Recommended Coolant System Flush

Hey guys; I am getting ready to do a coolant flush on my 1994 7.3idi. I ran a search through the threads, but the search came back with 37 pages. Guess I wasn't specific enough. Anyway, I am looking for comments/suggestions for an effective coolant system flush. I should tell you that I am not having any problems with my cooling system, and it seems to be pretty clean. I also have a coolant filter on it, but the current coolant has been in there a couple of years so I want to change it out. I have heard of people just using the Prestone type flush, I have heard of using bath beads, simple green etc. Again, no oil in my coolant or other problems. I see Dave001 recommended Fleetguard Restore flush on another thread. I see there is also a Restore Plus available. Not sure what the difference might be, or if I even need the stuff since my cooling system seems to be in good shape. Just looking for input/recommedations/experiences with flushing the cooling system on our idi's. Thanks! Todd

http://www.cumminsfiltration.com/pdfs/product_lit/emea_brochures/LI33024-GB.pdf

I have never used Fleetguard Restore but I've read good stuff about it. My truck needs its cooling system flushed out and if I ever get the time to do it, I will be using Restore Plus. My experience is that the coolant flushes commonly available toady (Prestone, NAPA, etc.) are weak and do very little good. Prestone no longer markets their good two part flush. That stuff worked well but the tree-huggers managed to get another good product off the market. (Thanks a lot for nothing!) I'm hoping that since the Fleetguard stuff is marketed for the heavy duty industry, it still has some strength to it. Time will tell.


Dave

Thanks, Dave 001 for the info and link. I see the Restore cleans silicate gel. What is that about? I wonder how that developes in our cooling systems. As you mentioned, it looks like the Restore Plus would do a good job of cleaning the usual culprits of rust and scale. Now I just have to do some searching to find a place to buy it.

i would like to know where it get it also, i called the local IH and cummins dealers in my area and they did not have it. they carried fleetguard products but did not have the flush. i did not see it on amazon, fleabay or anything like that either.

Since they have other Fleetguard products, ask them to order it.

iused fleetguard restore plus due to a little murky color of my coolant and the stuff that came out acually scared me! The coolant looked ok but the flush came out looking like chocolate milk....never good! I would throw my hat into the ring for restore plus, nor regular restore, restoe is comperable to fords vc-9 used for the ford gold coolant in the newer diesels. Got mine from a freightline dealer, most heavy truck shops sell restore plus.

persanaly i use about 1 gal of strait white vineger. run it let it set drain it then flush with clean water. but im a cheap O

evilplan said:

the stuff that came out acually scared me! The coolant looked ok but the flush came out looking like chocolate milk....never good! I would throw my hat into the ring for restore plus, nor regular restore,

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Why would that scare you (maybe I misread your post)? If the flush came out looking bad, then it did its job. That's all the junk it cleaned out.

Dave

bayou said:

persanaly i use about 1 gal of strait white vineger.

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Vinegar will work for removing deposits (corrosion) but won't do anything for an oil film or ****. Guess it depends on what you want to remove.

Dave

I don't remember where I saw it but, I do remember it coming straight from a cummins shop manual, cascade dish detergent at a certain ratio....I'll see if I can find it.

dsltech83 said:

I don't remember where I saw it but, I do remember it coming straight from a cummins shop manual, cascade dish detergent at a certain ratio....I'll see if I can find it.

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Cascade will not touch silicate deposits, been there tried that. Dairyman's acid will though,along with anything else in the cooling system. Muriatic acid works pretty good also. Just dont leave it in too long as its corrosive....

I ordered the Restore Plus from Ryder Fleet products. Do you think it would be agood idea to to remove the thermostat when performing the flush? It just seems like the flush might not be the best for the thermostat to have to endure. What do you guys think?

Well guys, I performed the RestorePlus flush over the weekend. That stuff does work! The solder inside the upper tank of the radiator looks new. The flush came out kind of a light chocolate brown, but fortunately there wasn't much particulte matter in it (have a coolant filter). I can tell you that RestorePlus burns when you shower in it! Got splashed when opening the block drains. I did intall the right angle drain ***** so next time will be easier - Yeah two or three years from now with any luck! I appreciate the helpful discussion before I did the flush!

Never use an acid based coolant system flush unless you are getting ready to do an engine teardown. Gaskets are a whole lot softer than cooling system paseges. If you have an oil cooler or rad that is that bad, remove it and take it to a rad shop for proper cleaning.

For on the vehicle on an engine that is to remain in service, use only flushes where the main ingredient is surfactant ( fancy name for soap ) it will remove oil residue and any light scale that might cause any problems, then install a filter.