I came to the same conclusion.

A friend of mine basically told me.... "Don't stir a turd that doesn't stink... doing so will!!"

Good advise....

 

I guess that is my problem. I always wanted to stir the **** until it stinks. Do you have any idea what your ECT and EOT temps are?

 

I have no idea what my ECT and EOT temps are.

I do not use gauges on my truck and just real **** about routine maintenance.

I started flushing my coolant every 50,000 miles right from the start (dealer drained and refilled at 20,000 miles due to new lower radiator hose design).

I flush with distilled water and Ford Premium Gold coolant every 50,000 miles and have used a coolant filter since 50,000 miles.

My truck has never run hot, never blown a head gasket, EGR was replaced with a good used on (dealer mechanic did me a favor) and my injectors went 180,000 miles before I needed to replace all 8 of them.

Never had fuel dilution above 2% (one time was a fluke right after new injectors were installed) and never had any bad oil analysis reports.

My truck was a March 2003 build and now have 202,000 miles on her!!!

Since my "turd" is not stinking... I will just maintain my current maintenance schedule and hopefully be happy for many more years & miles.

 

I recently followed the Coolant Flush Procedure from this thread and it worked like a charm. My truck (2004 F-250) has about 89,000 miles and the coolant had never been replaced. However, I do regularly monitor nitrite levels and it has always tested okay.

The coolant looked good (clear and light gold in color) as it drained from the radiator and lower hose. After running VC-9 (one hour idling at about 1200 RPM per Ford workshop manual), the first flush was noticeably darker than the regular coolant mix but still translucent and nowhere near the "coal black" color described by others. Maybe it would have been darker if I had driven around like others have done. I removed the T-stat for the remaining flushes. There was a bit of black sand in the bottom of the bucket after each flush.

After about the fourth flush, the water looked clear as it drained from the radiator and lower hose but still had color when viewed in the full bucket. I ended up flushing eight times, but there wasn't much change in color after about the fifth or sixth flush so I think that's about all I'll do in the future. Removing the T-stat was definitely work the effort, time-wise!

I installed a DieselSite coolant filter before filling the system with coolant (Premium Gold) and topping off with distilled water.

I ended using about 23 1/2 gallons to flush 5 times.

The Procedure was a great help. Thanks to all who have contributed to this thread!

 

I think you did the right thing adding a coolant filter. For what it is worth, I added a coolant filter kit in December and changed it at 500 miles. There was not any "gell" from the Ford Gold Coolant or any signs of metal or sand in the filter when I cut it open. I think the flushes I have done in the past are the reason for this.

 

Great thread!!!!


Has anyone updated this at all in the last year?

I have seen posts about fumoto valves. Would the valves add to a quicker flush?

I have no clue as to the last flush on my truck. The coolant still looks good but the degas bottle looks like hell. Plus my delta point is anywhere from 6 to 12 degrees on the EOT/ECT. I believe an oil cooler is in the near feature! Will hold off on that till I get the EGR delete kit from Sinister.

The local dealer wants 120 plus $ for the extra coolant the X takes. They do use VC-9 and stated it takes 2 plus hours to do the flush.

 

The purpose of the valves is to drain the block better there are 2 one in each side. Shearch fumoto valve there are other threads using them and coolant flushes. Also do a you tube search for srmaster tech he has a video out where he removes the drain plugs and uses the engine to power flush the block. Don't forget a filter system. I plan on doing this in the next month or so according to weather

 

Bpoiunds, you got me thinking; and that is dangerous... I have to do my system next month as this truck is still new to me and I have not completed all the steps in the NTM recomendations.

That being said; in July I will be doing a reverse flush but instead of my high calcium well water my plan is to:

1. Clean my wife's rain barrel, and add distilled water to the barrel

2. Place my utility pump that I use to drain Hot Tub in the barrel and attach hose to reverse drain kit to pump through system.

3. Remove the old thermostat from the housing that I kept after replacing it last week and put in line on the engine.

4. Pump distilled water through until clear

5. (possibly if a good idea.. take for a run with distilled water and no thermostat just for good measure.)

6. Drain distilled water and if clear.. proceed to fill of new coolant; if not then go back to 5 for one more run.

7. Put good thermostat back in engine
....

etc. etc. etc

Install my new Sinister coolant filter..

Does anybody see any flaws in this approach?
Note: Note that Oil Cooler and EGR valve were replaced by previous owner; by Ford dealership last autumn.

I plan to document this with pictures; as I am new to diesels etc and I always take pictures of everything I do before I start... mostly so I can confirm reconnections etc... to the right place.

Now to continue reading all the thread! Just got to 2010 today..

 

Maybe I am posting in wrong place but I just finished doing this flush with distilled water and after 21 gallons of distilled water I did not see it as clear as water like the instructions say.. I didn't remove the thermostat so I drove around after filling back up with distilled water to get up to temp. Should it have been that clear?

Also, after my last drain, i filled it up with coolant and I reached the minimum level on the Degas bottle after only 3 gallons.. Not 3 1/2.. I started my truck and was able to fit about a quart more of coolant. I drove to the store like that and when I got back the coolant level is below the minimum mark. Should I put more coolant until I get the full 3 1/2 gallons of coolant in it? And then add water if needed after I reach the 3 1/2 gallons of coolant?

 

U was supposed to remove the thermostat from the housing and put the housing back. Then do ur flushes. Instead of distilled water, u could have used a garden hose. All u had to do after was ensure tat u got all the tap water out of there.

The cooling system is big enuff. As u refill from empty, there will be empty pockets of air filling back up as u drive. Refill appropriately.

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So should I refill until I get the 3 1/2 gallons of coolant in it? And once I have the 3 1/2 gallons of coolant start refilling with distilled water as needed?

 

Yes sir. But if u didn't open the block drain, then u didn't get all the coolant out. U could probably just about get all 3 and half gallons concentrate in.

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Great thanks. Yea it ended up taking the 3.5 gallons after driving for a bit. having some issues now after the flush. Posted it in the 6.0 section though. Thanks again.

 

Ur welcome. Wats the issues? If u can copy and paste a link, I could look at it for u.

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Thanks..Couple guys here were able to help me identify my issue already. My truck is leaking coolant from a orange hose that is between the egr cooler and oil cooler housing. But why would this happen just after doing a flush?