I need to change out the coolant. A guy at work suggested quick lube, said they can flush out the system. He mentioned that I need to tell them to add the additive. I aint to sure about taking my truck to quick lube???? What should I do, What is the best way to clean the system out? I dont have a filter.

 

Dump it.

Fill with water, run up to operating temp.

Dump it again.

Fill with the appropriate coolant mixture.

 

1 Empty the radiator
2 pull the drain plugs from the side(s) of the block. Put em back in.
3 Add water & a cooling system cleaner. Drive it for 5-10 miles. let cool and drain
4 repeat step 1-3 with water only
5 Drain again....add coolant and additive.

That's the best way, but not the only way

BTW: The plugs in the side of the block are a PITA to get out. and may require a special square socket, 5/16 IIRC
One is behind the starter.

 

Do you have to keep the heater on to get the coolant out of the heater core?

 

I wouldnt think so, the water pump will flush it out with the way cuda said.

 

That wouldn't be a bad idea. Keep it on hot.

The more times you flush it the better. I keep flushing till the "water" comes out clear, as in no green or red. There's no need to completely drain the block if you do it this way. All you're doing then is giving yourself a chance to burn yourself a few times repeatedly.

 

What do you guys think about the preston flush set up that lets you hook up a garden hose to the heater hose? Might make it easer that doing the flush and repeat thing. http://www.prestone.com/products/fla...cessories2.swf

 

I have one of those Prestone kits on my little commuter car. It worked fine, but you have to do it someplace that a big mess on the ground is acceptable. I'd try to catch all the coolant you can first and dispose of properly if possible. I doubt your PSD would ever warm up though with fresh cold water plumbed into it.

 

Hey you all might want to check out the my garage thing out.

http://www.prestone.com/index.php

 

I have heard of some guys who run some CLR and water during the flushes...anyone tried it?

They say it works very well and clears out a bunch of the gunk that builds up, but I havent tried it.

 

The coolant is always flowing through the heater core.

 

Sounds good and bad. Good that it might get some gunk that the coolant flush might miss and bad because if you cant flush it all out what will it do to your engin?

 

Then what turns the heat on and off? Wont you always have heat on if the water is always flowing through the core?

 

That's some very corrosive stuff. I would not use it. There are many coolant system cleaners that will do the job...but none of them will get all the crud out of the bottom of the water jackets. The only way to get it out is to remove the drain plugs on the side of the block and flush it with a garden hose. (PITA) You would not believe how much rust, sand and calcium that comes out.

 

The blend door controls the heat in the cab, it shuts off the air flow...not the water flow.

There is a water flow control valve that you can add to a heater core line. It will make your AC work a little better.

Look here:
http://www.dieselsite.com/index.asp?...PROD&ProdID=21