My 2007 trailblazer 97,xxx miles daily driver I noticed the temp a little past 210 degrees. Should I just drain and refill or flush the cooling system?
coolant drain and refill vs flush system
- Thread starter 808trailblazer
- Start date
808trailblazer said:
First of all why do you think there is a problem? Also Havoline Dexcool lasts 150,000 miles. Changing it now would be a waste and it most certainly wouldn't be your problem.
The gauge is not a great way to accurately diagnose a slight variation in coolant temp. A scan tool is the best way.
The service manual acceptable coolant temp range is 190-220 F
If after diagnosing with a scan tool you find that the temperature is outside service manual specs then the thermostat will need to be replaced.
Best way is by removing the lower radiator hose and then the thermostat housing from the block This effectively drains the block and radiator. Then replace with a new thermostat. I recommend a Stant thermostat. Recommended to replace coolant temp sensor at this time as well.
If his 2007 has never had a coolant change he's a couple years past due. Probably overdue regardless if he's having a cooling problem. The published extended life coolant generally is 5 years or 150,000 miles.
strat81
Member
- Dec 29, 2011
- 399
AbsoluteZero said:
Agreed.
I'd pull the lower hose, drain whatever comes out, reattach, fill with distilled water, burp/bleed the system, drain again, and then fill with Dex-Cool concentrate. Doing this leaves a lot of water in the block, hence the need for concentrate, not 50/50.
Change your thermostat and clean the housing too. Mine looked like an ashtray after ~70k miles.
Inspect the upper and lower hoses, replace if necessary.
Playsinsnow
Member
- Nov 17, 2012
- 9,727
For a few bucks you can get a coolant tester that will give you an idea of your approximate protection temps. Personally I would just do it before 100k because fluids do have a shelf life and 6 years running is a long time. The tester helps when you refill it too. Peace of mind
AbsoluteZero said:
Yes, forgot about the 5 year. For some reason I had 10 years on the mind. Definitely do all of the above.
strat81
Member
- Dec 29, 2011
- 399
Playsinsnow said:
Big +1. Always test your coolant, especially if you flush or D&F with water.
Playsinsnow
Member
- Nov 17, 2012
- 9,727
I recently replaced my radiator. Buying gallon jugs of distilled water helps you know how much water is in the block still and also helps with mixing 50/50 or whatever ratio you prefer. I let my system burp over a few days adding my pre-mix. The leftover container is also mixed exactly how I want it!
Edit:
Please be smart about adding coolant to water jugs. They can look like juice and smell sweet to dogs and children. I use the empty jugs to transport old coolant to the hazmat disposal place.
Edit:
Please be smart about adding coolant to water jugs. They can look like juice and smell sweet to dogs and children. I use the empty jugs to transport old coolant to the hazmat disposal place.
Playsinsnow
Member
- Nov 17, 2012
- 9,727
I need to do the coolant flush on my 2006 because the thermostat is going bad, i bought the 2 hoses that go to the rad, the coolant sensor, thermostat of course, new rad cap and 2 jugs of prestone dex cool 50/50 ready to go in. My 06 I6 with 107xxx miles has never been flushed, i already put it on jacks, removed the lower hose from rad, and already drained the system. Question is, what goes next? Do i remove/clean the coolant canister 1st? or do i put filtered water on the system now with the remaining coolant on the canister or what? Sorry for the noob questions, I havent done this before and i want to do it right so please dont flame. Thanks in advance
strat81
Member
- Dec 29, 2011
- 399
jes1888 said:
If the coolant that was in the system looked good, what I would do is:
1) Exchange the 50/50 for concentrate
2) Fill the system with distilled water
3) Circulate the distilled water, burp the system, then drain it
4) Siphon out the contents of the expansion tank
5) Fill system with concentrate
Adding 50/50 to a system that is partially full will result in a weak mix. This is not good for resistance to freezing (not an issue in PR, probably), but weak coolant also does not the necessary amount of corrosion inhibitors. 50/50 is a good compromise for most climates, with 30% Dexcool being the recommended minimum and 70% Dexcool the maximum.
strat81 said:
Well, the coolant was almost like used oil color, dark brown, so i dont consider it good, i wanted to do a full flush, or something comparable. Here'e a pic of the color around the system. I was also planning to remove, empty and clean the plastic canister. My question is if i empty and clean the plastic container 1st and then put water or what? Also what do you mean by "burp" the system?
View attachment 33023
Attachments
strat81
Member
- Dec 29, 2011
- 399
jes1888 said:
That doesn't look right. It looks like motor oil contamination.
