[Swhittle]

Hey guys,

I am going to perform the following coolant flush procedure because my truck was filled with the wrong color coolant and I need to replace the radiator anyways ,7.3L Power Stroke Coolant Flush & Cooling System Service Procedures

After a series of distilled water drain/fill/run cycles, there I’ll eventually be distilled water left in the system so to properly maintain a 50/50 mixture of concentrate/water I am going to first add 3.6 gallons of the concentrate straight and then fill with distilled water from there. Starting with the correct concentrate first will ensure 50/50 by adding water from there. My question is around the additive. Looks like the additive is calling for 4oz per gallon of system capacity so that’s 32 oz or two of the pint bottles. Depending on the order I add that to the system, won’t that account for 32 oz less water?
Is that a problem?

 

[bugman]

Here is another set of instructions for you. I didn't read through the ones that you posted but I am sure that they are pretty much the same.

Coolant changing instructions...

Gooch's Coolant Flush... Here's the latest and most thorough instructions: You'll need the following: 4 gallons of anti-freeze concentrate.*Tip* Do not use 50/50 pre-mixed coolant. After flushing, residual water will remain in your engine and cooling system that you can't get out. Therefore...

www.thedieselstop.com

What I do is to add two pints of the additive before I top off the coolant level, then top it off. I'll then run my truck for a few days and test the coolant using Fleetguard Coolant test strips and see what the levels of the additive is. If I need to add more I can at that time. If I have too much I may drain some coolant and then just add a 50/50 mix that I will make up myself, run for a few more days and then test again to get the correct level.

I read on here years ago that too much additive is almost as bad as too little, so I try and keep it within the levels that the chart that comes with the test strips says.

 

[Swhittle]

Here is another set of instructions for you. I didn't read through the ones that you posted but I am sure that they are pretty much the same.

Coolant changing instructions...

Gooch's Coolant Flush... Here's the latest and most thorough instructions: You'll need the following: 4 gallons of anti-freeze concentrate.*Tip* Do not use 50/50 pre-mixed coolant. After flushing, residual water will remain in your engine and cooling system that you can't get out. Therefore...

www.thedieselstop.com

What I do is to add two pints of the additive before I top off the coolant level, then top it off. I'll then run my truck for a few days and test the coolant using Fleetguard Coolant test strips and see what the levels of the additive is. If I need to add more I can at that time. If I have too much I may drain some coolant and then just add a 50/50 mix that I will make up myself, run for a few more days and then test again to get the correct level.

I read on here years ago that too much additive is almost as bad as too little, so I try and keep it within the levels that the chart that comes with the test strips says.

Yeah, those instructions are very similar but instead of doing the block plugs, it is more drain/fill/run cycles with a cord flushing solution.
I’m using Motorcraft VC-5 (green) so I’ll be using the VC-8 Ford additive. From what I picked up on other threads, it looks like I subtract the amount of necessary additive (32oz) from the initial 3.6gallons of concentrate and then continue to fill with water from there. That way it has the right amount of additive and concentrate. Does that sound right?

 

[Swhittle]

so the 32oz of necessary additive comes out of the concentrate 50% (32oz less concentrate).

 

[bugman]

One quart of additive isn't going to knock down the freeze level of your 50/50 mix that much. You have to figure that your coolant system holds 8 gallons or 32 quarts of coolant. So with the 1 quart of additive is only 1/32 of the whole coolant system.

This is why you run long enough to get a good mix of the distilled water, coolant concentrate, and the additive and then retest it.

If you haven't used those coolant test strips they also give you your freeze level along with the additive ratio.

 

[Swhittle]

One quart of additive isn't going to knock down the freeze level of your 50/50 mix that much. You have to figure that your coolant system holds 8 gallons or 32 quarts of coolant. So with the 1 quart of additive is only 1/32 of the whole coolant system.

This is why you run long enough to get a good mix of the distilled water, coolant concentrate, and the additive and then retest it.

If you haven't used those coolant test strips they also give you your freeze level along with the additive ratio.

Okay got it. I have never used the strips before so I’ll check those out. I came up with the 32oz of additive because the ford VC-8 said 4oz per gallon of system capacity, 32 oz. Seemed low though…

 

[Swhittle]

So you do the flush, start with 3.6gallons of concentrate right off the bat, then 2 pints of VC-8 additive, then fill to the cold line with distilled water. Drive for a few days and use the test strips and a mixture from there?

 

[bugman]

Pretty much.

As I mentioned you can add more coolant concentrate if needed to bring your freeze point down later.

 

[John in OkieLand]

are other brands of coolant test strips usable?
I have some that I bought for my Goldwing motorcycle, but it has an Aluminum engine.

I looked at the cost of "Fleetguard Coolant test strips" and lord a mercy, those things are Expensive.

.

 

[bugman]

I just purchase the strips by the 3 pack since they do expire.

Back when my truck was new I picked up a bottle of the NAPA strips which contained 50 strips, that was way too many for a person who just test a single vehicle perhaps twice a year. I don't even go through a 3 pack unless I am doing a coolant flush.

If you get them off of Amazon just be aware of the expiration date on them. The last set that I got last year were 6 months out of date and I returned them for some others.

 

[John in OkieLand]

that means that my Test Strips are junk, as they are now 6 years old

 

[bugman]

that means that my Test Strips are junk, as they are now 6 years old

Take a look and see if they have an expiration date, odds are that they do.

I'm not sure of how accurate or inaccurate they may be, but personally, I wouldn't use them unless I had something to compare them to.

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