I flushed my green today and put back green Fleetcharge that I had from my International dealer and put in 16 oz of Fleetgaurd DCA 4 from same.
My question is did I do a complete flush. First I emptied the radiator from the drain ****. I used a Prestone kit that taps into the heater core to engine block line and installed the back flow preventer on the tee. I then adapted a rubber coupling to my degas bottle opening to attach a spill tube to direct flow away.
Next I attached a garden hose to the T with the back flow valve and shut the radiator drain ****. I let the hose run for several minutes and got the system full and flowing out the degas bottle. I started the engine and blew the heat on high hot. About ten- fifteen minutes later all water was completely clear. One concern I had was the thermostat wasn`t going to open with this method but I called Prestone Tech service and they said the bypass on the thermostat would allow water to circulate enough to flush.

The next step was to drain the radiator again while leaving the tee adapter in the block line open to the air as a vent to fill the system back up with antifreeze. The system took the full 4 gallons with a small amt. of spill-out of the tee which was clear water so I assume I ended up with the proper 50/50 dilution with the clear water in the block holding roughly half of the 33 quarts.
I guess I just didn`t really feel like snapping those block drains off so I did it this way. Next change I`ll probably go with the lifetime charge coolant but would like input on this method of flush if used for a change from green to ELCs, Thanks for reading. Any and all comments welcome. I have been a sloth lately on this site just checking in occasionally but I miss participating and trying to do my little part to help our fellow travelers.

 

Did you do a final flush with distilled water? Minerals in tap water are bad for our cooling systems.

 

I didn't think the ELC coolants were approved for our 1999s

http://www.valvoline.com/zerex/pdf/Z...d=1B5D1AEA1AFC

 

I was hoping to use more distilled (I bought 4 gallons this morning) but only using the tee flush method the water in the block remains. So I guess that would be the gorrilla in the room that I chose to ignore! My well is an artesian that is 260 feet deep and I have had it tested for minerals and it has come back very good. My hope is that this will be ok for the next 30,000 mls or so.


As far as the ELCs for this truck, I thought I understood that as long as you eliminate the factory coolant completely it is allowed. This still seems to be a topic for debate by some

 

I got the ELC and havent got a chance to flush the system yet But cant I just flush it with all distilled water and then when all the green is out and flows clear I can add the 4 gallons of ELC ? thanks for the help CHAD

 

If it were me I wouldn`t do that. If you are going to change over I would never take the chance of not doing the block drains. If there is any old fluid left over that is considered just starting from scratch with a regular coolant change and you will still have to the additive. To me that method won`t assure you that ALL the old is out unless you do it by machine flush.

 

Well, there is no substitute for a job done right and I will be draining my system again. If I save the mix thats in there now I can do a flush on the wife`s jeep and use it there.Won`t be a total loss! I won`t take the chance with well water. Out come the block drains and in goes the distilled. This is how I have to learn sometimes I must be bludgeoned with the truth! So I can get my piece of mind back. It really is not worth possibly wrecking my engine in the long run with the threat of cavitation from minerals lurking in my shi77y water. Thanks to Guzzle for his blunt logic .