Draining Coolant Completley
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Draining Coolant Completley
Can anyone tell or show me where to drain the coolant from the block on a 95 F250 4x4. I know where to drain the radiator but am unsure of the block.
Any special tips on performing a good flush would also be appreciated.
Any special tips on performing a good flush would also be appreciated.
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 8,476
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From: Madison, WI
There are two block drains, one on either side of the block. Driver's side is near the oil cooler (forward of it), passenger side is kinda obscured by the starter. I usu. pull the starter to get to it.
Most commonly referenced flush procedure is this one: Coolant changing instructions... - Diesel Forum - TheDieselStop.com . Based on an SD, but most of it applies. The only real difference would be the selection of anti-freeze. It's been said that the injector sleeves in our generation of truck are not compatible with ELCs. So a plain "green" old-school ethylene glycol anti-freeze and the appropriate amount of SCA would be in order. The other option would be FleetCharge (NOT FinalCharge, which is ELC, and NOT FleetGuard, which is a brand of SCA, but FleetCharge) anti-freeze, which is old-school EG with nitrite SCA added. The base anti-freeze is the same as the old "green" stuff; this just happens to be dyed pink.
Most commonly referenced flush procedure is this one: Coolant changing instructions... - Diesel Forum - TheDieselStop.com . Based on an SD, but most of it applies. The only real difference would be the selection of anti-freeze. It's been said that the injector sleeves in our generation of truck are not compatible with ELCs. So a plain "green" old-school ethylene glycol anti-freeze and the appropriate amount of SCA would be in order. The other option would be FleetCharge (NOT FinalCharge, which is ELC, and NOT FleetGuard, which is a brand of SCA, but FleetCharge) anti-freeze, which is old-school EG with nitrite SCA added. The base anti-freeze is the same as the old "green" stuff; this just happens to be dyed pink.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2014
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From: Reno, Nevada
...The other option would be FleetCharge (NOT FinalCharge, which is ELC, and NOT FleetGuard, which is a brand of SCA, but FleetCharge) anti-freeze, which is old-school EG with nitrite SCA added.
Here's a link to Fleetguard coolant, which is a Cummins product, hope that's OK...
https://www.cumminsfiltration.com/pd...es/LT36237.pdf
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Madison, WI
The ES products on that ^^^^ page are all extended-life coolants. Again, what I've _read_ is that they're not appropriate for our engines, because of the injector sleeve material (which was changed with the SD engines). Interesting, I see even FleetGuard has an entry in the "old-school with SCA added" market, called FleetCool. And Ryder Fleet Services has it for only $13 / gallon, which is cheaper than the typical full-price retail for FleetCharge. I sorta wish I knew about that before doing all our three trucks with FleetCharge; FleetCharge only has nitrite as an SCA, whereas FleetCool has nitrite and moly.
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I plan to pick this coolant up at my local Napa here in North Texas. This coolant was also recommended by another contributor. Is this the product you are referring to?
http://www.napaonline.com/napa/en/p/...003_0006545521
Thanks for the help. I'd like to get this right the first time.
http://www.napaonline.com/napa/en/p/...003_0006545521
Thanks for the help. I'd like to get this right the first time.
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Madison, WI
That's the stuff. Do you have an Advance Auto nearby? Best deal on that FleetCharge - order online for in-store pickup, if you get four gallons it's over $50, enter discount code TRT30 and it's 30% off, no shipping charge, takes it down to about $11-12 / gallon.
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I do have an Advanced Auto about 5 minutes away. I plan to look at the video and give this a shot by Friday..
