I know I would obviously need something way better than this but this video made me think about getting something setup on my truck for filtering my coolant. Thoughts?

https://youtube.com/shorts/dApMpJMO0jw?feature=share

 

If you have flushed it good and properly and used a good elc coolant then IMO one is not needed. I do not have one.

 

I wonder if a coolant filter should be a temporary thing as in run it for a year or so and then remove it. There's only so much casting sand that can come out of the block, right? Or are there precipitates coming out of the coolant that need to be removed constantly?

FWIW, I have a coolant filter and all the filters after the first one have been clean on post-mortem.

 

Do you have a clear see-through filter similar to the one in that video? So that you can see the dirt? I'm also curious if having a see-through filter at all so point you towards maybe seeing some oil mixing the coolant before your injector cups got too bad God forbid that ever happens. It seems like it would be a cheap add-on. Could you post pictures of what you have set up? Thanks!

 

I used 50 gallons of water to flush it with when I put my ELC coolant in LOL. But I did just do an oil cooler and I dumped all my coolant into buckets and then pour it back in the motor. There could be a little bit of dirt in there.

 

Nope. I use Wix 24070 filters and cut them open.

Edit: Let me dig in my archives for pics.

Edit 2: Looks like I failed to take pics at the time of installation. Let me go take some pics.

 

Gotcha, thanks👍

 

I installed the kit about 12 years ago and to be honest I don't think it was necessary, I've torn two filters apart and never found a spec of anything in them. I did flush my system thourghly before switching to ELC, including removing the block plugs but no sand came out then either. I did read that some blocks had sand left behind and some did not, if I had to do it over I would do the block flush and call it good. If I saw sand during the flush them maybe I would consider the filter.

 

Not necessary IMO, unless the coolant system was severely neglected. On newer trucks specifically 2010+ Rams both Hemi's and Cummins I would add one, I've replaced 4 heater cores on them things, they are tiny and I assume the engine blocks are filled with debri from the machining process. Those 4 cores have failed in the 90-120k range. Not sure why they went with such tiny cores with very small passages.

 

It's a Chrysler/Daimler/Fiat/Stellantis (how many owners did I miss?) thing. My wife's Avenger has needed two hearter cores in 180K miles (and they suck to change). I guess those foreigners inadvertently put coolant filters in without knowing. I think this one will last the rest of the car's life......unless it's like my 300k-mile Olds that refuses to die (too good maintenance).

Ford's modular (4.6/5.4/6.8) engines used to be made chock-full of residual casting sand and the heater cores rarely had plugging issues due to the tube size.

 

First photo - 6 fills/7 drains (including the first drain). A sample was collected and allowed to settle.
Second photo - what was collected in the previous fill/drain sequence (5 fills/6 drains, the order of photos should have been swapped).

Once I saw what the cloudiness was all about (1st pic), the hose went in the degas bottle, the top hose was disconnected from the rad, and the engine run over an hour. I estimate about 4+ gpm, for a nominal 250 gal of tap water through the system.

After I buttoned it back up and filled with ELC, I was chasing out a nuisance leak at thermostat housing ( I do have a billet housing). So I had to drain out some new coolant. Prior to pouring it back in - after sitting for awhile - I noticed even more particulate in there. Not as much as first pic, but enough to convince me to get a coolant filter.

My new to me 2002 with only 127k on it is in pretty decent shape, but the coolant system looked like has been given the short end of the stick. And this thing lived in Arizona no less!

It may be true that once a system is cleaned up and refilled with proper coolant and water that a filter isn't necessary. But if nearly 300 gallons of water (total) flushed through doesn't cut it, then a coolant filter is probably a good bet if you are dealing with an unknown system.

After my major clean/flush (I originally had the trans cooler contaminate the coolant), I had 2 decent leaks in the rad.
I am wondering if all the solids in my system is the result of someone pumping "stop leak" in there?

 

If I rememebr correctly you were flushing without removing the block drain correct? It's a must to remove them to properly flush and help get all the grit out. Otherwise your just wasting time and will never get it all out.

 

when i did my RAD a few years ago, the lower hose was full of gunk that blocked about half the flow
some of it was sandy in texture and gummy too like grease but did not float

wonder if it was stop leak, hmm

 

I always thought that was more of a 6.oh-crap thing with the oil cooler passageways getting clogged up. Mine had nothing clogged in the coolant tubes when I had it out last week, and nothing was in the bucket that came out of the block plug, other than drips of oil from the filter housing and dirt stuck to the outside of the motor than flaked off. That little bit I tossed. Very little if anything has ever settled to the bottom of the bucket that drains out of the rad when I've ever done that. I wouldn't bother with the fancy water pump with the filter.

 

IMO, anytime you can filter a fluid WITHOUT reducing the flow or pressure of whatever system( fluid) you are trying to filter I think it’s a great idea. You wouldn’t believe how much ****** the radiator will hold. Even after a six hour flush with a water hose. Got them on all three of mine. I change them once a year. I’m amazed at how much much crap they still pull out of the engine.