Guys

I just bought a 1992 Ford F250 4x4 w. 7.5L (460) gas engine. I am getting ready to do a tune-up and was curious as to the what and why of flushing and replacing the coolant. Can someone point me to the exact process, etc?

 

Coolant, like automatic transmission fluid, should be changed every 30k miles.

Have the new coolant, distilled or DI water, radiator flush, new t-stat and gasket, towels and rags, 5 ga bucket and large catch pan, and blue rtv on hand and ready to go.

This is a good time to check the water pump since your draining the coolant.

Safely and legally drain the coolant, remove the t-stat and put the housing back on. Put the radiator flush chemical per it's instuctions and fill the system with regular water. Run the engine per the instructions on the flush bottle, I just go for a 20 minute drive.

Let it cool down a bit and drain the system again. Backflush the heater core if you have heating problems. There should be a plug on the drivers side of the engine that you should remove to completely drain the engine of coolant. Put RTV on the plug thread when you put it back in the block.

Install the new t-stat in the correct position and gasket, blue rtv if necessary due to a corroded or uneven housing surface. Torque the bolts to spec, don't guess. Make sure all hoses and drain plugs are installed and tight, fill the system with 50/50 mix of coolant and distilled water.

Let the engine run to operating temp with the radiator cap off to help in removing air in the system.

Enjoy your new ride!

 

Thanks John!...... whats 'blue rtv' ?

 

Permatex or something similar for water sealing applications. It's at any auto parts store for about $5-$10. Check the link.....

Gasket Makers : Permatex® Sensor-Safe Blue RTV Silicone Gasket Maker

 

Alternatively, get a few quotes from local shops on what a flush goes for. Where I work we have a machine that goes inline with one of the hoses, old coolant goes in and new coolant goes out. Also saves the hassle of trying to get rid of used coolant.

 

local shop estimates run $120 to $150

 

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