Maybe it's just the picture. Hopefully someone else will chime in with an opionion.
You could try a garden hose flush, but that will leave a lot of tap water in the block. Some tap water is very high in minerals which can lead to scale and crud formation inside the cooling system.
If you remove and clean the expansion tank, fill it with coolant, not water.
Burping the system means to remove air from the cooling system. When you refill the radiator, you'll find it won't take very much on your first try. That is because of air trapped in the system. As the coolant circulates, the air will "burp" out of the system, allowing you to add more. If you fill the system and go for a drive, if you see the coolant gauge swing from cold to hot to cold to hot, that means there's air in the system.
What prompted you to service the cooling system? What does your engine oil look like?
There is no reason to flush the block. That is just going to give you headaches trying to adjust the 50/50 mixture. And you really don't want to introduce tap water into the system. Just empty and flush the radiator with water, change the thermostat and connect your new hoses. Then refill with your 50/50 premix. Easy as pie.
strat81 said:That doesn't look right. It looks like motor oil contamination.
You could try a garden hose flush, but that will leave a lot of tap water in the block. Some tap water is very high in minerals which can lead to scale and crud formation inside the cooling system.
If you remove and clean the expansion tank, fill it with coolant, not water.
Burping the system means to remove air from the cooling system. When you refill the radiator, you'll find it won't take very much on your first try. That is because of air trapped in the system. As the coolant circulates, the air will "burp" out of the system, allowing you to add more. If you fill the system and go for a drive, if you see the coolant gauge swing from cold to hot to cold to hot, that means there's air in the system.
What prompted you to service the cooling system? What does your engine oil look like?
Because the temps on my ascender were a bit colder, less than half and once the vehicle was running cold and turned the CEL once and started to waste more gas, so i got here and searching in the forums for the code and the cold temps issue and i determined that the thermostat and CTS replacemente were needed. Also the color of my coolant was getting dirty, brownish color, so considering the fact that the coolant has been there since novermber 2005 well, you know, i know i needed to change it. The vehicle been in my house since new, it isnt mine, but i've done almost all the mantainance, oil changes religiously at 5k miles, synthetic blend at the beginning, synthetic all the way after warranty, brakes, hubs, bushings and stuff but' i've never done a flushing before so that's the reason im asking here to do it right because here in PR i dont get satisfying answers, somebody told me to even put water and lestoil on it (WTF!!!!!) so i just want to do it right, and in this little island there's only like 2 GMC dealers so the prices all over the top. Oil changes are basically normal, it's almost never black, everytime i change it is like dark honey color so it's kinda nice, vehicle doesnt smoke, doesnt leaks, it isnt failing that i know, air intake, filter and TB cleaned every 10K miles, almost 5K miles ago changed the spark plugs, relocated the PS cooler to the front of the rad due to rust issues. Never had problems with the fan clutch, nor the Water pump or other common problems. So the coolant flush just for mantainance and as a precautionary measure, also the idler pulley because of the winning sound, serpentine belt and during it's replacement, the water pump shaft doesnt has noticeable play, spins nice like new, no noise in it and no leaks either. Also i dont notice oil compsumption in the system
strat81
Member
- Dec 29, 2011
- 399
Since your oil seems OK, I'd go ahead and flush with distilled water as I outlined above and refill with concentrate, not 50/50.
The reason for flushing is that a substantial amount of coolant remains in the block when you pull the lower hose. You want to remove/dilute as much of that as possible.
The reason for flushing is that a substantial amount of coolant remains in the block when you pull the lower hose. You want to remove/dilute as much of that as possible.
strat81 said:
There is no such thing as a flush with the 4.2. The thermostat is the lowest point in the cooling circuit for the block. So when you remove the thermostat it all comes out. Let's not make this complicated.
Below the black line is below the cylinder water jack and even with the bottom of the water pump.
View attachment 33024
Attachments
strat81
Member
- Dec 29, 2011
- 399
CaptainXL said:
Then why did you say he'd have trouble getting a good 50/50 mix if he flushes the block? If it all comes out, then there should be zero problem: just dump in 50/50 and call it good.
Coolant remains in the block when you pull hoses and the thermostat.
Playsinsnow
Member
- Nov 17, 2012
- 9,727
FWIW: I replaced my radiator this past fall and after initial drain, I filled the system then let it warm and cool TWICE before adding coolant and periodically check the mix ratio as I filled it. A third drain and refill wouldn't hurt but it required more than just one fill and drain after draining everything from the radiator and both hoses. 
