Coolant Flush

[firemedicmonkey]

Ok so as you guys know I just bought my 1993 F-250 4x4 7.3l the thing is basically bone stock. As far as a history of SCA's it is questionable. The previous owner didn't know what I was talking about, never hurt of trucks having problems with cavitation. So I am sure I need to flush out the bad stuff and get some good quality coolant in there with scas. Now the local radiator shop said they would charge me like $80 to flush and fill my 97 F-150. Man I am in school and broke so I know I can't afford to let them do the flush and fill on my diesel. I used to flush the cooling system in my GMC :draw POS with a little kit i got made by preston and using there flush and cleaner chemicals. It was a lot cheaper and I hope it did a good job, never had it running long enough to see was always working on it.

So I have read some articles on this on here but what is the best way of getting all that old nastiness out and getting some fresh and clean sca loaded coolant in there. Any tricks chemicals, etc you guys using to make it easier and todo a good job. I want to save my engine from the big C. That is priority one after the tranny shop, then coolant flush and fill, then oil change with a sample off to blackstone, so we will see how good a deal i got.

 

[deanj]

Flush as you would any engine, drain completely blow out the heater core, open the block drains. Get pre charged low silicate A/F (fleet at o'reillys purpule in color) and distilled water (wally mart) mix 50/50. Check your ph (8) and silicate (1200ppm) adjust if necessary. Some where around 29 qts (5 in the over flow bottle). Then if you want put a coolant filter in with a plain filter for the first while then change to a charged filter with slow release sca's

 

[Agnem]

I prefer green antifreeze myself. Much easier to see oil in if it should occur. You certainly don't need to spend any money to have it professionally flushed. A garden hose in the right spots works wonders.

 

[OkieGringo]

Have you heard about this...

BajaGringo Block Drains

The block drains are just 1/4"npt petcocks, available in the "HELP" section at the auto parts store. You need a 9/16" crowfoot socket that fits on a socket extension to reach in to tighten them (There's no room for a reg open end wrench). Then, cut up an old spark plug socket to fit over the petcock to loosen/tighten. Once they are loose, slip the 3/8" rubber hose over the end of the petcock and continue loosening the petcock (with the other end of hose in bucket). Intstalling these is still messy and a bit of a hassle, but NEXT TIME it'll be a lot less messy and a lot easier. Smear 'em with anti-seize to make sure they turn 'next time'. I've already had to use mine because when I had the radiator 'rodded' they didn't have the right kind of antifreeze, and I was 200 miles from home. So I needed to re-flush the system and re-DCA it. This makes saving/reusing the expensive DCAs/antifreeze possible if you use CLEAN BUCKETS. I bought a special funnel that snaps into the radiator fill, and use a metal spray paint funnel/filter/screen just to make sure nothing too big gets back in there. Yeah, I'm a little '**** retentive', that's probably why my eyes are brown. BajaGringo

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I added them to mine a few weeks ago(idea stollen from Baja) I confirm they are 1/4" npt petcocks and the 9/16" crowfoot is neccassary also.

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Kennyd
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Get the quality brass petcocks that open fully with a 1/4 turn (twist-knob on the side). There's all different kinds available.

Prestone Pre-Charged AntiFreeze Purple color A/F



I've been doin' some more research on the SCA factor of this stuff. It turns out that it uses the PenCool SCAs and not the DCA Ford/Fleetrite kind. Some say the two are not compatible? The Prestone website says it is compatible.
This is "Copy and Paste" from their website:
Prestone® Heavy Duty Antifreeze/Coolant is formulated with the advanced chemical technology found in Pencool® Cooling System Treatments resulting in an exceptional SCA pre-charged product compatible with Pencool® 2000 and 3000,as well as all other SCA’s. It is recommended for use with Pencool® Need-Release ® Filters.

----A blend of ethylene glycol and a specially formulated inhibitor package designed for heavy duty cooling system applications. The product is designed to eliminate the need for the initial charge of supplemental coolant additives on new vehicles and recharged systems. Can be used in all heavy duty vehicle applications.

It seems to me to be a better alternative since the PenCool stuff and the test strips can be bought at ANY NAPA Store



I’ve recently found a pre-charged A/F at O’Reilleys Autoparts. It is called Fleet Charge. This A/F is Green colored. It also uses the same kind of SCAs as Prestone. Newer batches of the FleetCharge is also purple colored. Coloring of different chemical composition A/F has become an "industry standard". Mixing colors of the old green and the new purple color does not hurt anything as long it is the same TYPE. Don't mix the FW-16 type with the PennCool/NapaCool type though. Baja/OkieGringo

 

[firemedicmonkey]

ok ******, I did read that post, but i dont understand wether or not i need to buy the drains and put them in or if they are there already. Where are they located on the block. I have never drained the block on any truck. I have only flushed just the radiator, or like i said used that prestone kit that attaches to the heater hose. Also how to you blow out the heater core. All that anit-freeze stuff is making my head spin Just tell me what to buy for now to save my engine, I cant handle both an engine and a transmission rebuild.

also, they guy at the first tranny shop told me that, the cardboard that the previous owner put in the between the condenser and the radiator was bad. I told him the previous owner said it was there to get heat in the winter, and the truck never gets off of C even when I was on the highway for 3 hours on the way home with it it only ever got to the n in normal. The shop guys says it needs a thermostat then.

What you guys think cardboard covering radiator= bad ? Should I replace the thermostat while I am flushing and filling. Hopefully I can get this done this weekend but its supposed to be cold so I dunno.

