cooling
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Elder User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 505
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From: Castle Rock, Colorado
cooling
I'm looking to change out my coolant, my truck(bought 2 mos. ago) has the inline adapter for the garden hose to hook up that goes to the inlet of the heater core. ?'s I have is, do I run the truck when I do it? Do I open the cap to the radiator and the drain plug? Thanks.
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,968
Likes: 3
From: So Cal
cooling
Keep in mind most antifreeze is extremly poison and attractive to kids and pets, so be careful where you spill or dump it.
The way I like to clean the system is dump the old stuff and hook up the hose and flush out a couple times and then I refill with water and add one of those 10 minute flushes and drive around a little with the heater on. Note that you don't need to remove the T'stat for this method. Also note that T'stats will usually go bad in about 50K miles or after a couple shots at it with the chemical flush.
Then I dump and flush the system several more times. Then I drive a day or two with plain water and then flush again then refill with antifreeze and good low mineral or distilled water.
If you don't want to work too hard and if your system is relatively clean just dump, flush and refill. This easy method works better with the T'stat out.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
The way I like to clean the system is dump the old stuff and hook up the hose and flush out a couple times and then I refill with water and add one of those 10 minute flushes and drive around a little with the heater on. Note that you don't need to remove the T'stat for this method. Also note that T'stats will usually go bad in about 50K miles or after a couple shots at it with the chemical flush.
Then I dump and flush the system several more times. Then I drive a day or two with plain water and then flush again then refill with antifreeze and good low mineral or distilled water.
If you don't want to work too hard and if your system is relatively clean just dump, flush and refill. This easy method works better with the T'stat out.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,205
Likes: 1
From: Vancouver WA
cooling
Don't use a lower temp thermostat. These engines were designed to run a 195 degree. There really isn't any reason to go lower. If you are considering it because you are having overheating problems, find out what's causing the engine to overheat. Yes, a defective thermostat can cause problems, but a properly functioning 195 degree will not cause you to overheat any more than a properly functioning 180 or 160.
Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 505
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From: Castle Rock, Colorado
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,205
Likes: 1
From: Vancouver WA
cooling
They're cheap and easy to replace. If you're going to flush the radiator, you might as well put a new one in. I would anyway.
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