Flush or not to flush? Please read.
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Junior User
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
So to get this straight.
I should do a back flush, with hose water first, the do a distild water flush until it runs clear, and take a heater hose off the get the crap out of there aswell?
Also I do not know what coolant is in there. It's green, and is original antifreeze. So what kind should I put in?
So I would follow the directions in the tech folder on doing a back flush?
What do you guys store all the coolant in? Buckets?
After the antifreeze is out do you just let the water go on the ground? If not that's a lot og gallons to store until I go to recycle it.
Thanks!
I should do a back flush, with hose water first, the do a distild water flush until it runs clear, and take a heater hose off the get the crap out of there aswell?
Also I do not know what coolant is in there. It's green, and is original antifreeze. So what kind should I put in?
So I would follow the directions in the tech folder on doing a back flush?
What do you guys store all the coolant in? Buckets?
After the antifreeze is out do you just let the water go on the ground? If not that's a lot og gallons to store until I go to recycle it.
Thanks!
More Turbo
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 551
Likes: 19
If its green it isn't original, all of the 6.0's were shipped with Ford Gold.
I would definitely use the Fleet Guard Restore with an unknown green coolant.
The rest of your plan looks good, if you have any questions along the way the tech folder is full of flushing directions.
I would definitely use the Fleet Guard Restore with an unknown green coolant.
The rest of your plan looks good, if you have any questions along the way the tech folder is full of flushing directions.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 284
Likes: 0
From: Phila, Pa
Onestly I think the coolant filter is one of the best thing that ever happened to 6.0.I check my coolant filter today after only two thousand miles it sounds like one of those things you play the Cucaracha On when I shook it!
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,402
Likes: 114
From: Tuscaloosa, AL
If you're not having problems with high deltas, I don't think the backflush is neccessary except for the heater core. The heater core supply is on the passenger side. Disconnect it. If you disconnect it before the vacuum valve, just wire the valve open for the back flush.
The heater core return line is below the degas bottle and runs toward the fire wall and crosses over behind the engine to the heart core. Disconnect it below the degas bottle and run the garden hose into this end. If you can catch the crude that comes out, do. You will be surprised.
If you really have green coolant, it is not original. Since you don't have ford gold coolant, I would refill it with ELC Cat EC-1 coolant. Xerex made by valvoline has this elf with CatEC-1 on the front. NAPA carries it. Not every elc coolant is cat ec-1 rated. EC-1 coolant is what international runs inthese engines.
If you are changing coolant types, I would recommend using a Restore chemical flush. Restore is an alkali cleaner that cleans the silicates. I also thing is a decreased, but I'd like others the confirm this. Ford VC9 is the same as Restore plus and is an acidic cleaner to remove scale.
The heater core return line is below the degas bottle and runs toward the fire wall and crosses over behind the engine to the heart core. Disconnect it below the degas bottle and run the garden hose into this end. If you can catch the crude that comes out, do. You will be surprised.
If you really have green coolant, it is not original. Since you don't have ford gold coolant, I would refill it with ELC Cat EC-1 coolant. Xerex made by valvoline has this elf with CatEC-1 on the front. NAPA carries it. Not every elc coolant is cat ec-1 rated. EC-1 coolant is what international runs inthese engines.
If you are changing coolant types, I would recommend using a Restore chemical flush. Restore is an alkali cleaner that cleans the silicates. I also thing is a decreased, but I'd like others the confirm this. Ford VC9 is the same as Restore plus and is an acidic cleaner to remove scale.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,590
Likes: 0
Yes Restore is also a degreaser.
Here is a photo of what my flushes looked like. Red was the straight water flush. I would fill it with water, and then drive it on a 200 mile trip to the work site and back home and then drain the radiator draincock and both block plugs. I did this 5 times and took samples from each time. Then I performed the RESTORE flush, and performed 1200 rpm with no thermostat in it for 2 hours and then drained radiator and block again and flushed and flushed and flushed. through the radiator and both block drains. The jugs numbered in green were the result of Restore. As you can see, the water flush didn't really clean much.
Here is a photo of what my flushes looked like. Red was the straight water flush. I would fill it with water, and then drive it on a 200 mile trip to the work site and back home and then drain the radiator draincock and both block plugs. I did this 5 times and took samples from each time. Then I performed the RESTORE flush, and performed 1200 rpm with no thermostat in it for 2 hours and then drained radiator and block again and flushed and flushed and flushed. through the radiator and both block drains. The jugs numbered in green were the result of Restore. As you can see, the water flush didn't really clean much.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,590
Likes: 0
We go pretty hardcore back and forth on this thread. It started with CLR, but it gets pretty good with information if you keep going.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...cal-flush.html
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...cal-flush.html
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 8,241
Likes: 155
From: L.A. (Lower Alabama)
Considering the use of chemicals during flushing I f you check on the coolant manufacturers sight you will see stuff like this:
Question: My truck/equipment has conventional coolant in it, but I would like to use ELC. How do I convert my truck?