IllogicTC
Member
- Dec 30, 2013
- 3,452
From the Engine Cooling manual:
IMPORTANT: Draining the cooling system with the pressure cap installed will siphon the coolant from the overflow tank.
(I think this is important to know, it could tell you if the hose between the radiator and the overflow tank is clogged or not or if there is a pressure issue. This will allow you to clean it, also.)
Draining Procedure
1. Park vehicle on a level surface.
2. Allow engine to cool.
3. Remove the radiator cap.
4. Raise and support the vehicle.
5. Place a drain pan under the lower radiator hose connection at the bottom of the radiator.
6. Using J 38185 slide the hose clamp back on the hose. (J 38185 is a stupidly-overpriced tool, just find something that can loosen the clamp)
7. Slowly remove the lower radiator hose and drain the coolant into the drain pan.
8. Inspect the engine coolant for the following conditions:
--Discolored appearance - Follow the flush procedure
--Normal appearance - Follow the filling procedure
--If a complete block drain is required, remove the plug located on the LH side of the block. (This is telling us there's a plug, but in the flush procedure there's no mention of such a plug, just the thermostat)
Flushing Procedure:
1. Drain the cooling system (already did that up there ^^)
2. Remove the coolant recovery reservoir.
3. Clean and flush the coolant recovery reservoir with clean, drinkable water. (Could use some distilled water if you're paranoid)
4. Install the coolant recovery reservoir.
5. Remove the thermostat. (Note that if the thermostat is a permanent part of the housing, you'll have to reinstall it for running the fill and run procedures. If it can come out of the housing [the metal tube], I believe it is suggesting that, so water is circulated from the get-go)
6. Follow the drain and fill procedure using only clean, drinkable water.
7. Run the engine for 20 minutes.
8. Stop the engine.
9. Drain the cooling system after allowing to cool.
10. Repeat as necessary until the fluid is nearly colorless.
11. Install the thermostat.
12. Fill the cooling system.
Filling Procedure
1. If a complete block drain was required, install the plug.
2. Install the lower radiator hose.
3. Using J 38185 slide the clamp to the original position (use what you used before again, don't bother getting this overpriced tool)
4. Lower the vehicle.
IMPORTANT: Slowly add a mixture of 50/50 DEXCOOL antifreeze and deionized water to the cooling system through the top of the radiator until full. Refer to Capacities - Approximate Fluid in General Information. (According to owner's manual, SWB w/ I6 is 10.8 quarts and LWB is 13.8 quarts.)
5. Remove coolant recovery reservoir cap.
6. Fill the coolant reservoir with the remaining coolant.
7. Install the coolant reservoir cap.
8. Install the radiator cap.
9. Start the engine.
10. Run the engine at 2000-2500 RPM until the engine reaches normal operating temperature.
11. Allow the engine to idle for 3 minutes.
12. Shut the engine off.
13. Allow engine to cool.
14. Top off the coolant recovery reservoir as necessary.
15. Rinse away any excess coolant from the engine and engine compartment.
16. Inspect the cooling system for leaks.
17. Inspect the coolant concentration using J 26568 (another overpriced tool, just get a coolant tester).
This is exactly what the shop manual says that's available here. I'd follow the suggestions of the other members, and fill in any gaps or questions with this guide.
IMPORTANT: Draining the cooling system with the pressure cap installed will siphon the coolant from the overflow tank.
(I think this is important to know, it could tell you if the hose between the radiator and the overflow tank is clogged or not or if there is a pressure issue. This will allow you to clean it, also.)
Draining Procedure
1. Park vehicle on a level surface.
2. Allow engine to cool.
3. Remove the radiator cap.
4. Raise and support the vehicle.
5. Place a drain pan under the lower radiator hose connection at the bottom of the radiator.
6. Using J 38185 slide the hose clamp back on the hose. (J 38185 is a stupidly-overpriced tool, just find something that can loosen the clamp)
7. Slowly remove the lower radiator hose and drain the coolant into the drain pan.
8. Inspect the engine coolant for the following conditions:
--Discolored appearance - Follow the flush procedure
--Normal appearance - Follow the filling procedure
--If a complete block drain is required, remove the plug located on the LH side of the block. (This is telling us there's a plug, but in the flush procedure there's no mention of such a plug, just the thermostat)
Flushing Procedure:
1. Drain the cooling system (already did that up there ^^)
2. Remove the coolant recovery reservoir.
3. Clean and flush the coolant recovery reservoir with clean, drinkable water. (Could use some distilled water if you're paranoid)
