Coolant Question
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Coolant Question
My mechanic just replaced the water pump on my '99 PSD. He told me that he drained and replaced only 5 gallons of the coolant. He replaced it all with straight NAPA coolant, no water. My manual recommends a 50/50 mix and warns that having more than 60% coolant could damage the engine or radiator. Should I drain out some of the coolant and add distilled water? Also, how much of the coolant additive do I need to put in? Sorry for the dumb questions. I'm a hell of a carpenter, but not much of a mechanic.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2005
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From: Northern Colorado
Wow, if your mechanic replaced the fluid with straight anitfreeze, he needs to go to work with you, cause he ain't no mechanic either! I can't believe even a gasser mech would do that.
I would double check with him and make sure that there was not some communication misunderstanding about what he did. If he did put in straight antifreeze, then drain about 1 1/2 gallons out and replace with DISTILLED water. You will also need to get some SCA additive for the green coolant from Ford. Pick up some test strips from your NAPA or CarQuest dealer and test the SCA level and adjust.
Next, find a new mechanic.
I would double check with him and make sure that there was not some communication misunderstanding about what he did. If he did put in straight antifreeze, then drain about 1 1/2 gallons out and replace with DISTILLED water. You will also need to get some SCA additive for the green coolant from Ford. Pick up some test strips from your NAPA or CarQuest dealer and test the SCA level and adjust.
Next, find a new mechanic.
Lead Driver
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From: Columbia, MO
Originally Posted by vidhan
My manual recommends a 50/50 mix and warns that having more than 60% coolant could damage the engine or radiator.
I thought you could go with a 70/30 coolant/water mix to increase the boiling point and drop the freeze point.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2005
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From: Northern Colorado
Originally Posted by jtharvey
Why no more than 60% coolant? Besides, because that's what the manual says. I thought you could go with a 70/30 coolant/water mix to increase the boiling point and drop the freeze point.
I thought you could go with a 70/30 coolant/water mix to increase the boiling point and drop the freeze point.
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I last paid $3.15 for a gallon of diesel here on the Big Island. That's 13 cents more than the price of regular and 7 cents under what premium gas is going for this week. When I bought the truck, the price of diesel was well under the price of regular gas. Go figure!
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From: BC Nevada
The test strips from Napa will also give you the percentage of antifreeze as well as letting you know how much additive to install. You can also get the additive from Napa. Also when was last time you flushed whole system? Might be the time to make it all right with fresh af and additive. Hope this helps. LPR
Lead Driver
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From: Columbia, MO
Originally Posted by guzzle92
Mixtures greater than 70/30 are not recommended because the coolant’s ability to carry heat declines as the proportion of antifreeze increases. The Ford manual probably says 60/40 to make their manual a little more idiot-proof for those who mix their anitfreeze in a bathtub.......
Lead Driver
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From: Columbia, MO
Originally Posted by vidhan
Should I drain out some of the coolant and add distilled water? Also, how much of the coolant additive do I need to put in?
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From: BC Nevada
JT,
Nice looking install. Couple of questions about it. 1 do you remember the size of the outlet down at the Thermastate housing 1/2" pipe? On the hose is it 3/8 fuel or heater hose? Also do you use the filters that add the additive or just filter?Thanks for the info.
LPR
Nice looking install. Couple of questions about it. 1 do you remember the size of the outlet down at the Thermastate housing 1/2" pipe? On the hose is it 3/8 fuel or heater hose? Also do you use the filters that add the additive or just filter?Thanks for the info.
LPR
Lead Driver
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From: Columbia, MO
Originally Posted by LONEPINERON
JT,
Nice looking install. Couple of questions about it. 1 do you remember the size of the outlet down at the Thermastate housing 1/2" pipe? On the hose is it 3/8 fuel or heater hose? Also do you use the filters that add the additive or just filter?Thanks for the info.
LPR
Nice looking install. Couple of questions about it. 1 do you remember the size of the outlet down at the Thermastate housing 1/2" pipe? On the hose is it 3/8 fuel or heater hose? Also do you use the filters that add the additive or just filter?Thanks for the info.
LPR
The pieces that i used came with the install kit for the filter, but if I remember correctly it was smaller than 1/2" NPT. I'm thinking it was 3/8" NPT down on the water pump. The hose is heater hose, not fuel hose. Also, I chose to use the filters w/o the additive. I prefer to test the coolant and put the additive in myslef. My thought was, what if the SCA levels are fine, but it's time for a new filter. I didn't want to push the levels too high.
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From: BC Nevada
Thanks,
I am thinking of putting one on as I have a filter housing that came with some fuel filters I purchased for my boat. It has the right thread for the coolant filters and I have all the other fittings that I got a good deal from work. The only one I don't have is the outlet from water pump, and the hose. Also is that like 4" by 1/4" aluminum that you bent to fit? Thanks. LPR
I am thinking of putting one on as I have a filter housing that came with some fuel filters I purchased for my boat. It has the right thread for the coolant filters and I have all the other fittings that I got a good deal from work. The only one I don't have is the outlet from water pump, and the hose. Also is that like 4" by 1/4" aluminum that you bent to fit? Thanks. LPR
Lead Driver
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From: Columbia, MO
Originally Posted by LONEPINERON
Also is that like 4" by 1/4" aluminum that you bent to fit? Thanks. LPR