What do all of you use to flush your cooling system?
and how often?

 

I guess you can say I've been lucky in that department. At 44,000 miles Ford replaced my V10 for piston slap and that included a new water pump and antifreeze. Then, a couple weeks ago, my radiator sprung a leak at 88,000 miles. Ford installed a new radiator and new antifreeze. Kind of a round about way to get a coolant flush but it works for me. This will be my first vehicle that I didn't have to do any cooling system maintenance.

 

>I guess you can say I've been lucky in that
>department. At 44,000 miles Ford replaced my V10 for
>piston slap and that included a new water pump and
>antifreeze. Then, a couple weeks ago, my radiator sprung a
>leak at 88,000 miles. Ford installed a new radiator and new
>antifreeze. Kind of a round about way to get a coolant
>flush but it works for me. This will be my first vehicle
>that I didn't have to do any cooling system maintenance.
WOW, you drive a lot!!!!

 

 

I was informed for my 99 V10 not to use a flush like Prestone or any thing with Sodium citrate or any basic flush. I just had a total coagulation of anti-freeze in my all aluminum radiator and block. I flush it first with water and air, then by reccomendation by my local radiator repair man of 30 years and the local Ford dealer/service center, USE CASCADE, can you believe it. Cascade automatic dishwashing soap. IT is non-foaming and will not harm the aluminum. So I did, 1 tablespoon per gallon of water in system. I then ran the engine for 30 minutes, flushed. Filled with water flushed, and again. Then flushed with distilled water 3 times. Then added anti-freeze. It all looks good now. Sounds like a lot of work, but it seems to have cleaned the system rather well.

 

Dishwasher powder is an incredibly powerful cleaner. It is amazing how many places they say to use this stuff. Had not heard of the radiator before though.

-Jim