4. Install the coolant recovery reservoir.
5. Remove the thermostat. (Note that if the thermostat is a permanent part of the housing, you'll have to reinstall it for running the fill and run procedures. If it can come out of the housing [the metal tube], I believe it is suggesting that, so water is circulated from the get-go)
6. Follow the drain and fill procedure using only clean, drinkable water.
7. Run the engine for 20 minutes.
8. Stop the engine.
9. Drain the cooling system after allowing to cool.
10. Repeat as necessary until the fluid is nearly colorless.
11. Install the thermostat.
12. Fill the cooling system.
Filling Procedure
1. If a complete block drain was required, install the plug.
2. Install the lower radiator hose.
3. Using J 38185 slide the clamp to the original position (use what you used before again, don't bother getting this overpriced tool)
4. Lower the vehicle.
IMPORTANT: Slowly add a mixture of 50/50 DEXCOOL antifreeze and deionized water to the cooling system through the top of the radiator until full. Refer to Capacities - Approximate Fluid in General Information. (According to owner's manual, SWB w/ I6 is 10.8 quarts and LWB is 13.8 quarts.)
5. Remove coolant recovery reservoir cap.
6. Fill the coolant reservoir with the remaining coolant.
7. Install the coolant reservoir cap.
8. Install the radiator cap.
9. Start the engine.
10. Run the engine at 2000-2500 RPM until the engine reaches normal operating temperature.
11. Allow the engine to idle for 3 minutes.
12. Shut the engine off.
13. Allow engine to cool.
14. Top off the coolant recovery reservoir as necessary.
15. Rinse away any excess coolant from the engine and engine compartment.
16. Inspect the cooling system for leaks.
17. Inspect the coolant concentration using J 26568 (another overpriced tool, just get a coolant tester).
This is exactly what the shop manual says that's available here. I'd follow the suggestions of the other members, and fill in any gaps or questions with this guide.
crap! today after being here with my laptop all full with grease and dirt, i just drained the rad, removed alternator, removed thermostat and lower hose, installed new thermostat and new lower hose and then it was way too dark to keep going, so tomorrow it is...
So tomorrow I was gonna remove the plastic container to clean it, (seems complicated to remove though) put clean/ filtered water on the rad and run and empty until the water comes out clear. Also guys, considering the fact that i have a bunch of stuff out, should it be wise to also change the water pump to make a complete cooling system mantainance? It is working well and doesnt has any noticeable shaft play nor noise, but a this point i dont give a damn!! The bearings on the alt were sounding a little, but i think they sound to the opposite rotation side, so i dont know if I should worry about that.
If the water pump is a go, which brand according to experience works the best? I was looking the though one on advance auto parts, and reviews are good, but i trust more this forums than reviews so, keep the replies coming! Thanks in advance
edit: also please somebody tell me how to remove the freaking CTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mine has it on the passenger side at the farthest part of the block, on top of manifold and i didnt saw any possible way to remove it, especially with the heater hoses in the way! Thanks again
So tomorrow I was gonna remove the plastic container to clean it, (seems complicated to remove though) put clean/ filtered water on the rad and run and empty until the water comes out clear. Also guys, considering the fact that i have a bunch of stuff out, should it be wise to also change the water pump to make a complete cooling system mantainance? It is working well and doesnt has any noticeable shaft play nor noise, but a this point i dont give a damn!! The bearings on the alt were sounding a little, but i think they sound to the opposite rotation side, so i dont know if I should worry about that.
If the water pump is a go, which brand according to experience works the best? I was looking the though one on advance auto parts, and reviews are good, but i trust more this forums than reviews so, keep the replies coming! Thanks in advance
edit: also please somebody tell me how to remove the freaking CTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mine has it on the passenger side at the farthest part of the block, on top of manifold and i didnt saw any possible way to remove it, especially with the heater hoses in the way! Thanks again
IllogicTC
Member
- Dec 30, 2013
- 3,452
jes1888 said:If the water pump is a go, which brand according to experience works the best? I was looking the though one on advance auto parts, and reviews are good, but i trust more this forums than reviews so, keep the replies coming! Thanks in advance
edit: also please somebody tell me how to remove the freaking CTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mine has it on the passenger side at the farthest part of the block, on top of manifold and i didnt saw any possible way to remove it, especially with the heater hoses in the way! Thanks again
I myself would leave the water pump alone if it's working. Let's see what others say.
