Cooling System, Cleaning

To remove rust, sludge and other foreign material from the cooling system, use Ford Premium Cooling System Flush F1AZ-19A503-A or equivalent meeting Ford specification ESR-M14P7-A that is safe for use with aluminum radiators (8005).

CAUTION: Always remove the water thermostat (8575) prior to pressure flushing.

Cleaning restores cooling efficiency and helps prevent overheating. A pulsating or reversed direction of flushing water will loosen sediment more quickly than a steady flow in the normal coolant flow direction.

In severe cases, cleaning solvents may not properly clean the cooling system for efficient operation. It will be necessary to use the pressure flushing method, using Rotunda Cooling System Flusher 106-00010 or equivalent.

Dispose of old coolant and flushing water contaminated with antifreeze and cleaning chemicals in accordance with local, state and federal laws.

Cooling System Flush Procedure

CAUTION: Always remove the water thermostat prior to pressure flushing.

CAUTION: Do not back-flush cooling systems that have a water shutoff valve in the heater system. Damage to the valve can result.

In severe cases, cleaning solvents may not properly clean the cooling system for efficient operation. It will be necessary to use the pressure flushing method.

Make sure the cylinder head bolts are properly tightened to prevent possible water leakage into cylinder.

A pulsating or reversed direction of flushing water will loosen sediment more quickly than a steady flow in the normal direction of coolant flow.

Heater Core Back-Flushing

All engine cooling system flushing and back-flushing procedures must include a separate back-flushing of the heater or air conditioning system heater core (18476), after the flushing or back-flushing of the engine cooling system.

The correct back-flushing procedure for heater core is as follows:

1. Disconnect the heater core outlet hose from the water pump fitting and install a female garden hose-end fitting adapter in the end of the outlet heater hose. Secure with a hose clamp.

1. Connect the female garden hose end of the outlet heater hose to the male end of a water supply garden hose.

1. Disconnect the heater core inlet hose from the engine block fitting and allow to drain into an appropriate container.

1. Check to be certain the water valve is open (no vacuum) if a water valve is installed in the heater core inlet hose.

1. Turn the water supply valve on and off several times so that the surge action helps to dislodge larger stubborn particles from the heater core tubes. Allow full water pressure to flow for approximately five minutes.

1. Apply vacuum to the water valve vacuum motor, if a water valve is installed in the heater core inlet heater hose, to ensure proper operation of the water valve and proper closure with no water leakage. Replace the water valve if required.

1. Remove the hose clamp and female garden hose end adapter from the end of the outlet heater hose and reconnect the outlet heater hose onto the water pump fitting.

1. Connect the inlet heater hose onto the engine block fitting.

1. Fill the cooling system. Refer to the procedure in this section.

Test the system for proper heater performance with the specified engine cooling system conditions.