Time to change coolant and flush a 186d

[Pete Judd]

Any tricks to this, as I will be doing this this week, went to wally world and got the coolant today, but worried that I have hard water and after the final flush will be using distilled water mixed 50/50 with the antifreze.

 

[silvertramp]

O buy pre-mixed.

 

[California]

I haven't done my YM186D but the YM240 was incredibly simple.

All I can suggest is remove all hoses connectors and reverse flush everything extensively.

There may be a small hose between the bottom of the radiator and the bottom of the block. If so, that can help reverse flush the block.

I like the idea of distilled or de-ionized water. I use that too.

 

[Pete Judd]

I did not buy the premix as I have the boat to do as well, but will put it in a cup at a time, one cup of coolant, then one cup of water until it is full, thanks for the help

 

[normde2001]

For a reverse flush just remove the tstat and disconnect upper hose at the radiator. Shove a garden hose into the upper hose, seal with shop rags,turn on the water and let the coolant and crud run out the rad top until water runs clear.

 

[clemsonfor]

I did not buy the premix as I have the boat to do as well, but will put it in a cup at a time, one cup of coolant, then one cup of water until it is full, thanks for the help

An easier way i do it is to have an empty collant jug with the clear sight mark with gallons or quarts marked on it. Will fill it to 1/2 gallon with antifreeze then to the 1 gallon mark with my water. You have a perfect 50/50 mix for half the price of the shelf stuff. You can even mix 75/25 or 40 /60 but the later will be a little guess, but you will be close enough for radiator fluid, your not mixing 2 stroke fuel.

 

[California]

I don't blend the water/antifreeze in advance because too many times the coolant capacity has turned out to be less than I planned for.

 

[rScotty]

I don't blend the water/antifreeze in advance because too many times the coolant capacity has turned out to be less than I planned for.

Back flushing is good. I'd do it with tap water and wouldn't use any of the acidic flushing compounds in a system that is cooling properly. No need to over-thin an already thin radiator shell.

From what I understand, the water pump on the YM186D will mix the water and antifreeze for you. So there's no real need to premix the water and antifreeze on the models that have a waterpump, but it can't hurt. For the tractors with the thermosiphon type of cooling system premixing is necessary because the two fluids have slightly different density and will stay separate for a long time.

I like to mix with distilled water because I know there's no hard water sufates and carbonates in it that will plate out on the metal tubes of the radiator and reduce the cooling efficiency. I'm not yet convinced on the whether de-ionized water has any advantage or not.
rScotty

 

[Semper Fly]

I would think the mix ratio would depend on where you live. I don't think 25% would be enough protection if the temp gets down near zero. I run near pure antifreeze in the car and truck.

 

[clemsonfor]

I would think the mix ratio would depend on where you live. I don't think 25% would be enough protection if the temp gets down near zero. I run near pure antifreeze in the car and truck.

Even 50/50 protects well below what anyone on the east coast will ever see.