Getting a headache!
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2011
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Getting a headache!
Well, have my truck at the shop. Getting fluids changed and such. The shop owner called me up in regard to the coolant flush. I gave him specific instructions to flush the coolant (84K miles on the gold), flush it all out and then run VC-9 through it and then fill with the Fleet Final Charge (ELC) and distilled H2o as recommended by many of your posts.
Anyway, he calls me up and states that the VC-9 isn't really needed really because the truck was well taken care of.......bla, bla...
Anyway, told him thats what your supposed to do as per Ford and many posts I have read. He was baffled and said they really dont do it often unless there was some failure of some sort...bla, bla, again.
Anyway, he will do "what ever I want" so it will get done but is it me? Anyone else hear this also? I wish I had a good shop around me!
Anyway, he calls me up and states that the VC-9 isn't really needed really because the truck was well taken care of.......bla, bla...
Anyway, told him thats what your supposed to do as per Ford and many posts I have read. He was baffled and said they really dont do it often unless there was some failure of some sort...bla, bla, again.
Anyway, he will do "what ever I want" so it will get done but is it me? Anyone else hear this also? I wish I had a good shop around me!
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 26,966
Likes: 50
From: Texas
No need for additive with the final charge. Finding a shop that will flush with distilled water is VERY difficult. If you stop by while he's doing it, you'll probably find he's using tap water to flush.
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Senior User
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I am sure he is using tap water to flush too. Even the Ford dealer said distilled to flush wasn't needed. Well, at least he has the good coolant I left him and the distilled H2O.
Like I said, he didn't even think the VC-9 was necessary. When I insisted he said he knew how to do it and it takes about an hour to run it through and then do the flush. Think he just wants to cut corners............
Having him replace thermostat and upper / lower rad hoses too.
Had the needle bearings re-packed and told him to use new gasket as recommended by fellow FTE.
Gave him purple for front and rear diffs.
He installed the new John Woods valve Body when he did the trans.
Supposed best shop in this small town. Had the truck all day and won't be ready until tomorrow!
Just got this 2003 F350 with 84K on it but want all old stuff out so I have a baseline to work with.
Thanks
Like I said, he didn't even think the VC-9 was necessary. When I insisted he said he knew how to do it and it takes about an hour to run it through and then do the flush. Think he just wants to cut corners............
Having him replace thermostat and upper / lower rad hoses too.
Had the needle bearings re-packed and told him to use new gasket as recommended by fellow FTE.
Gave him purple for front and rear diffs.
He installed the new John Woods valve Body when he did the trans.
Supposed best shop in this small town. Had the truck all day and won't be ready until tomorrow!
Just got this 2003 F350 with 84K on it but want all old stuff out so I have a baseline to work with.
Thanks
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 756
Likes: 2
From: Phoenix Az
I've come to the conclusion that, excluding dealers, most shops are used to people wanting the cheapest and quickest fix they can get. They're so used to it, they can't conceive of anything else.
This is not to say that there aren't exceptions.
This is not to say that there aren't exceptions.
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Super Moderator
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 29,380
Likes: 118
From: Central Coast of CA
Anyway, he calls me up and states that the VC-9 isn't really needed really because the truck was well taken care of.......bla, bla...
Anyway, told him thats what your supposed to do as per Ford and many posts I have read. He was baffled and said they really dont do it often unless there was some failure of some sort...bla, bla, again.
Anyway, he will do "what ever I want" so it will get done but is it me? Anyone else hear this also? I wish I had a good shop around me!
Anyway, told him thats what your supposed to do as per Ford and many posts I have read. He was baffled and said they really dont do it often unless there was some failure of some sort...bla, bla, again.
Anyway, he will do "what ever I want" so it will get done but is it me? Anyone else hear this also? I wish I had a good shop around me!
Just back flush with tap water until it's clear, then flush with distilled 3 or 4 times to get all the tap water out, then fill with your choice of concentrated ELC.
Check out my thread here https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...ml#post8935201 regarding Gooch's coolant flush procedure. You'll notice there's no mention of VC-9 because it's just not necessary unless you've had some kind of problem, like you said your mechanic alluded to in your post.
Stewart
PS - Based on your post, it sounds like your truck is at a good shop. He'll do whatever you want, but he contacted you after determining your coolant wasn't contaminated and he let you know the VC-9 wasn't needed. He's right.
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Super Moderator
Joined: May 2004
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From: Central Coast of CA
What year is your truck? You say it had the Ford Gold in it so it must be an '02 or '03, yes?
Stewart
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The shop owner stated the tech didn't check the coolant yet but saw my note to use the VC-9. He then proceeded to say it is only used if oil contaminated. so and so forth.
The original coolant from 2003 was in the truck that I purchased from private owner. 84k mile son it and the truck was outside most of that time. Just figured i would be safe to run it through.
Sound alright?
The original coolant from 2003 was in the truck that I purchased from private owner. 84k mile son it and the truck was outside most of that time. Just figured i would be safe to run it through.
Sound alright?
Super Moderator
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 29,380
Likes: 118
From: Central Coast of CA
The original coolant from 2003 was in the truck that I purchased from private owner. 84k mile son it and the truck was outside most of that time. Just figured i would be safe to run it through.
Hey man, it's your money. If you wanna waste it on labor charges for doing the work as well as the purchase of the chemical, who am I to argue!
Sound alright?
Stewart
Super Moderator
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 29,380
Likes: 118
From: Central Coast of CA
When you backflush your block with tap water, you need to flush the tap water out of the block with distilled water. Usually three or four flushes with the distilled is enough.
Since you can't get all of the distilled water out, even after you pull the block drain plugs one each side of the block, when you add concentrated ELC, it will mix with the remaining distilled water, creating an almost perfect 50/50 mix.
Stewart
Since you can't get all of the distilled water out, even after you pull the block drain plugs one each side of the block, when you add concentrated ELC, it will mix with the remaining distilled water, creating an almost perfect 50/50 mix.
Stewart