I appreciate the help. Thank you
I appreciate the help. Thank you
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Good morning. I'm getting ready to do my coolant flush and think I understand Gooch's instructions well-enough to do this as a first-timer. A couple of things I want to ensure are correct: first, the block drain-plug on the driver side seems to be a 1/4" hex wrench, while the plug on the passenger side is different, not a hex and larger, I couldn't get to it with the starter in the way. Starter looks like its attached with three bolts which seem fairly easy to remove. Second thing is that looking through my refill capacities, my manual calls for 29qts but then on the first page has an "update" which calls for 22 quarts. I assume the 22qts is correct since it is an update which will lead me to use 5.5 gallons of new fluid broken down into half or 2.75gallons of Fleet Charge "Fully Formulated" coolant and half or 2.75 gallons of distilled H20. I assume my refill can be done through my degas bottle?
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Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Madison, WI
The drain plugs are often not the same side-to-side; you never know what was broken, lost, stripped, whatever over the years and what it was replaced with. I think I have different drain plugs side-to-side on all three trucks.
As for capacity, what year is your truck? Oh wait, never mind, you mentioned "degas bottle". So you DON'T have a '94.5 or early '95. In that case, the capacity is 8 gallons (32 quarts). And yes, you fill the system via the degas bottle.
As for capacity, what year is your truck? Oh wait, never mind, you mentioned "degas bottle". So you DON'T have a '94.5 or early '95. In that case, the capacity is 8 gallons (32 quarts). And yes, you fill the system via the degas bottle.
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My truck is a 95 F250 4x4 long-bed. I got under there today and I couldn't get the plug out with my quarter inch extension on driver-side. I sprayed with penetrating oil and will try again later today. With the 8 gallons, is that half (4 gallons) Fleet Charge and half (4 gallons) distilled water? The Gooch link recommended filling with 4 gallons coolant first then topping off with distilled water; I just want to make sure I'm doing this right.
Thank you
Thank you
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 774
Likes: 25
From: Reno, Nevada
My truck is a 95 F250 4x4 long-bed. I got under there today and I couldn't get the plug out with my quarter inch extension on driver-side. I sprayed with penetrating oil and will try again later today. With the 8 gallons, is that half (4 gallons) Fleet Charge and half (4 gallons) distilled water? The Gooch link recommended filling with 4 gallons coolant first then topping off with distilled water; I just want to make sure I'm doing this right.
Thank you
Thank you
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 774
Likes: 25
From: Reno, Nevada
The ES products on that ^^^^ page are all extended-life coolants. Again, what I've _read_ is that they're not appropriate for our engines, because of the injector sleeve material (which was changed with the SD engines). Interesting, I see even FleetGuard has an entry in the "old-school with SCA added" market, called FleetCool. And Ryder Fleet Services has it for only $13 / gallon, which is cheaper than the typical full-price retail for FleetCharge. I sorta wish I knew about that before doing all our three trucks with FleetCharge; FleetCharge only has nitrite as an SCA, whereas FleetCool has nitrite and moly.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 774
Likes: 25
From: Reno, Nevada
The ES products on that ^^^^ page are all extended-life coolants. Again, what I've _read_ is that they're not appropriate for our engines, because of the injector sleeve material (which was changed with the SD engines). Interesting, I see even FleetGuard has an entry in the "old-school with SCA added" market, called FleetCool. And Ryder Fleet Services has it for only $13 / gallon, which is cheaper than the typical full-price retail for FleetCharge. I sorta wish I knew about that before doing all our three trucks with FleetCharge; FleetCharge only has nitrite as an SCA, whereas FleetCool has nitrite and moly.
Is ES Compleat ethylene glycol coolant suitable for use in a 1996 F-250 7.3L Diesel? I have heard that some "extended life" coolants are not compatible with the injector cup material and may cause corrosion. Ford or Navistar reportedly changed the injector cup material in 1999 to eliminate this problem but it is supposed to still exist for pre-1999 7.3L engines.
Here is their reply. I note that he didn't specifically address the injector sleeve issue:
"ES Compleat would be a great coolant for your F-250. The Coolant contains a pre-charge of DCA-4 that will protect against. Liner pitting, scale & corrosion. By using phosphate/molybdate based inhibitor package."
