Coolant question
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 347
Likes: 7
From: San Jose, CA
Coolant question
My journey with truck's coolant system continuos and again I need your help.
With your help I bought right radiator and water pump, new upper and lower radiator hoses and heater hoses too. I did chemical flash right before I started the replacements and by radiator instructions I did another one right after I assembled everything.
Here is the question: I used green fluid (50/50 premixed) for my coolant system and it looks very strange. It looks like something floating on top of clear water. It doesn't looks right at all. Does it mean that it's not compatible or something else? Should I do the flash again and use orange fluid?
With your help I bought right radiator and water pump, new upper and lower radiator hoses and heater hoses too. I did chemical flash right before I started the replacements and by radiator instructions I did another one right after I assembled everything.
Here is the question: I used green fluid (50/50 premixed) for my coolant system and it looks very strange. It looks like something floating on top of clear water. It doesn't looks right at all. Does it mean that it's not compatible or something else? Should I do the flash again and use orange fluid?
Last edited by nikmish; Feb 22, 2014 at 11:02 PM. Reason: added pictures
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 347
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From: San Jose, CA
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 4,491
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From: Algona,WA
Personally I'd flush the system out good, and go buy concentrated coolant. I always mix mine 70/30 instead of 50/50. I used this coolant flush stuff made by Prestone earlier this year, it was like $3 for a bottle of it. Worked great at cleaning all kinds of gross scale out of my system. Although this was in the summer time and I drove it with water and that cleaner in the system for a week after I put my engine back together. I'd run it for a bit with water and the cleaner and take it for a drive, dump it. Fill it again and dump it then put new coolant in it. What did the coolant look like coming out of the bottle?
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pedant
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 23,576
Likes: 38
From: EXTREME southwest CT
You don't need to mix the coolant rich in SanJose.
Glycol fluids lose cooling effectiveness at higher concentrations.
http://www.marinemechanic.com/site/page39.html
What chemical did you use to clean the system?
That looks like some caustic stuff there.
Yes, I would flush again (and again)
Since there is no risk of freezing where you are just use water.
Drive it.
Flush it.
More water.
Drive it .
Flush it.
Do this until it runs clean.
Then drain the system and fill.
The premixed coolant is fine for your application, and you can be sure they use distilled/deionized water as a diluent.
Glycol fluids lose cooling effectiveness at higher concentrations.
http://www.marinemechanic.com/site/page39.html
What chemical did you use to clean the system?
That looks like some caustic stuff there.
Yes, I would flush again (and again)
Since there is no risk of freezing where you are just use water.
Drive it.
Flush it.
More water.
Drive it .
Flush it.
Do this until it runs clean.
Then drain the system and fill.
The premixed coolant is fine for your application, and you can be sure they use distilled/deionized water as a diluent.
pedant
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 23,576
Likes: 38
From: EXTREME southwest CT
I doubt there's anywhere in the continental U.S. that you would need coolant mixed for -75*.
50/50 is good to 30 below, and if it gets colder than that I don't want to think about what else is happening in my engine.
50/50 is good to 30 below, and if it gets colder than that I don't want to think about what else is happening in my engine.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 347
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From: San Jose, CA
I used this staff:
Picture:
Picture:
pedant
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 23,576
Likes: 38
From: EXTREME southwest CT
"Not for use with aluminum"
What kind of heater core do you have?
Because concentrated hydrochloric acid will eat it up and create just that kind of precipitate + explosive hydrogen gas in contact with an active metal like aluminum, zinc or magnesium.
http://www.permatex.com/products-2/p...cleaner-detail
What kind of heater core do you have?
Because concentrated hydrochloric acid will eat it up and create just that kind of precipitate + explosive hydrogen gas in contact with an active metal like aluminum, zinc or magnesium.
http://www.permatex.com/products-2/p...cleaner-detail
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 56,980
Likes: 2,735
From: Virginia
How hard is the water in your area? I agree with the flushing method described, but I would not run it too long before you flush again and then hurry up and get the anti-freeze back in it. On your final fill if you use the concentrate, go to the grocery store and buy some distilled water for the final fill.
If that truck is local to the area, it looks like you do have a lot of minerals in your water.
If that truck is local to the area, it looks like you do have a lot of minerals in your water.