Coolant Flush
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Freshman User
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Southwest, Virginia
Coolant Flush
I have a '97 F-250, I am getting ready to install a coolant filter on the engine and want to flush the cooling system and replace the coolant/antifreeze when I do it. Any advice on the best way to flush the cooling system to get all the old coolant and water out of the system. I will be flushing with distilled water & I picked up some CAT coolant that is already mixed 50/50 with distilled water, and just wanted to ensure I get all the old coolant & water out before adding the new premixed coolant. Also, should I use a anything like the radiator cleaner or radiator flush solutions or just plain water to flush with. Any advice is appreciated. THANKS!!
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Huntington Indiana
check with your local goodauto parts store and ask for a coolant flush system kit for your vehicle. And be sure your new antifreeze meets the specs of your pickup. In the last few years there has been many different specs on these vehicles on what you can or cannot use for antifreeze. For example..Some say extended is ok some say not. We had a school bus someone added the wrong antifreeze to and it voided the warranty.
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Sounded screwy to me, but when I asked the dealer the same question, the service guy told me that they can't flush the diesels as they do not get hot enough to purge all the air out when it is refilled? The same guy also told me $139.00 to drain the reservoir and refill it! Imagine that!
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From: Southwest, Virginia
I had not heard that, I thought that a PSD cooling system could be flushed? I do not put alot of stock in what the dealers in my area say though, I have got alot of bad advice from some of them in the past and alot of mis-diagnosis where they just wanted to repalce expensive parts and hope that it would fix the problem, but thats just my experience with a few of them, some are reputable and do professional service work. My only concern was ensuring that I got all the old coolant and water out of the cooling system before adding the new.
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Joined: Oct 2004
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JR270,
I recently had mine flushed. I went to the Dealer parts department for the recommended Motorcraft Coolant (for warranty purposes), and took it to a local little radiator shop for the work. I believe my 02 PSD takes 32.7 quarts of coolant so I purchased 4 gallons at Ford. When I went to pick it up the man said it took every drop of the 4 gallons to get it to the recommended protection level (-37 or -40 I don't remember exactly) So I'm confident they were able to completely flush the system. Also, when I dropped it off I asked about chemical fluid flush stuff and he didn't recommed using it. Also when I had it flushed I dropped off a new upper (dual alternator) radiator hose and had them change it. Total bill, $50 + what spent at the Stealer for the coolant + $11 for the upper hose at Carquest = Not having to deal with FORD and their $140 bill to flush the radiator. So that's my experience with it, hope it helps.
I recently had mine flushed. I went to the Dealer parts department for the recommended Motorcraft Coolant (for warranty purposes), and took it to a local little radiator shop for the work. I believe my 02 PSD takes 32.7 quarts of coolant so I purchased 4 gallons at Ford. When I went to pick it up the man said it took every drop of the 4 gallons to get it to the recommended protection level (-37 or -40 I don't remember exactly) So I'm confident they were able to completely flush the system. Also, when I dropped it off I asked about chemical fluid flush stuff and he didn't recommed using it. Also when I had it flushed I dropped off a new upper (dual alternator) radiator hose and had them change it. Total bill, $50 + what spent at the Stealer for the coolant + $11 for the upper hose at Carquest = Not having to deal with FORD and their $140 bill to flush the radiator. So that's my experience with it, hope it helps.
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From: Southwest, Virginia
Thanks for the advice. Is anyone using the CAT ELC coolant or had any expeience with it. A friend of mine is a service tech with the local caterpillar dealer service department and he recommended it to me. He said that they were using it all their diesel equipment engines they own and service from heavy equipment to road tractors to their service trucks which are all 7.3 and a few 6.0 PSD's. He had only good things to say about it, but I thought I would also get your experiences with it before using it. Thanks!
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Freshman User
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Southwest, Virginia
I am not sure what the OEM specs for the '97 model is (I do not have an owners manual or diesel supplament manual as I purchased the truck used) The CAT coolant info he gave me says it meets ASTM D4985 and ASTM D5345 standards for heavy-duty, low silicate coolants and ASTM D3306 and ASTM D4656 for automotive applications.
