Coolant Flush
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Tuned
Joined: Jan 2005
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Coolant Flush
Hello,
I have a 2013 F-150 (5.0) that I am working on flushing the coolant. On previous vehicles, after draining coolant, I was able to flush by removing the top radiator hose. Then I would just keep the radiator filled with tap water and the water that was circulating throughout the system came out the top radiator hose completing the process. The hoses on my 2013 are kind of mixed up so I can't do that... I've flushed it with tap water, ran it with radiator cleaner, flushed that with some distilled water- that part is good; I have my system filled with new distilled water.
BUT NOW WHAT? Draining the radiator and fill tank with the petcock on the radiator only drains out about 6 quarts of water... Id like to drain out 9 quarts or so. That way I can refill with concentrate and have a 50:50 mix or stronger with the remaining distilled water in the system. how can I get an additional 3+ quarts out of the cooling system? Is there a plug on the block to drain out a little more? I'm tempted to replace the thermostat just so i can pressurize the system with air and hopefully blow a few more quarts out...
Helllp!
good luck -jim
I have a 2013 F-150 (5.0) that I am working on flushing the coolant. On previous vehicles, after draining coolant, I was able to flush by removing the top radiator hose. Then I would just keep the radiator filled with tap water and the water that was circulating throughout the system came out the top radiator hose completing the process. The hoses on my 2013 are kind of mixed up so I can't do that... I've flushed it with tap water, ran it with radiator cleaner, flushed that with some distilled water- that part is good; I have my system filled with new distilled water.
BUT NOW WHAT? Draining the radiator and fill tank with the petcock on the radiator only drains out about 6 quarts of water... Id like to drain out 9 quarts or so. That way I can refill with concentrate and have a 50:50 mix or stronger with the remaining distilled water in the system. how can I get an additional 3+ quarts out of the cooling system? Is there a plug on the block to drain out a little more? I'm tempted to replace the thermostat just so i can pressurize the system with air and hopefully blow a few more quarts out...
Helllp!
good luck -jim
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 266
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Thanks- I've been looking (online and on my truck) but don't see one. Where is the plug?
Last edited by guessrow; Aug 22, 2019 at 12:56 PM. Reason: edit
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,931
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I flushed mine with distilled water... Coolant looked pretty good to start with, but I think it was original and 6 years old... I drained out 6 quarts and added water ... ran motor 3-4 mintues, then drained out 6 quarts and added water..... did this about 4 times.. Check freeze point each time... -40 then -20 , then -5 , then 20 , then 32..... At this point it is half full of distilled water, so I put 6 quarts of 100% antifreeze in it... Ran a day and the freeze point was around -10 ... Drained out 6 quarts and added 6 quarts 100% antifreeze and that did the trick.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 26,007
Likes: 575
From: Brentwood,CA
Skip trying to get to the block drains. Use a shop vacuum on the lower radiator hose and you will pull the majority out. Or the other way we cheat at work is to use compressed air on the degas tank and push out the old to the disconnected lower hose.
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Tuned
Joined: Jan 2005
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Thanks...
I'm happy with the flush- My flushing procedure has been to open the petcock to drain the water while refilling continuously with new water with the engine running. The water draining out the petcock was good and warm, so I know at least some of it had circulated through the block. Last time around I repeated with 6 gallons of distilled water. I ran it up to operating temperature and drained 6 quarts from the radiator and degas bottle. I captured some of it in a class and it was crystal clear.
Now I just need to get an extra 3 quarts out. I have blown in the degas tank. but didn't get much more... I will try vacuuming next...
I'm happy with the flush- My flushing procedure has been to open the petcock to drain the water while refilling continuously with new water with the engine running. The water draining out the petcock was good and warm, so I know at least some of it had circulated through the block. Last time around I repeated with 6 gallons of distilled water. I ran it up to operating temperature and drained 6 quarts from the radiator and degas bottle. I captured some of it in a class and it was crystal clear.
Now I just need to get an extra 3 quarts out. I have blown in the degas tank. but didn't get much more... I will try vacuuming next...
More Turbo
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 716
Likes: 92
From: Asheboro, NC
I lucked out- last spring my local dealership had a flush and refill special- $74 plus $25 for the second gallon of antifreeze. IIRC the total system capacity is about 17 qts. for the 5.0 so for that price it was worth it to let them do it.
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Tuned
Joined: Jan 2005
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Well... I drained it again after work. This time I unhooked the radiator lines and sucked and blew with my shop vac and pushed some more water out. This time I got a little over 9 quarts of distilled water into it. The last 11 gallons of water for flushes/refills/etc have been distilled water and the coolant is crystal clear when I drain it. I will drain one more time over the weekend, blow and suck one more time and hopefully put in 9 or 10 quarts of concentrated coolant and call it a win. Thanks for the help!
Next up is the front diff. I'm going to suck the oil out of the fill hole with a hose and hopefully get a majority of it before refilling. The only fluid left to change will be the transfer case
good luck -jim
Next up is the front diff. I'm going to suck the oil out of the fill hole with a hose and hopefully get a majority of it before refilling. The only fluid left to change will be the transfer case
good luck -jim
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