Flushing Radiator?
#1
10-17-2006
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#2
10-17-2006
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I dont like to run water through my system, when i did mine last winter, i just drained it (BE CAREFUL THE PLUG SNAPS OFF) filled it with cheapo coolant....let it warm up and drained that, mine was almost brown when it came out, so it needed changed...
Then just filled it up with new expencive coolant
Rocky
Then just filled it up with new expencive coolant
Rocky
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10-17-2006
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10-17-2006
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#8
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lol, so do i, but i dont put any kind of water in mine specially coming into winter, im sure it wont do much if you drain it all out, but still....i use premixed antifreeze and just throw in some cheap stuff, let it run, then drain it and fill it with the new stuff...
But like i said be careful because that drain plug breaks...i forget how mine broke but it didnt leak so i left it...oh now i remember you had to put a socket or something on it to getit off (plastic bolt) and it sheared right off when i tightend it.....
Rocky
But like i said be careful because that drain plug breaks...i forget how mine broke but it didnt leak so i left it...oh now i remember you had to put a socket or something on it to getit off (plastic bolt) and it sheared right off when i tightend it.....
Rocky
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10-17-2006
#10
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Originally Posted by rangererv
drain half of it and then fill it with water, then run it and drain it again. you can repeat this process a couple times.
that way there is still a little bit of coolant in the system, but your truck will be fine on just water. nothing wrong with it.
that way there is still a little bit of coolant in the system, but your truck will be fine on just water. nothing wrong with it.
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10-17-2006
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#15
10-18-2006
Draining the radiator only removes a small portion of your coolant. you can drain it and fill with water from the hose and let it get upto operating temp and repeat the process untill you have clean water comming out when you open the petcock on the radiator. Leave your defroster on the warmest setting while doing so. That will flush all the old stuff from the heater core and block. After you get nothing but clean water repeat the process a couple of times with distilled water. Distilled water is much cheaper at your local grocery store the the stuff the autopart stores sell, usually about .99 a gallon. After you flush with the distilles water a couple times, drain the radiator again and put whatever antifreeze you prefer in. Make sure you get regular antifreeze, not the already mixed stuff being you will already have the distilled water in the system. Top it off with the antifreeze, let it come upto operating temperature again with the defroster on and cap off. You may have to drain a little more out after doing this, but make sure you get approx. 1 & 1/4 to 1 & 1/3 gallons of antifreeze in the system. Prestone does sell a kit to make the whole flushing process much quicker, but I have found that it simply does not work well with the way the newer cooling sytems operate. Another option is to switch to Evans NPG+ there product is a waterless antifreeze that offers much better protection and lasts longes than conventional antifreeze.
#16
10-18-2006
#18
10-18-2006
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I do a mix of some of the suggestions here. I drain what's in the radiator, fill with cheap antifreeze and a gallon of distilled water. Turn on the defrost with the truck running and repeat once or twice depending on the condition of what comes out of the radiator. Then fill it with the new stuff.
I like to put in a bottle of Bar's Stop Leak radiator treatment after the process is finished and the good stuff is in the radiator. Awesome stuff, don't let the name fool ya. Just cuz you don't have a leak doesn't mean you don't need it. I've had nothing but good luck using this method.
I like to put in a bottle of Bar's Stop Leak radiator treatment after the process is finished and the good stuff is in the radiator. Awesome stuff, don't let the name fool ya. Just cuz you don't have a leak doesn't mean you don't need it. I've had nothing but good luck using this method.
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10-18-2006
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#21
10-18-2006
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Originally Posted by RNGMSTR
I don't see a point in adding anything that isn't needed. It would just be contaminating to new coolant. If it's for piece of mind, just put a bottle in your truck and use it if the need ever comes.
If you already have a leak I'd use this other stuff. Not sure of the name but it comes in a small tube and looks like metallic flake sort of. I used that on one of my old f150's and worked like a charm on a tiny leak I had. After the laziness subsided, I soldered the radiator the correct way =]
Worked good in a pinch though.
The Bar's is more of a preventive maintenance thing. I dunno if I'd use that if I had a leak.
#22
10-20-2006
#23
10-20-2006
Originally Posted by RNGMSTR
I don't see a point in adding anything that isn't needed. It would just be contaminating to new coolant. If it's for piece of mind, just put a bottle in your truck and use it if the need ever comes. Thats is what I was refering to. If you have no leak or have the time to fix it right, don't add that garbage to your system.
I don't see a point in adding anything that isn't needed. It would just be contaminating to new coolant. If it's for piece of mind, just put a bottle in your truck and use it if the need ever comes. Thats is what I was refering to. If you have no leak or have the time to fix it right, don't add that garbage to your system.
#24
10-20-2006
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What i would do personally is take drain the radiator and undo a lower radiator hose. To allow the engine block to leak some coolant. (im fairly sure these have lower hoses and not just mid to high hoses)....
Also if you use water use distilled water. You can drain the radiator and leave hoses off the system to flush out the rest. (Turn on the truck with hoses d/c).. However make SURE you fill the system all the way up. when you refill fill the radiator and make sure the Tstat opens before you call it a day, other wise you might over heat your truck.
Also if you use water use distilled water. You can drain the radiator and leave hoses off the system to flush out the rest. (Turn on the truck with hoses d/c).. However make SURE you fill the system all the way up. when you refill fill the radiator and make sure the Tstat opens before you call it a day, other wise you might over heat your truck.
#25
10-20-2006
the petcock is located at the lowest point of the radiator. If you remove it instead of just unscrewing it a little, the radiaotr will drain very quickly. There really is no need to mess with the hoses. Bottom line is that if you don't take the time to compleatly flush the system, your only prolonging a future problem. Take the time, do it right and enjoy many years of trouble free life from you entire cooling system.
