This weekend I am considering changing out the coolant in my 02, and I was thinking about adding a coolant filter if I can find one.

I was talking to a friend that says that I should flush it by leaving the petcock open and running tap water thru it cold (after draining the coolant) then run it with straight water to get it up to temp and do it again after it cools, then flush it with distilled water two times before putting in the fluid the same steps as above.

My question is how much distilled water am I needing to get, what and how much antifreeze and additives would you guys suggest and any ideas on the filter setup that I should be able to get local (I am in a relatively big area).

For reference I am in NW Washington state so the temps are mild here say 20* to 100* at most.

This will be part of the SD weekend doing the fuel, oil and air filters that I got from www.fleetfilter.com .

Thanks for any help

 

This info is from Dieselmann's page:

Cooling system maintenance
The cooling system on any diesel has special concerns. It's possible for the coolant to cavitate--produce tiny bubbles--that can with time cause pin holes throught the cylinder walls from the water jackets. For this there is an additive; Ford P/N FW-15 or FW-16, Fleetguard P/N DCA4; that needs to be maintained in the coolant. Generally this means installing 8 to 10 oz of the additive to the cooling system every 15000 miles. Another method is to monitor the cooling system with Fleetguard's DCA4 test kit P/N CC2602 or CC2602A. This measures the level of DCA4 in the system, then you add the amount as required. The cooling system should be drained (and flushed if you live in an area with especialy alkiline water) and refilled with a fresh 50/50 mix of coolant/water and one pint of the additive for every two gallons of coolant/water at 30,000 miles. Use only a low-silicate ethylene glycol-based coolant. Ford does not recommend using propylene glycol coolants in any of their vehicles.
Antifreezes I can recommend:
<CENTER>

• Ford or Motorcraft Premium Antifreeze
• Texaco Antifreeze/Coolant
• Texaco Antifreeze/Coolant Prediluted 50/50
• Zerex 5/100 (white bottle) Antifreeze/Coolant
• Zerex Ready To Use Antifreeze/Coolant (premixed 50/50 with demineralized water)
• Zerex Heavy Duty Precharged Formula
• Shellzone Premium Quality Antifreeze
• Prestone Heavy Duty (black bottle) Antifreeze/Coolant with SCA
• Fleetguard Compleat EG--precharged at 1.5 units/gallon DCA4
  Also available premixed 50/50 with water with the same DCA4 level
• Pyroil Heavy-Duty Antifreeze/Coolant--Low Silicate
• Peak Full Force or Advance
• FleetCharge Antifreeze/Coolant--precharged with Pencool

</CENTER>2002 model year trucks use any of the above if your truck came filled with green coolant. If it came from the factory with yellow coolant, only use Motorcraft Premium Gold Antifreeze, Zerex G05 (gold bottle), Peak Global Extended Life (gold bottle) or Peak Extended Life CF-EXL (silver bottle). These coolants do not require SCA/DCA.



<DL><DT>Trucks originally filled with Gold coolant: <DD>All 2002 F-Series built at the Kentucky Truck Plant (VIN 11th digit "E")
2002 F150-550 built in Cuautitlan (VIN "M") from 2-4-02
2002 F650/750 built in Cuautitlan from 1-28-02
All Econolines built from 7-15-02</DD></DL>Do not use extended life coolants (ELC) as they can cause water pump seal and injector sleeve deterioration.

 

EBSTEVE,
I got my coolant filter from here:http://www.dieselsite.com/. After you buy it and need new filters, FLEETFILTER.COM has the replacement filters. They aren't listed, but if you e-mail them they can tell you the numbers.
BIG RED 00 F350,
That is the most precise post I have ever seen on anti-freeze/coolant. Thanks.
Joe

 

Don't waste your money or time.

Rotella Diesel Ready ELC is the only way to go. Pretty hard to beat it's 600,000 mi warranty. Can be had at most NAPA's for $11 a gallon.

Coolant technology is a fast changing world, at one time G-05 was top dog, but even now wally's stuff is just as good, and every thing on that previous post is pretty dated stuff.

More info on Rotella's Diesel Ready ELC Here.

At the moment it is by far the best bang for the buck, period.

And the the part about ELC being bad for sleeves and waterpumps is unfounded and total BS.

Any PSD can run green, blue, purple, black, gold, etc regardless of what was previously run. The point is you simply cannot determine coolant by color as they are all dyed (coolant is really clear), and one mfger's green may be another's gold and so on. About the only coolant that shouldn't be run in any PSD is GM's DEX Cool, and that is simply just because of it's known tendency to breakdown at accelrated rates (the older versions did, not real sure on the newest stuff).

The only PSD's that is reccomended not to run Rotella in are the Pre-99 PSD's as the sealing componets are of a different composition and are designed for green (silicated) coolant. Even with that said there are still quite a few OBS PSD's that have run it with out ill effect.

Truth is, you can run what ever you want except for the noted exceptions, it's just a matter of knowing when to use SCA's and when not to, and using proper flushing and mixing procedures.

 

Your "02" came with the Gold ELC coolant. I would use the Motorcraft or Zerex G-05, both are similarly priced. No need for additives.

1.) On a cool engine, unscrew the cap on the degas bottle and open the radiator drain petcock. Close petcock and fill with distilled water.
2.) Run engine until hot (run on road for a couple of miles), and repeat step #1.
3.) Repeat step 1.
4.) Repeat step 1.
5.) After the 4th time the radiator and coolant system should have only distilled water in it.
6). Drain the radiator and add 3 1/2 gallons of the Zerex G-05 or equal coolant. Check your fluid to water ratio with a tester. Should be 50/50. If not, add or drain as needed.

The kit form DieselSite is a good one. Complete and easy to install. Go for the optional two ball valves to turn off the flow when changing the filter.

 

EBSTEVE,
One thing to note, if your radiator drain petcock is plastic, like some are, it should have an allen internal fitting as well as the tee handle on the external to loosen. Use the allen drive to keep from breaking if off at the threads.

 

Would that pre-99' include the early 99' Superduty's manufactured before October of 98'??

 

Well I guess that covers it!
Thanks for the info and I guess I will get to doing it Saturday.