 

[Magoo]

Card board is a temp fix at best to get home or get to a shop. Sounds like the thermo is stuck open. You can replace it yourself at the same time you flush the rad. Be carefull if you have never done one. Most common mistake made by first timers is to bolt the housing down with the termo out of place and that will break the housing. Just make sure your thermo is well seated in the grove. If I remember right on the 7.3 (been a while) it is a large recess in the block and the thermo has a heavy rubber gasket that allows the thermo to sit tight in place. I might be wrong but someone here will correct me so you get the straight scoop. At the prices these days for shop work, anything that you can do you should do. Enough expierence here to walk you through most anything. In fact you could probably get PM phone numbers and get a walk through step by step while you work. For a brother firefighter I know I would.

 

[The Warden]

ok ******, I did read that post, but i dont understand wether or not i need to buy the drains and put them in or if they are there already. Where are they located on the block. I have never drained the block on any truck. I have only flushed just the radiator, or like i said used that prestone kit that attaches to the heater hose. Also how to you blow out the heater core. All that anit-freeze stuff is making my head spin

Take a look here for the locations of the block drains.

As to flushing the system...you've got the idea already. After draining the coolant, I use the Prestone kit, hook a garden hose to the fitting there, open the block drains and the radiator drain (and the radiator cap), and turn the hose on to full blast and let it sit for a while. IMHO you cannot flush an engine too much, and the more water you get flowing through the system, the more thoroughly cleaned out everything should be in the end. It wouldn't hurt to remove the heater core and make sure it's empty and clean as well. I would also strongly suggest adding a coolant filter to the system while you have it apart.

also, they guy at the first tranny shop told me that, the cardboard that the previous owner put in the between the condenser and the radiator was bad. I told him the previous owner said it was there to get heat in the winter, and the truck never gets off of C even when I was on the highway for 3 hours on the way home with it it only ever got to the n in normal. The shop guys says it needs a thermostat then.

Both the shop and the p/o are correct. In a cold climate, it is a good idea to put something in to partially block the radiator; otherwise, the truck will never get up to operating temperature (and that's bad for the engine). But, if it wasn't seriously cold outside AND you were on the freeway for an extended time before the truck warmed up even with the cardboard in place, it sounds like it's time for a thermostat to me...especially since you already have the system apart. Most here recommend a thermostat from either Ford or IH, NOT a thermostat from Autozone or anything on those lines.

Hope this helps some...good luck!!

 

[firemedicmonkey]

Warden thanks a bunch dude, i read both of your detailed article the one on installing the filter and the one with the top end rebuild of your motor. I am thinking i might do somthing similar to my engine to atleast clean and inspect the motor, especially since the previous owner didn't know about cavitation i am so afraid of those pics from this site of the guy with water pouring into his cylinders.

anyways thanks a bunch this stuff is starting to make sense to me now. i see you live out by san fran, my uncle lives in pacifica and i want go to california so bad to visit and check out all the cool chopper and hot rod shops and just check the whole scene out. when ever i do that i will be bringing beer and steak your way thanks for the help man

well now i am continuing to widle the list of things i wanted todo before driving this thing regularly down to what i have todo and can afford so i can keep from ruining until i have money and time to work on it fully. this is deffinetly like # 1 on the list

 

[Blossom]

fear factor

I wanta learn to do this stuff too. So afraid to let a shop clean my radiator for fear they will put the wrong stuff (coolant) in there.

I did change my fuel filter myself this fall and replace the power window motor, it all stretches my fear factors bunches.

can you share with antedotes to problems encountered?

 

[yARIC008]

I wanta learn to do this stuff too. So afraid to let a shop clean my radiator for fear they will put the wrong stuff (coolant) in there.

I did change my fuel filter myself this fall and replace the power window motor, it all stretches my fear factors bunches.

can you share with antedotes to problems encountered?

Well what are your problems exactly?

 

[firemedicmonkey]

no problems yet, I am going to head out to napa this week and pick up the collant filter warden suggested. I will try and find a diesel shop for the thermostat, might have to go to the stealer :draw for that though! Hopefully after I get back from the bio-diesel class in michigan next weekend I will be able todo the coolant flush and filter install, as well as change the oil. I will keep you posted with any problems.

 

[firemedicmonkey]

So its been like forever but now I got the ol' girl running again. I intalled the block drains, with no problems and it was a snap. The hardest part was finding them, found some at NAPA for like $6 a piece. Then I flushed the system thoroughly, with the prestone kit and all the drains open.

I replaced the thermostat with one obtained from my local International dealer. I also got there fleet brand coolant, and there bottles of dca. My question is how much dca do I need to put in. I have 3 bottles or 15 units, and by my calculation i have 13.5 quart system capacity. Is there a handy reference chart?

Coming soon, coolant filter setup...

 

[argve]

two bottles on a fresh system. I always just put one in and then tested a few days later to see how much I needed to add to be safe. Overcharging is bad as well because it insulates the block from transfering heat to the coolant. It's a fine line we dance but typically it will always take the second bottle on a fresh system.

 

[Exekiel69]

I use 2 bottles when flushing the coolant system.

 

[SKimballC]

I have 3 bottles or 15 units, and by my calculation i have 13.5 quart system capacity. Is there a handy reference chart?

Coming soon, coolant filter setup...

Last I checked the coolant capacity was 28 quarts or 7 gallons. Here's a paraphrase of what DIS recommends, substituting some #'s for our application-

Fleetguard considers the safe level to be between 1.5 and 3.0. The following is an example on getting your level to the HIGH end of the safe level 3.0. Your '91 IDI has a capacity of 28 quarts. Each pint of additive is equal to 5 units. To figure out how many units 1-pint of additive will raise the coolant level, divide the 5-units by the capacity in gallons(7). 5 divided by 7= 0.71, this tells you that each pint of additive will raise the coolant level 0.7. If your current level is 1.6 and you wish to reach a safe level of 3 you would need to add 2 pints (2 x 0.7= 1.4; 1.6 + 1.4 = 3.0)