coolant system flush while replacing radiator

MGMAddict · Jan 1, 2012

Yeah there are two different types of coolant toyota long life coolant (red) needs to be 50/50 mixed and toyota super long life coolant (pink) pre mixed. Easy way to tell besides the label is the long life has a red cap and the super long life has a yellow cap. Most of the problems we see are leaks. I don't know what the reasoning is but it seems like the pink stuff is more corrosive and finds ways to leak out of the cooling system

boshak · Feb 8, 2012

OP - Any good tips since you just did this recently?

What did you end up doing with the coolant/water coming from the upper hose?

boshak · Feb 8, 2012

Sorry to hijack a bit but I'm about to do this.

I need to change my upper hose because it's leaking. I'm assuming I should do this first before I do the flush? Any reason not to change the hose first?

mjp2 · Feb 8, 2012

Changing the hose first would be the recommended route since your current one is leaking.

I did a coolant system flush on my diesel over the weekend and it can be an involved process if you're changing coolant types or had any type of silicates in your cooling system.

If you run a garden hose through your cooling system, make sure you thoroughly flush with distilled water to get all the minerals out.

The process I used on the Ford:
1. Drain the system.
2. Fill with distilled water.
3. Drain.
4. Fill with distilled water.
5. Drain.
6. Add chemical flush and fill with distilled water.
7. Run engine for 2 hours to get it up to temperature and fully cycle the chemicals through the system. Keep the heater on high the whole time.
8. Drain the system.
9. Remove the thermostat.
10. Fill with distilled water.
11. Run the engine to circulate.
12. Drain.
13. Repeat steps 10 through 12 until clear, clean water drains.
14. Install new thermostat.
15. Add coolant and top off with distilled water.

Took a few hours and 40 gallons of distilled water but it's the proper way to do it.

Sunner · Feb 8, 2012

mjp2 said: ↑

Changing the hose first would be the recommended route since your current one is leaking.

I did a coolant system flush on my diesel over the weekend and it can be an involved process if you're changing coolant types or had any type of silicates in your cooling system.

If you run a garden hose through your cooling system, make sure you thoroughly flush with distilled water to get all the minerals out.

The process I used on the Ford:
1. Drain the system.
2. Fill with distilled water.
3. Drain.
4. Fill with distilled water.
5. Drain.
6. Add chemical flush and fill with distilled water.
7. Run engine for 2 hours to get it up to temperature and fully cycle the chemicals through the system. Keep the heater on high the whole time.
8. Drain the system.
9. Remove the thermostat.
10. Fill with distilled water.
11. Run the engine to circulate.
12. Drain.
13. Repeat steps 10 through 12 until clear, clean water drains.
14. Install new thermostat.
15. Add coolant and top off with distilled water.

Took a few hours and 40 gallons of distilled water but it's the proper way to do it.
Click to expand...

You really love your truck.

mjp2 · Feb 8, 2012

Sunner said: ↑

You really love your truck.
Click to expand...

I really fear the 6.0 PowerStroke's reliability issues. I already had that engine rebuilt once and cannot afford to do it again.

The cooling system design combined with Ford's poor choice of coolant is a major cause of catastrophic failure on that engine. It was time well spent.

Stout890 · Feb 8, 2012

Wow 40 gallons of distilled water?

Basically after an entire frustrating day of trying to get water to circulate and having it not circulate, just steam. Which meant it was boiling...I ended up just disconnecting the upper hose and than opening the engine drain block and flushing it that way. Put the hose in and set the water to a good flow that doesn't over flow but keeps it full and let it all just run out the block drain. I replaced the radiator so I didn't meet to worry about flushing it but that's as easy as doing the same process but through the radiator and out the radiator drain.

Now I do not know if that was the best possible way but it was running clear. I imagine though if you wanted to remove the thermostat and re install the hose than flush through the lower hose or through the radiator and the lower hose than out the engine drain also that would work, but than Finnish flushing the block from the top. But I was tired of dealing with it.

Sunner · Feb 8, 2012

mjp2 said: ↑

Question, you remove the thermostat to get the system to run without having to warm up right? Is the thermostat what tells the water pump to turn on or does the water pump always run and the thermostat just opens flow when the water is heated?
Click to expand...

mjp2 · Feb 8, 2012

Water pump is always turning. The thermostat opens and closes based on the temperature of the coolant.

I kept the thermostat in during the chemical flush part because it requires a certain temperature for things to work right. After that I just wanted all that crap out of the block and radiator so I circulated the cooler water without the need for stuff to get up to temp.

Sunner · Feb 8, 2012

mjp2 said: ↑

Water pump is always turning. The thermostat opens and closes based on the temperature of the coolant.

I kept the thermostat in during the chemical flush part because it requires a certain temperature for things to work right. After that I just wanted all that crap out of the block and radiator so I circulated the cooler water without the need for stuff to get up to temp.
Click to expand...

Gotcha, cool thanks.

boshak · Feb 10, 2012

Heater isn't hot when flushing with water. Typical??? Assuming I need to put the coolant in and burp the system.

Also, 5vz-fe takes 10.1L of coolant mixture per the manual. 1 gallon of coolant is 3.78L which is not enough to make it 50/50... am I thinking correctly?

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