I am new to this forum, and wanted to pick some brains. I own a 2001 f-150 4.2L with manual trans. I recently began fixing a few issues that have began to mount with my truck, but need some help with one.

I did a driveway coolant flush which entailed swapping the coolant lines as they were brittle, draining the coolant from the radiator, changing out the thermostat, as well as draining fluid from the plug on the driver side of the block. After searching the forum, I found that there is another plug behind the starter that I will look at during the next stage of the flush. After assembly I put in 2 bottles (1 liter each) of Prestone Super Radiator Cleaner and 2 gallons of distilled water to clean out crud in the system before replacing with anti-freeze and distilled water mix. For those wondering, I am not in a cold climate, so not having anti-freeze in the system for a short time is not an issue.

When I drained the radiator, the coolant was very dark (yah, I know, I should have never let it get to this point), but when I drained the block from the plug at the driver side of the engine block, the coolant was bright orange. To add another piece of information, when I did remove the plug from the driver side of the block, nothing happened. After looking a little harder, I realized it was clogged and (lightly) plunged a screwdriver through the clog that yielded fluid.

Here is where my question comes into the equation. After buttoning everything up, double checking, and triple checking that I had not forgotten anything, I added the previously mentioned fluids. The problem is that when I drained everything and added fluid, I was only dealing with 2 gallons and 2 liters of fluid. After looking through the users manual before the project and doing the liters to gallons conversion, I should have added just over 5 gallons of fluid (if I had drained the entire system, which I now know I did not, after reading through some other posts on this and other forums). I cranked the engine, and she ran for an hour with me constantly checking for leaks and overheating. The fluid never changed from completely clear (which I think it should have if it were to mix with old fluid remaining in the block), and the truck never overheated.

Is there a possibility that I have a clogged pathway somewhere that is limiting fluid from passing through the entire coolant system? Or am I just doing this wrong? I am concerned to the point that the truck is not going to leave my driveway until I am satisfied that she is cleaned out correctly.
Any suggestions or input is greatly appreciated!

 

The only thing I can think of, to test of there is some form of blockage between the main hoses to the radiator and the internals of the block, is to find the other drain plug (somewhere behind the starter) and make a connection that induces fluid pressure to both engine block drain plugs to see if it busts out anything through the lower or upper channels that return and come from the radiator (hoses removed obviously). In my mind that might work to break any large clogs if they exist. Hopefully it does not damage any gaskets.

Any word of caution?

 

I dont think you system holds 5 gallons. When you drain, you should cut one heater hose and put a flush TEE into the line. YOu can then turn on the garden hose, and blow thru to the radiator drain, and radiator cap. I like to pinch off the hose to the heater core and make the water flow one way, then open and let it flow thru the core... not a bad idea to take the hoses off and shoot just thru the heater core.. both directions.

 

Thanks for the input! I was just going off of conversions from liters to gallons, from the users manual, and that was probably user error. Since my last post, I have run the truck about 300 miles, and no issues have come to light other than the water pump itself, so your thinking that the coolant capacity not being 5 gallons is probably right. I am planning on doing the actual flush this weekend, and take another look at the water pump that is possibly going south on me. I'll give your suggestion about pushing the water in both directions a try. I'll let y'all know, if there are any complications that I need help with on this. Thanks!

 

well, call me WRONG.. i looked in the manual and even the 4.2 motor and radiator are listed as 20 quarts (5 gallons). I didnt thiink the smaller motor had that capacity or radiator size.. I still think the hose removal and flush is a good idea. and a TEE for the fill.