Coolant Flush - VC9

[steel10]

I just flushed my radiator and replaced the coolant using the following procedure.

1. Drained coolant from radiator pet****. Approximately 12 quarts drained from the system. System capacity is 27.5 quarts. When drained that would leave 15.5 quarts in the engine.
2. Refilled coolant reservoir with distilled water.
3. Started up truck and let run until thermostat was fully open (190F).
4. Drained water / remaining coolant from radiator pet****.
5. Refilled coolant reservoir with distilled water.
6. Started up truck and let run until thermostat was fully open.
7. Drained radiator by using the pet****. The liquid that drained appeared to be clear so I assumed that it was all water.
8. Removed old coolant filter element and discarded. I had installed a coolant filter from the Diesel Site when truck had 27k miles.
9. Put new coolant filter element on.
10. Refilled system with 2 gallons of Ford Premium Gold Coolant since the engine had approximately15.5 quarts of distlled water remaining. This would equate to an approximate 50/50 solution.
11. Continued adding a 50/50 mix of Ford Gold Coolant and distilled water until coolant reservoir was full according to the sticker on the side of the reservoir.

Question: I didn't use the VC-9 iron cleaner. Do you guys think that I need to repeat the flushing process illustrated above but use the VC-9 to clean the internal coolant passages as well as the oil cooler?

Any responses would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Cody

2007 F250 4x4
67k Miles
Diesel Site Coolant Filter

[SeaTowJoe]

You are low on coolant, too much water. When you refilled, you should have put in 3.5 gallons of coolant in(14 quarts), which is half of your coolant capacity. Then you would be at 50/50.

[bismic]

It took me 5 distilled water fills to flush everything out.

As SeaTowJoe said - you filled it to about a 30% concentration.

I would recommend draining again, adding Distilled water and the VC-9 and circulate by driving and getting the engine hot. Ford insists this is very good for the system (and I assume it is safe since I have not read anywhere that people are suspecting that it caused problems). They say it can get rust and precipitated deposits out of the oil cooler - but it will never resurrect a plugged oil cooler.

Edit - it is VERY important to your truck to have AT LEAST a 40% concentration - even better to be at 50%.

[69cj]

You will get more water out by pulling the lower radiator hose after the pet****. Then pull the block plug on the driver side of engine. When doing the flushes the t-stat should be out. You can do a flush in 5 min. that way not having to waite for the t-stat to open. The VC-9 cleans scale off the iron components. I used it and the t-stat housing looked like a new part.

[steel10]

The cooling system capacity is 27.5 quarts. When I removed the pet****, 12 quarts drained out. After every drain, 15.5 quarts would be left in the engine. When I refilled with 2 gallons of Ford Gold Antifreeze that would equate to a concentration of 8 quarts antifreeze / 15.5 quarts distilled water (52% antifreeze / 48 % water). I then took a gallon of antifreeze and drained out 50%. I refilled the antifreeze bottle with distilled water. I used this 50/50 mixture to top the system off so that I was at the minimum line on the sticker on the side of the reservoir. I checked the freeze protection using a coolant tester. It indicated that I was good down to ~ -42deg F which would indicate that I had a concentration slightly greater than 50/50. A 50/50 concentration would yield a -34 deg F freeze protection.

Codu

[bismic]

Originally Posted by steel10

The cooling system capacity is 27.5 quarts. When I removed the pet****, 12 quarts drained out. After every drain, 15.5 quarts would be left in the engine. When I refilled with 2 gallons of Ford Gold Antifreeze that would equate to a concentration of 8 quarts antifreeze / 15.5 quarts distilled water (52% antifreeze / 48 % water). I then took a gallon of antifreeze and drained out 50%. I refilled the antifreeze bottle with distilled water. I used this 50/50 mixture to top the system off so that I was at the minimum line on the sticker on the side of the reservoir. I checked the freeze protection using a coolant tester. It indicated that I was good down to ~ -42deg F which would indicate that I had a concentration slightly greater than 50/50. A 50/50 concentration would yield a -34 deg F freeze protection.

Codu

When you flushed with distlled water, you filled the block with water and NO antifreeze. Eventually what is left in the block is PURE WATER - ZERO antifreeze. You put in a 50/50 make up, but you mixed it w/ the PURE WATER that was left in the block.

If the TOTAL SYSTEM is 27.5 quarts (which it is), AND if you flushed ALL of the old coolant out ......................

Then the only way to get to a 50/50 mix is to add 13.75 quarts (or almost 3.5 gallons) of PURE antifreeze back in.

Freeze protection checks are only one thing that is important. If you do not get the proper concentration, then you do NOT have the proper corrosion protection (and diesel engines can be corrosive!).

[pigsbreath]

Acustrip makes test stips to test your glycol nitrates and freeze point.

$5.67 for 4 test strips delivered.

http://www.acustrip.com/CTS-3_Retail_Order_Form.pdf

Acustrip - Products

[69cj]

Originally Posted by pigsbreath

Acustrip makes test stips to test your glycol nitrates and freeze point.

$5.67 for 4 test strips delivered.

http://www.acustrip.com/CTS-3_Retail_Order_Form.pdf

Acustrip - Products

Kool, Thanks

[grandpas97]

You didn't forget the four pints of dca-4 special coolant additive did you?

[pigsbreath]

FleetGuard DCA60L DCA4 Supplemental Coolant Additive at DieselManor

[69cj]

Originally Posted by grandpas97

You didn't forget the four pints of dca-4 special coolant additive did you?

What is that? With premium gold or Zerex GO 5 at a 50/50 mix and distilled water you use no additives unless the nitrate levels are low.

[24hrsparkey]

I just had a re placement thermo stat + a power flushing , by the dealer. ( now there is a good chance i will have heat .

The dealer worksheet / invoice states they put in 2 gallons of gold.

I was thinking thats not enough , not sure.

[bismic]

The math is simple - 27.5 quart system. 50/50 requires just under 3.5 gallons of PURE coolant. Any less than that and they did not flush the system well OR the concentration is less than 50/50.

[steel10]

It seems like some are getting confused by my procedure. The last flush left 15.5 quarts of distilled water in the system when the pet**** quit draining. I then added 2 gallons (8 quarts) of pure Ford Gold Antifreeze.

8 quarts/15.5 quarts = 52% Antifreeze / 48% Water

I continued filling the coolant reservoir with a 50/50 mixture of Ford Gold Antifreeze and distilled water until the reservoir was full.

I checked my freeze protection using a coolant tester and it indicated that I was slightly over a 50/50 mix as was indicated by the freeze protection of ~-42deg F. A true 50/50 mix will yield a -34deg F freeze protection.

Cody

[bismic]

Originally Posted by steel10

It seems like some are getting confused by my procedure. The last flush left 15.5 quarts of distilled water in the system when the pet**** quit draining. I then added 2 gallons (8 quarts) of pure Ford Gold Antifreeze.

8 quarts/15.5 quarts = 52% Antifreeze / 48% Water

I continued filling the coolant reservoir with a 50/50 mixture of Ford Gold Antifreeze and distilled water until the reservoir was full.

I checked my freeze protection using a coolant tester and it indicated that I was slightly over a 50/50 mix as was indicated by the freeze protection of ~-42deg F. A true 50/50 mix will yield a -34deg F freeze protection.

Cody

My apologies - I did not read it that way. Good job!