What is the most effective way to get as much of the old coolant out of the system(coolers, block, tubing, radiator, etc) before adding the new coolant? Approximately how much coolant will the system hold?

 

i beleive the cooling system is 8 gallons? im not sure, but ill check my Helm manual and post the way they tell you to drain it. i have read it all before it's just that i haven't done it yet, although i need to.

give me a minute or two.

 

here- it says the capaicty is 31.0L, or 32.75 quarts = 8.1875 gallons. close. here is their procedure. don't know where the block drain plug is.

NOTE: Less than 80% of coolant capacity can be recovered with the engine in the vehicle. Dirty, rusty, or contaminated coolant requires replacement.

1. Place a suitable container below the radiator draincock (8115). If equipped disconnect the coolant return hose at the fluid cooler.

1. Remove the fill cap from the degas bottle.

1. Open the radiator draincock. Remove the cylinder drain plug, if equipped, to drain the coolant from the cylinder block (6010).

 

Thanks Kris!!!!

 

remember, now is a good time to add a coolant filter and a 203* thermostat!

 

Yep, and the billet housing! I am thinking about this coolant filter: http://www.dieselsitetoo.com/index.a...WPROD&ProdID=8
but am wondering if it will fit since I have the AFE stage II intake with the large battery box. Does anybody know if it will fit?

 

that's the one i have. i can take some measurements of the coolant filter's extremeties to other parts of the engine. for example the left side to left fenderwell, battery, etc.

check out my gallery "coolant filter install" for pics.
holler if you want me to run out and get those measurements for ya.

 

I emailed them at Dieselsite.com but it is the weekend so I am sure they will get back to me tomorrow as they are great about returning emails! By looking at your pics and the ones on Diesel site, it should fit! I noticed the dieselsite pictures have some kind of sensor plugged into the drivers side hole on the filtr hosing and you have a plug there, what would that be for? It also looks like where you tapped into the pump hosing there is a plug there now, does the kit come with the barb to put in there? It would seem like a straight forward install. I seems to have some black floating plastic or something in my coolant right now which si another reason to fluch and install the filter!

 

There are two. One on each side of the block. One is right above the starter, a 1/4" square drive plug, the other is in the same location on the opposite side of the engine.

Don't pull them until you're ready to get wet!!

 

DieselSite actually just emailed me (not bad service for a Sunday answer!) and the coolant filter will fit with an AFE Stage II intake so I guess I will be ordering that later today. Does the billet housing come with replaement gaskets (or O-rings not sure which) or is that a trip to the dreaded Ford stealer?

 

i believe that IH uses a coolant filter on their engines. FMC's beancounters didnt think that a filter was necessary, so i guess they just made a plug that fit there. i did the thermostat at the same time, and drained about 3.5-4 gallons out of the system. this lowered the water enough that i could remove the plug and install the barbed fitting they include and also do the thermostat without getting wet or spilling ANY coolant. the sensor they have plugged in is probably a temperature sensor. i plan on getting a coolant temp gauge in the future, and that is where im tapping into. without a coolant filter, you'd tap into the plugged hole that was capped off at the water pump (the one that you use for coolant inlet. the capped holes on the head and the water pump outlet are all the same size.

EDIT- just saw the last post- the new thermostat includes a new o-ring i believe. make sure you get the 203* with the billet housing, it will be with one of them.

 

Kris,
I noticed the 3 bolts holding the housing on mine (and looking at your gallery yours as well) are very rusted. Did you have any problems getting these out. I just broke one off on my motorhome and it was a B%&$h to retap it!! Does your Helm manual say exactly what bolt it is(ie 8-32x3/4"). I was going to replace mine with SS so they don't rust! I have a local industrial store that has everything imaginable from bolts to washers to drills and taps (such as for the pyrometer probe) if you are ever looking for some oddball part let me know!

 

nope, it wasn't hard. i believe it's a 8mm bolt, and i used a 8mm socket with swivel, and about 2' of extensions and finally an adapter to 3/8" driver, so it would be above the fan shroud. when it was lower, the fan was moved by the ratchet when you tried to tighten them. i can get the torque specs on those bolts as well if you need them.

 

The torque specs would be great! I really need to buy a manual, but I don't see how a manual cures my PMS or gives me more horsepower ! Do the cheap manuals gve the torque specs of stuff like that?

 

The Dieselsite filter is a good filter. I have the same one too. You might order an extra one when you order the kit. They suggest replacing the first one pretty soon, as it will become clogged up pretty quickly with all the junk it's filtering out. But, after that, they don't need replacement as often. A lot of the junk was taken out with the first filter.

Kris is correct, the extra plug with wires running out of it is a coolant temp sensor. Excellent place to install one.

The filter kit does come with everything you need, including the barb. No trips needed to the dealership.

The thermostat will come with a new o-ring. I bought one from the auto parts store, only to have my thermostat arrive with one too. Oh well. It was less than $2.00.

A few tips when you install the thermostat to keep it from leaking. One, coat the o-ring with some faucet grease or 100% silicon dielectric grease. This will let it slide into place instead of getting bound up. Two, you might want to get some flexible form-a-gasket to put on the block and the bottom of the thermostat housing to help it seal. Three, when you tighten the bolts on the housing, do it very, very evenly. There have been problems with coolant leaking around that housing after a thermostat change, including me. At least one of them was with the billett housing too. After I did the three things I mentioned above, not so much as a drop has leaked out around the housing.