Answer: Follow these steps:
1. Drain the coolant into a suitable container.
2. Dispose of the coolant according to local regulations.
3. Remove the empty ACA filter and remove the filter base. Plug the
coolant lines or bypass the coolant lines to the filter base.
4. Flush the system with clean water to remove any debris.
5. Use Cat cleaner to clean the system. Follow the instructions on the
label.
6. Drain the cleaner into a suitable container. Flush the cooling system
with clean water
7. Fill the cooling system with clean water and operate the engine until the
engine is warmed to 49 to 66 deg. C (120 to 150 deg. F)
8. Drain the cooling system into a suitable container and flush the cooling
system with clean water.
And here's the reason why.
Question: Does ELC really have acid in it? Does “acid based” mean it is corrosive? Since it is acid based, does it attack aluminum?
Answer: The organic acids used in ELC’s additive package have been neutralized to form highly effective corrosion inhibitors often referred to as carboxylates. The difference is they are “organic” acids versus the “inorganic” acids found in standard heavy-duty coolants. The use of acids as corrosion inhibitors is not new. Conventional coolants contain inorganic inhibitors such as phosphate and/or borate, which are derived from phosphoric acid and boric acid respectively.
The phosphate and or Borate from the old coolant remains on the surfaces even after a fresh water flush. It takes cleaning chemicals to remove them and the surface corrosion created by them to prepare the surface for the structured protective corrosion that is the mechanism of how the ELC works to occur.
This info is from the Cat sight here:
http://louisianacat.com/system/resou...kVU/elcfaq.pdf
Most of the other ELC manufacturers have similar info posted.
To be honest I don't think your engine is going to blow if you don't flush with cleaner during the change. It just has a better chance of protecting your engine as it was intended if you don't skip any steps. It's intended to prepare the surface of the metal, it's not going to fix anything. This is general info, not specific to the 6.0 Ford so you have to weigh possibly clogging the oil cooler against this info and make your own decision.
__________________
More discussion and good info on the subject here:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...cal-flush.html
Question: My truck/equipment has conventional coolant in it, but I would like to use ELC. How do I convert my truck?
Answer: Follow these steps:
1. Drain the coolant into a suitable container.
2. Dispose of the coolant according to local regulations.
3. Remove the empty ACA filter and remove the filter base. Plug the
coolant lines or bypass the coolant lines to the filter base.
4. Flush the system with clean water to remove any debris.
5. Use Cat cleaner to clean the system. Follow the instructions on the
label.
6. Drain the cleaner into a suitable container. Flush the cooling system
with clean water
7. Fill the cooling system with clean water and operate the engine until the
engine is warmed to 49 to 66 deg. C (120 to 150 deg. F)
8. Drain the cooling system into a suitable container and flush the cooling
system with clean water.
And here's the reason why.
Question: Does ELC really have acid in it? Does “acid based” mean it is corrosive? Since it is acid based, does it attack aluminum?
Answer: The organic acids used in ELC’s additive package have been neutralized to form highly effective corrosion inhibitors often referred to as carboxylates. The difference is they are “organic” acids versus the “inorganic” acids found in standard heavy-duty coolants. The use of acids as corrosion inhibitors is not new. Conventional coolants contain inorganic inhibitors such as phosphate and/or borate, which are derived from phosphoric acid and boric acid respectively.
The phosphate and or Borate from the old coolant remains on the surfaces even after a fresh water flush. It takes cleaning chemicals to remove them and the surface corrosion created by them to prepare the surface for the structured protective corrosion that is the mechanism of how the ELC works to occur.
This info is from the Cat sight here:
http://louisianacat.com/system/resou...kVU/elcfaq.pdf
Most of the other ELC manufacturers have similar info posted.
To be honest I don't think your engine is going to blow if you don't flush with cleaner during the change. It just has a better chance of protecting your engine as it was intended if you don't skip any steps. It's intended to prepare the surface of the metal, it's not going to fix anything. This is general info, not specific to the 6.0 Ford so you have to weigh possibly clogging the oil cooler against this info and make your own decision.
__________________
More discussion and good info on the subject here:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...cal-flush.html
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