I am weighing options as to what to do about a radiator flush for me and my wife's 1997 Ranger XLT. It is in need of a flush big time, and the current options I am considering are to buy the Prestone kit and use their cleaner and stuff, or take to a local shop that uses the Wynn's power flush equipment, which I hear is real good. The Wynn's gig is supposed to replace 90-95% of the old coolant with fresh stuff. The local shop offers it for $49.95, which sounds alright. But could I do a good enough job with the Prestone kit and cleaner, while also saving at least $30? What say you?

 

I'd run the prestone kit because you can get more complete flush and use their super flush product.

Here's what I did...

1. flush with hose/flush kit and fill with water.
2. run until hot so the coolant in the block can get mixed out
3. flush with hose/flush kit again
4. add super flush cleaner and run until hot (drive around)
5. flush again with hose/kit...you'd be surprised how much more crap comes out.
6. Fill with water and run till hot so remaining flush in block comes out.
7. fill with coolant and go your own way.

Might be overkill, but if you have the time, I think it's more complete that the 49.95 jobs advertised.

 

Just as long as it gets ALL the junk out, that's all I care about. I also want to rinse out the recovery tank and assume it will just drain out as well.

I do have the time on days off, so that's not the problem. The flush kit stays installed and I do not remove it, if I remember right. I think I need the Prestone kit, some coolant, radiator cleaner, a tester, new radiator cap.....am I missing anything here?

 

I think you have everything you need. Might be a good time to replace any hoses if it has been a while.

Here's a tip for the overflow tank if it is nearly as crapped up as mine was...brake cleaner with a tube on it (like the WD40 tube) will clean away all that crap...then make sure you flush it well with water. Mine looked like new when I was done.

 

I like the idea on cleaning the overflow tank!! I just changed out everything (hoses, radiator, thermostat, cap, coolant) in my '95. I tried to clean out the tank but it is still so dirty that it is hard to see the coolant level. I will try the brake cleaner trick.

 

Yeah, I tried to us a bottle brush and filled it with Simple Green...still looked pretty dirty when I was done. Try to get the brake cleaner on the top underside too (hard to do), cause there is junk there and it make it's way down if the coolant gets shaken up and touches it.

 

What color is the coolant? If it is very brown, you may have a serious problem( underline serious please) . The coolant is just as important to the engine as good oil. If you don't properly flush the system and evaluate the problem you may be looking at a pre-mature engine death. I would go to a trusted mechanic and see if he or she will let you in on some of the details of the cooling system evaluation, evacuation and re-filling. It would be good to have the piece of mind for yourself and learn a few things about the system.
Be sure to flush the cleaner out two times per prestones directions. Refill with good quality antifreeze and listen for air bubbles trapped in the system. You will hear a gurgling sound in the passenger compartment, this usually indicates air in the system. After the engine is flushed and re-filled to capacity keep an eye on the temp guage to make sure it is stable. Keep an eye on the water pump weep-hole also, I have heard that some chemical flushes are hard on water-pump seals. Spend 7 bucks on a new radiator cap every time you flush, this will help keep the system at the right pressure, avoiding costly blown gaskets.

 

I will try a flush and new cap for now and see what that does. If it will hold off for a while, I may spend the big bucks to replace everything (about $500).

 

The reason I bump this back up is to ask about the Prestone kit and if it really is worth it. On another forum a poster said:

I am still unsure what to do.

 

If your gonna spend the big bucks, use this coolant, I put it in my mustang and the TEMP gauge never passes a certain point that is lower than with regular coolant......you can take the cap off when hot bevause the system is only at 2 or 3 psi, its also waterless.....which means no corrosion of hoses and metal parts....GREAT stuff

Evans Cooling

 

All liquid cooled internal combustion engines are cooled by water-based solutions to remove heat from the engine. Most use an Anti-Freeze mixture to prevent freezing and raise the boiling point of the cooling system._ The Antifreeze most often used is Ethylene Glycol (“EG”) which is highly toxic (poisonous). Currently conventional coolants are a mixture of Ethylene Glycol and water (“EGW”), A mixture which creates serious problems for which answers have been sought for many years. Because of the water content in EGW (usually 30% to 50%), engines which must be operated at high cooling system pressure (from 15 to 24 PSIG) are still subject to boil-over failures (when operated at high temperature or engine loads). Additionally, because of the high pressures, components such as; hoses, radiators, and heater cores are subject to bursting failures. Also water produces water vapor (steam bubbles) in large volumes, within the engine coolant jackets, which is the fundamental cause of engine “knock” which reduces fuel efficiency and engine power and causes “cavitation” (trapped vapor stalling of the coolant pump, flow loss, and metal fracturing), resulting in loss of coolant, coolant flow and premature engine damage. Finally, EGW requires periodic coolant level checks and replacement, and it is highly toxic.

There has been no practical answer to the problems of EGW until Jack Evans developed Evans NPG™ as a revolutionary new coolant and cooling technology. A simple answer to all the problems of EGW cooling. NPG™ is a highly effective alternate, using Propylene Glycol (“PG”), a safe food and pharmaceutical additive. Most importantly, this new coolant contains no water, hence it has been termed Non-Aqueous (water-free) propylene glycol (“NPG”™) It is covered by many Evans patents, both issued and pending, for both the NPG™ coolant formulations and various system constructions which enhance the performance of the basic NPG™ coolant.

Evans NPG™ and now NPG+™ offer significant advantages over EGW coolants and propylene glycol water coolants (“PGW”), which are only slightly less toxic than EGW coolants. NPG™ virtually eliminates overheating (it will never boil-over). When used as a replacement coolant in current systems there is a marked reduction of critical engine “Hot Spots” (the major cause of engine “knock”), increased power and fuel efficiency (From 5% to 15% by extensive company and independent tests). NPG™ also eliminates virtually all cooling system corrosion (i.e.; rust and cavitation (vapor damage described earlier), and it is essentially non-toxic lifetime coolant (tested in excess of 500,000 miles). The coolant base PG is so safe that it is rated “Generally Regarded As Safe (GRAS)” by the EPA, and it is not classified as a hazardous waste. Additional safe operation with an Evans NPG™ system is a result of the coolant operates at a “No to Low system pressure,” (from 0 to 7 PSIG) which means components will not be subjected to high pressure, as is used with EGW, (no “burst” failures) and there is significantly reduced danger of being burned by coolant spray if the cap is released.

 

I'm curious as to what the best coolant is for a Ford truck. Is the simple Prestone green stuff alright? Or is there better out there? I am leaning towards following the flush directions in my Haynes manual for the flush. I heard the LowTox stuff is bad news and can gum up your engine.

 

Well the problem was fixed cheaply and easily. All problems were related to a bad heater control valve. It would leak when the heater was off, but not when on. I paid $16.95 after tax for a new one at Auto Zone. All hoses are OK. Now just to flush and refill, and all will be well.

 

Why not just use 100% prestone?

 

Antifreeze has a lower freezing point and higher boiling point than water and has additives that prevent rust, etc. That said, it's designed to be diluted with water to give you the operating temperature range you actually need.

Using straight Prestone would be a waste of money since it's designed to be diluted with water. Also coolant is thicker than water, and I'm not sure if it would be good for the pump, etc. to run the system without diluting the coolant.