coolant questions

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Dec 6, 2010 | 06:46 AM

82airborne82

Thread Starter

Senior User

Joined: Mar 2010

Posts: 156

Likes: 0

From: fort bragg, North Carolin

coolant questions

hey guys today I want to flush out the coolant in my 77 f250. my question is what type of coolant do you all recommend and what is the easiest way to flush out the old stuff? thanks for any help. the motor is of the 460 family not sure that makes a difference.

Dec 6, 2010 | 08:35 AM

77&79F250

Moderator & parts slinger

Joined: Feb 2007

Posts: 50,253

Likes: 5,815

From: S/W Missouri, Polk county

Ha LEG hahaha, just kidding, I used the Preston in line kit and it worked pretty well, have the front end a little higher (car ramps) to get out all the air.

A tip off FTE on that one.

Wimps jump with a reserve, just kidding again, LMAO.

Dec 6, 2010 | 11:44 AM

82airborne82

Thread Starter

Senior User

Joined: Mar 2010

Posts: 156

Likes: 0

From: fort bragg, North Carolin

Ha be careful over there! one day Im going to unhook my static line right before an exit and use my reserve so I can turn in an unused main! Its kinda a exclusive club around here! well probably not but anyway I got 3 gallons of the prestone 50/50 antifreeze coolant so I think that plus 3 gallons of water should be enough??? I don't have that T flush set up so I should just pull the plugs in the bottom of the engine and reseal the threads I guess. thanks for the help again

Dec 6, 2010 | 11:55 AM

77&79F250

Moderator & parts slinger

Joined: Feb 2007

Posts: 50,253

Likes: 5,815

From: S/W Missouri, Polk county

That club could get you killed, so no thanks. You don't mean the freeze plugs do you?

Those do not just pull out and are just a hard to get back in.

Just go get the t flush kit, its cheap enough and splices in one heater line and you use a running garden hose to flush it all out with the truck running.

The directions are on the package and easy to follow.

Dec 6, 2010 | 02:01 PM

82airborne82

Thread Starter

Senior User

Joined: Mar 2010

Posts: 156

Likes: 0

From: fort bragg, North Carolin

thanks again 77&79 I did just got the flush kit it was like 4$ and I was definately not gonna mess with the freeze plugs my haynes manual said there are 2 coolant plugs on the bottom of the engine wich I infact did find however the t flush looked like and was a much better way to go! make sure to save that overseas money and buy some nice cool stuff for your rigs!!!

Dec 6, 2010 | 03:24 PM

82airborne82

Thread Starter

Senior User

Joined: Mar 2010

Posts: 156

Likes: 0

From: fort bragg, North Carolin

heres another odd thing, the haynes manual states that the coolant capacity for this truck is 23 qts however I could only get about 12 qts before it was filled up?

Dec 6, 2010 | 03:31 PM

HIO Silver

Fleet Owner

Joined: Dec 2009

Posts: 20,678

Likes: 83

From: NorCal

2x on the Prestone flush fitting. Easy as pie. Don't forget to open the heater valve so the coolant in there is also flushed out. Might be a good time to replace the thermostat with a type that fails open.

Lastly, feel your hoses for soft spots. Hoses fail/crack from the inside. One of my co-workers replaces all the hoses on his RV every three years without fail. It's his way of hedging against the system failing in the middle of a family trip - a bit over the top to me but I could totally understand his approach.