flushing cooling system

[cmyoung2]

Finally get time to replace water pump and hoses on my 99 F250 V-10. Know the system needs cleaning, is one product any better than the rest? Prestone is handy, but I have time to look at other stuff. And what would be the best coolant to put back in? OEM stuff has lasted 220k+, hope the replacement will do as well. Replacing drive belt and belt tensioner at the same time.

 

[dodge man]

That's a long time to leave the same coolant in. If everything looks good, as in radiator doesn't looked clogged up or gummed up, I'd just flush it with clean water. What antifreeze? What does the owners manual say? Some say to use a special antifreeze, some don't.

 

[JJZ 109]

I'd poke around on a Ford or V10 specific forum for advice. I found an excellent step by step for a system flush on Dieselstop for the 7.3 Powerstroke I just sold.

 

[Capricious]

I flush with clear water- with so many hoses/water passages I worry about getting all of a caustic cleaner out.


RANT: New Asian vehicles require special coolant that not only is expensive and hard to find, but usually only can be found pre-diluted, which means that any clear
water left in the system from a flush further dilutes the coolant.

 

[timswi]

Sent the wife's Hummer out for a coolant flush and Tstat replace on Friday..~$200...Well worth it for me.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Sent the wife's Hummer out for a coolant flush and Tstat replace on Friday..~$200...Well worth it for me.

Thats not a bad price when you figure in the parts cost.

Was the T Stat bad? I have never had one go bad on a vehicle but replaced a few after 120,000 miles. Now boats are another thing. I can't keep a T Stat more than 3 season. The silt buggers them up quickly.

Chris

 

[TomSeller]

Finally get time to replace water pump and hoses on my 99 F250 V-10. Know the system needs cleaning, is one product any better than the rest? Prestone is handy, but I have time to look at other stuff. And what would be the best coolant to put back in? OEM stuff has lasted 220k+, hope the replacement will do as well. Replacing drive belt and belt tensioner at the same time.

One function of coolant is to prevent corrosion from dissimilar metals. I would replace much more often than 15 years.

 

[timswi]

Thats not a bad price when you figure in the parts cost.

Was the T Stat bad? I have never had one go bad on a vehicle but replaced a few after 120,000 miles. Now boats are another thing. I can't keep a T Stat more than 3 season. The silt buggers them up quickly.

Chris

The truck was throwing a low temp code when temps got into the single digits over the last year or 2...other than that, never mis-behaved temp wise..Figured since it was a 2006, it was beyond time for a flush and get the tstat done--The placement of which is not fun so had both done at the same time. Thought price was more than fair..That's with all recommended additives etc...That's the first thermostat I've replaced since I can't remember when. No complaints here.

 

[Capricious]

Thats not a bad price when you figure in the parts cost.

Now boats are another thing. I can't keep a T Stat more than 3 season. The silt buggers them up quickly.

Chris

Obviously not heat exchanger cooled, but then in a fresh water area no one spends the money for heat exchanger systems.

And of course, even exchanger systems can have "issues" with the raw-water side, as the government found out:

https://idea.library.drexel.edu/islandora/object/idea:1347/datastream/OBJ/view

 

[Capricious]

Sent the wife's Hummer out for a coolant flush and Tstat replace on Friday..~$200...Well worth it for me.

I used to do a lot more "wrenching" on vehicles than I do now; water pumps, in-tank electric fuel pumps, starters & alternators, that sort of stuff.

All of it is pretty simple to do, *IF* you can get to the stuff, which is the problem now. Too much machinery crammed into too little space.