I changed my coolant and flushed with plain water 4 times with 2 gallons of fresh water each time. My coolant capacity is 18 liters (4.8 gallons). I was able to install after the last time 2.25Gal 100% G-05. Now Im trying to figure out how far off 50/50 I am and how much I need to drain and refill with fresh coolant.
Cooling system question.....
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I would guess close enough, to check it buy a hydrometer they are not very expensive.
Should have put it in the other forum (insert Homer "Doh!")
What kind of hydrometer should I look for?
What kind of hydrometer should I look for?
What you should of done it mix the coolant with 50% water and put in the pre-diluted mix into an empty system.
What I do is every 2 years regardless of mileage I empty my radiator, and refill with fresh coolant 50/50 mix without a flush. Then after 2 years I do it again and so on...
I have driven most of my cars to 200,000 - 300,000 Miles (400,000KM) and never had any coolant related issues.
What I do is every 2 years regardless of mileage I empty my radiator, and refill with fresh coolant 50/50 mix without a flush. Then after 2 years I do it again and so on...
I have driven most of my cars to 200,000 - 300,000 Miles (400,000KM) and never had any coolant related issues.
I have always done what StevieC has done with similar experiences except I do it annually. Never had any problems either.
The trick is I am unable to truly empty a cooling system when I service it.
I like the radiator D&F using the same coolant formula every time. But sometimes the coolant is overspent in a new used car, and other times you want to change the formula.
Final problem is what to do with the used coolant. While oil recycling abounds, there are no coolant recyclers around here.
I like the radiator D&F using the same coolant formula every time. But sometimes the coolant is overspent in a new used car, and other times you want to change the formula.
Final problem is what to do with the used coolant. While oil recycling abounds, there are no coolant recyclers around here.
Originally Posted By: StevieC
What you should of done it mix the coolant with 50% water and put in the pre-diluted mix into an empty system
If you flush the system, you can never get 100% of the remaining water out though. Unless you can get to the block drains which is impossible on most cars.
What you should of done it mix the coolant with 50% water and put in the pre-diluted mix into an empty system
If you flush the system, you can never get 100% of the remaining water out though. Unless you can get to the block drains which is impossible on most cars.
Originally Posted By: Onmo'Eegusee
Should have put it in the other forum (insert Homer "Doh!")
What kind of hydrometer should I look for?
A coolant hydrometer.
Take alook at this chart for the specific gravities you will need to be able to read accurately. you might be able to get by with some other type of hydrometer.
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/ethylene-glycol-d_146.html
Should have put it in the other forum (insert Homer "Doh!")
What kind of hydrometer should I look for?
A coolant hydrometer.
Take alook at this chart for the specific gravities you will need to be able to read accurately. you might be able to get by with some other type of hydrometer.
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/ethylene-glycol-d_146.html
2.8 gal of combined anti-freeze/H2O left after each drain. Assume the mixture started out as a 50% (0.50) mixture., after each drain and fill of H20 the mixture is "reduced" by 2.8/4.8 = 0.7
After first D&F mixture is 0.7 x 0.50 = 35% Antifreeze
Second 0.7 x 0.35 = 24.5% "
Third 0.7 x .245 = 17.15% "
Fourth 0.7 x .1715 = 12% "
Resulting antifreeze, by volume = 12% x 4.8 gal = 0.576 gal
Added antifreeze 2.25 gal for a total of about 2.8 gal
Resulting mixture 2.8/4.8 = 58% antifreeze
If you started the process with only water in the radiator your final mixture would be about 47% G-05.
You are good to go with just about anything you started with, as long as it is compatable with G-05.
After first D&F mixture is 0.7 x 0.50 = 35% Antifreeze
Second 0.7 x 0.35 = 24.5% "
Third 0.7 x .245 = 17.15% "
Fourth 0.7 x .1715 = 12% "
Resulting antifreeze, by volume = 12% x 4.8 gal = 0.576 gal
Added antifreeze 2.25 gal for a total of about 2.8 gal
Resulting mixture 2.8/4.8 = 58% antifreeze
If you started the process with only water in the radiator your final mixture would be about 47% G-05.
You are good to go with just about anything you started with, as long as it is compatable with G-05.
Wait a minute, how did you arrive at .7? 2.8/4.8=.58..?
1st 29%
2nd 17%
3rd 10%
4th 6%
6% x 4.8 = .288
2.25 + .288 / 4.8 = 53%
If I REALLY wanted to it looks like I could remove 1 liter and replace with plain water for right around 50%..
I wont bother though..
I flushed with water a couple times because it had the OE coolant in it, which would be 5 years old in late march.. Now maybe every two or three years or so Ill drain what I can and refill with 50/50.
1st 29%
2nd 17%
3rd 10%
4th 6%
6% x 4.8 = .288
2.25 + .288 / 4.8 = 53%
If I REALLY wanted to it looks like I could remove 1 liter and replace with plain water for right around 50%..
I wont bother though..
I flushed with water a couple times because it had the OE coolant in it, which would be 5 years old in late march.. Now maybe every two or three years or so Ill drain what I can and refill with 50/50.
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What was in there before? G-05 since its a 2004 Ford? When you say plain water is this distilled? City water or well water? You just do not want hard water in there.
BTW you do not need to get to 50/50. 60/40 is actually better and provides better protection if it were to get really cold.
There are also test strips you can get to tell. Or drain a tiny amount into a Dixie cup and pop in freezer overnight.
BTW you do not need to get to 50/50. 60/40 is actually better and provides better protection if it were to get really cold.
There are also test strips you can get to tell. Or drain a tiny amount into a Dixie cup and pop in freezer overnight.
We will never know how much water was left in the system.
It is tough to get it all out, and is really impossible.
But if you put in 2.25 gal of coolant, you are almost at 50/50, if the listed capacity is correct.
I would have used distilled water for the last fill/flush.
It is tough to get it all out, and is really impossible.
But if you put in 2.25 gal of coolant, you are almost at 50/50, if the listed capacity is correct.
I would have used distilled water for the last fill/flush.
All the flush water was distilled..
Oh no, I violated the principle of not doing math in public. Must have either hit the wrong key on the calculator, or my failing eyes read the display wrong. You are correct.
53% is close enough to 50%. Plus, I'll bet the 50% recommendation is a round off to make it easy for us to remember.
If I can't backflush with a hose, I also use distilled water for the flush and fill.
53% is close enough to 50%. Plus, I'll bet the 50% recommendation is a round off to make it easy for us to remember.
If I can't backflush with a hose, I also use distilled water for the flush and fill.
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Drain rad. Measure coolant
Flush rad to your hearts content (assumed done until you're at trace levels of old coolant)
Total cooling system capacity vs. drained volume (required only once per vehicle since you'll remember how much of a pain it was to poor drained volume into gallon containers)
Add straight coolant to match the difference.
All additional adds @ 50:50 dilution.
100% of content is @ 50% solution.
Flush rad to your hearts content (assumed done until you're at trace levels of old coolant)
Total cooling system capacity vs. drained volume (required only once per vehicle since you'll remember how much of a pain it was to poor drained volume into gallon containers)
Add straight coolant to match the difference.
All additional adds @ 50:50 dilution.
100% of content is @ 50% solution.
My hearts content is till I can't see a tint in the water in a white bucket. Block and rad is flushed together after t-stat removed. Then I ignore the remaining traces and go by the capacity spec to fit the 50%. Last fill up is distilled. Remainig portion of water inside block is undistilled. A quality coolant should take care of it.
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