When you guys drain the coolant, do you drain it out of the block also? I tried doing it the other weekend and I could not get the drain plugs off to save my life, and being an allen head I didn't want to try too hard. If you do, how do you get to the plug behind the starter?

If you don't drain the block then I have this question. In theory you want a 50/50 mix of coolant/water throughout the entire system. So if you do it the way it's described in the tech files, then if you just drive it then drain at the bottom of the radiator, then that means theres several gallons of just istilled water in the engine block still. Well if you add a 50/50 mix at that point, then when that 50/50 mix runs through the system and mixes with the distilled water already in the engine block, then you've got way more water than you do coolant. Am I just overthinking this or what? Either way, it's not really making sense to me.

 

You are thinking about it correctly. You have to have some 100% antifreeze because you can NEVER drain the entire system.

 

Put 1/2 of your system volume in full strength premium gold or GO-5 and then just top off with distilled water and voila, perfect 50/50 mix. Incidentally, I popped the driver side block plug only. This will get another qt. or 2. Not worth dropping the starter if flushed 4 or 5 times. Put a cheater on the allen wrench. It will pop loose. You will not hurt it. When re-installing put some oil on rubber seal and hand tighten. I did approx. 50 ft. lbs. No leaks.

 

Forget the drain/engine block plugs.. to much work and effort... and risk.

Drop lower Radiator hose, reconnect, refill with distilled water and drive a few miles until thermostat opens and temp gauge goes into normal range.

Repeat 5 or so times and you will have a perfectly "distilled water only" flush.

Now, drop lower radiator hose one last time.

Reconnect....

Look in manual for total capacity of system and add straight coolant to degas bottle that equals 1/2 of your total capacity. You now have a 50/50 mixture of coolant and water (the water was what was left in your motor/block).

Top off with distilled water only to bring to the cold fill line (no need to add more coolant as you already used the perfect amount for a 50/50 mix.

Run motor to work out any air bubbles and to mix the coolant and water.

Let motor cool and recheck level in degas bottle (add only distilled water as needed).

There you go... perfect flush and fill... and better than the dealer does it!!!!

Personally, I do mine every 50,000 miles and never worry about checking nitrate levels. Why... becuase this is less than half the 100,000 mile interval Ford states in the manual and even using distilled water, I still think that spending $60.00 every 50,000 miles is cheap insurance.

Good luck.

 

Hey jeff, Block plug is easy for me, I have a 2 post lift in my garage. I walk under the truck, not crawl.

 

I dont even have a lift in my stall at the shop

 

2 grand, 1 - 12 pack and 3 hours to assemble and anchor. Piece of cake.

 

man I hate to say but they really get in my way most of the time. I do som much stuff that You just cant rack on a 2 post (bucket trucks and such) its not worth it. Ill take my 2 flats. It just sucks when you run over your own creeper.

we do have 2 lifts that the 6 of us share when we need one though

 

Since the lift is in the bay where I normally park my truck it is no problem. My workshop in the back yard is 30 by 50 so it really doesn't interfere with anything else. I have thought about putting a 4 poster in the adjacent bay for stacked parking but at this point can't quite justify it. Sort of a wifey thing if you get the drift.

 

I think I am getting just a tad bit jealous ...........