directly from a Ford dealership.

[ May 01, 2005, 07:25 AM: Message edited by: Buford T. Justice ]
 
Does the "super radiator cleaner" really work? I have used it a couple of times, including on a vehicle that was prone to overheating and another one that the heater wasn't producing much heat, but neither time did it really seem to help at all.
 
It depends on why you car is overheating or not putting out enough heat. The super radiator cleaners are good for removing hard scale deposits which can slow heat transfer. Your particular problem may be something else.
 
I did the same procedure some days back and made a comment (that draining the coolant from radiator, fill distilled water, run engine till thermostat opens, cool engine to prevent warping of block etc) that this flush procedure took me in excess of 4 hrs (as I did above process 4 times to get the old coolant out), and had folks who were reading the thread laughing. Looks like I may well have been right based on ur writeup -- it indeed is a long process!!!!
 
quote:

Originally posted by trynew:
Does the "super radiator cleaner" really work? I have used it a couple of times, including on a vehicle that was prone to overheating and another one that the heater wasn't producing much heat, but neither time did it really seem to help at all.

It helps Zerex or Prestone . . .
wink.gif
I question the slavish use of chemical radiator flushes if the old coolant drains clear and there's no visible evidence of deposit or corrosion buildup in the radiator core. (And if there is, you probably need something a good deal more potent than you can buy at national autoparts or discount stores!)
 
RMI-25 works very well.

I've used an acid based one that works extremely well. Don't know if you can still get it, and it add years of wear to the cooling system. I've not had a system get that bad in many years though.
 
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