Yeah you can't rely on the factory gauges to tell you anything. The first time you plug in an aftermarket gauge you will learn that. When you say your temp ever moves do you mean your engine is running at 185 degrees, 195 degrees, 215 degrees, 225 degrees?

 

I have been checking them, they are less than 15....I am good...

 

Flushed my coolant this weekend and all went well.

Used Ford Premium coolant (which I have always used) as I change/flush my coolant every 50,000 miles or so.

I also run a dieselsite.com coolant filter and still amazed at the bits of black casting sand and "stuff" that is removed by the coolant filter. There was NO white substance (silcate drop-out) or any gummy sediment, so I guess all is well?

I used 24 gallons of distilled water to ensure a 100% flush and used 3.5 - 3.75 gallons of Ford coolant.

Total capacity of system is 27.5 qts, which have of that is 5.5 gallons of coolant (I used more in order to fill with coolant and water to the "cold fill line" on the degas bottle.

Coolant that came out was yellow and not brown or any other color as some have reported... so hopefully between freqent flushing and using a coolant filter, all is well.

 

Why when i had my cooolant flushed and fillef at the ford dealership they put back in green coolant?

 

Thats weird.

 

I would take it back and have them check it should be Gold in color the Green is for the 7.3 you can not mix the two.
pop

 

Be sure to check your coolant nitrite level as well to monitor it's health
http://www.fectrucks.com/fec/dmdocum...ord64maint.pdf

 

Green coolant is NOT to be used in the 6.0L motor and the owners manual and service manaul clearly state such!!!

As well, the green and the recommended Gold coolant are NOT compatible.

I would go back to dealer and have them flush (and I mean really flush the entire system (not drain and refill) and ensure that 100% of the old coolant and water mixture has been removed... then refill with the proper Ford Premium Gold coolant.

I would also watch them do it and I would question who did it the first time... as any certified Ford diesel tech knows this!!!!!

If the dealer pulls up the service manual and warnings... it clearly states which coolant to use and that they NOT to be mixed.

A day or two use is not going to hurt anything... but get it done properly and to your 100% satisfaction. This is why I would watch to ensure that they flush it well and get all traces of the green coolant out!!!!

 

Any links to procedures or videos (better) explaining how to "flush" (not drain and fill). Also, what is meant by "back flushing" and how is it done.

I am asking because (in my limited knowledge) a "flush" (instead of drain and fill) would involve connecting some sort of pump up to the cooling system, removing the thermostat and "force" water (should it be distilled - in which case a garden hose as the "pump" wouldn't work, right) through the system until the draining coolant runs totally clear.

Again, in my limited knowledge, it seems the water pump would impede flushing.

Back flushing - to me that means reversing the direction that the "pump" (I mention above) forces the water through the system. Does that just involve using the opposite radiator hose as above. Again, it seems the water pump would impede this.

Sorry for my lack of knowledge.

Also, I can't remember which radiator hose takes coolant to the engine from the radiator - top or bottom. I tried to logic it out but I guess I am not smart enough. I also haven't actually looked at the engine before writing this. My wife is using the truck today because I took her car in for service.

I can't afford what dealerships are charging to do routine maintenance and can't afford $70K for a new Super Duty thus I need to maintain my present truck to get the most life from it (not to mention that I LOVE my truck).

 

This should help you understand the reason to ditch the Gold junk it can't take the heat. Gauges are a must to do this need to know EOT-ECT
If you use ELC coolant or the Ford Gold coolant the flush is the same.
Replaced oil cooler still difference in temps - Page 21 - Ford Powerstroke Diesel Forum
This should be in the driverside block drain to ease the pain in draining and getting burned.
http://www.quickoildrainvalve.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=F-108N&Search.x=20&Search.y=17
Here is another great cooling flush if you have to back flush.
http://home.comcast.net/~lyon.family1/truck/Powerstroke%20Cooling%20System%20Flush%20v1-0.pdf
Flushing and cleaning the 6.0

Restore is for cleaning out any silicate goo. VC-9 is for cleaning out iron and scale. Restore Plus is the same as VC-9 and cheaper.

To flush drain the coolant by removing the lower radiator hose from the radiator, and removing the drain plug from the driver side of the block. There is a drain plug on the passenger side also but you have to remove the starter to get to it. I don't bother with that one.
I also highly recommend you pull the thermostat out on your first drain and put the housing back without the thermostat. It only takes about 10 minutes and will save you 2.5 hrs or so in doing this whole procedure.

Ok now put the lower hose back on and the drain plug back in the block if you removed it. This is the procedure you will use each time to drain the system, except you will not touch the thermostat again until you're finished the whole procedure. Make sure that you set your heater to high while doing this to flush out the heater core as well.

Fill the cooling system with distilled water, start the truck and let the water circulate for 5 minutes. (if you did not remove the thermostat you must run the truck until the thermostat opens + 5 minutes to circulate. This takes 15 to 20 minutes each cycle and is why you should just remove the thermostat) Stop the engine. Drain the system and repeat the flush.

Now add at least 1/2 gallon of Restore and fill with distilled water. I used cardboard in front of the radiator because you have to get to 185* 190* for these products to work. Drive truck or run on high idle for 60-90 minutes just before you get back from your drive remove the cardboard this will help in the cool down same on the Restore+ flush. Drain and flush 3 or 4 times. or tell clean

Add 2qts VC-9 or 1/2gal of Restore Plus, top with distilled water, and drive the truck or run on high idle for 60-90 minutes. Now drain and flush until flush water comes out clear and clean. When you get clean flush water, flush 3 more times using distilled water while draining the block.

After your final distilled water drain it is time to put the thermostat back in take a funnel and dump the ELC coolant down the t/stat hole 3 1/2 gallons or till full to the top of the hole that way you have O air in the block, I recommend you install a new thermostat at this point 3C3Z-8575-AA Thermostat with housing come with new o-ring. They are only $30 or so and it is good maintenance procedure to do so and top off with distilled water. Drive the truck or let run for a while topping off with distilled water. Check the truck over the next few days and top up as required while any air left in the system works its way out useing the 1/2 gallon left over but fill with distilled water that will give you 1 gallon of mix fill ONLY to the add mark this is the new full cald mark. Remember the system hold 7 gallons of coolant by draining the driverside block drain and Radiator you remove adout 3 1/2 gallons of DISTILLED water that is why you only use 3 1/2 gallons of concentrate coolant this gives you a 50/50 mix.

Keep some 50/50 ELC on hand to use to top off the cooling system from here out and you are good to go.

new t/stat from Ford it should all come together (housing-t/stat-o-ring) in a box. The part number is RT-1169
My advice is to get some ph strips from Napa and check the ph level before add ELC coolant because you what a ph level of 7.0 if higher you must keep flushing to get to a neutral balance in the distilled water then you can add coolant, for me it was 6 flushes or 24 gallons of distilled water.
I used a total of 48 gallons of distilled water 1/4 tank of fuel and 12.5hrs of my time

Here is the Restore Product from Cummins dealer
http://www.fleetguard.com/pdfs/produ...LI33024-GB.pdf
pop

 

Its been over 1yr that they did it i didnt have gold coolant in befor so they screwed me

 

DieselPop,

Absolutely amazing information. That is even detailed enough for a complete noob like me. Thank you very much !!

If anyone else has problems with the second two links in DieselPop's post above you may have to copy and paste the link into your browser instead of clicking on the link.