Sensor - You need a 15mm sensor socket. Apparently they aren't exactly carried at the local stores unless you're lucky, so you'd either have to order one from the Internet or fabricate on like some other people did - by cutting a 15mm socket (not sure if it needs to be deep well or not) to look like a sensor socket. A cursory image search will show you how they look - they have like a slit along the side that the wire runs through to get it out of the way.
strat81
Member
- Dec 29, 2011
- 399
Almost 100k miles, I'd probably replace the water pump with either an AC Delco, Bosch, or Beck-Arnley. They're only around $40 or so. Save the current one as a spare.
Depends on what your time is worth.
But then, my OEM pump on the V8 died two years ago, I think I had around 70k miles on it. So I'm paranoid.
Depends on what your time is worth.
But then, my OEM pump on the V8 died two years ago, I think I had around 70k miles on it. So I'm paranoid.
strat81 said:
You sir, are wrong.
I have 107K so im beyond that point. I can get the one on advance auto parts like for 25-30 dollars i think, so if it's good i'll take it, but that AC Delco also sounds at a great price. Where have you seen it at that price? Is the AC Delco the OEM one?I would check the dealer as well for price on a pump if you need one. Many genuine GM parts have a lifetime warranty like the end links I got. Just keep the receipt.
If you have the money I would replace the pump. Think of it as preventative maint. Otherwise hold off and save up for the day you need one. I have 140k on my water pump if that helps any.
If you have the money I would replace the pump. Think of it as preventative maint. Otherwise hold off and save up for the day you need one. I have 140k on my water pump if that helps any.
IllogicTC
Member
- Dec 30, 2013
- 3,452
jes1888 said:You sir, are wrong.
AC Delco is the OEM, or the closest you'll likely get to OEM. A lot of other "touchy" things on this engine work just fine when using AC Delco parts, it's like it knows
I myself don't think the water pump has any particular useful service life that can be defined in miles. Some people do the "pump with timing belt," and that's because their timing belt runs their water pump and it may as well all be done in one shot. For external units, it's one's own choice to swap out a known working pump. A pump can last a few miles if there's a defect, or it could end up lasting 200,000 miles of service. It's too hard to tell because operating conditions (heat of the coolant, current spinning rate, etc.) are so darned variable.
If you have the money and the means and want to do it, why not? Then you'd have a spare sitting on the shelf just in case, and a nice brand new one installed, and have the experience on how to do such work then.
strat81
Member
- Dec 29, 2011
- 399
jes1888 said:You sir, are wrong.
Doh! I looked at the original post in the thread for my mileage number. But you're not the original poster.
Amazon lists the AC Delco 252-822 water pump for $37.88.
ETA: The comments for that part indicate that you should also get gasket 251-2029 from AC Delco as the one included with the pump is junk. YMMV.
IllogicTC said:AC Delco is the OEM, or the closest you'll likely get to OEM. A lot of other "touchy" things on this engine work just fine when using AC Delco parts, it's like it knows
I myself don't think the water pump has any particular useful service life that can be defined in miles. Some people do the "pump with timing belt," and that's because their timing belt runs their water pump and it may as well all be done in one shot. For external units, it's one's own choice to swap out a known working pump. A pump can last a few miles if there's a defect, or it could end up lasting 200,000 miles of service. It's too hard to tell because operating conditions (heat of the coolant, current spinning rate, etc.) are so darned variable.
If you have the money and the means and want to do it, why not? Then you'd have a spare sitting on the shelf just in case, and a nice brand new one installed, and have the experience on how to do such work then.
In these forums, dont remember which topic exactly, i read that water pumps start failing a few miles after the thermostat replacement, dunno if it's true, just asking about. But mine DO is fine, there's no shaft play, so I think i'll leave it there until it breaks and do more research about a nice future replacement
strat81 said:Doh! I looked at the original post in the thread for my mileage number. But you're not the original poster.
Amazon lists the AC Delco 252-822 water pump for $37.88.
ETA: The comments for that part indicate that you should also get gasket 251-2029 from AC Delco as the one included with the pump is junk. YMMV.
No worries about it
I did saw that pump, but got confused quickly because when i entered rockauto, they list 2 AC Delco's, different part #'s and different $, take a look:More Information for ACDELCO 251731 this one costs $90
More Information for ACDELCO 252822 this one costs $37
I do noticed that one of them doesnt includes the hardware, but i doubt it costs the $50+ difference
So today is a new day!! Yesterday i drained, replaced thermostat and hoses. Today I'll clean the plastic canister and see if i can remove the coolant sensor after this, will mount everything back on and put filtered water on the system, let it run, and drain it, repeat until clean, then put in the 50/50 mix dexcool right. Decided to wait till this water pump fails and not buy a new one yet. If i'm doing something wrong, any corrections or anything will be well received. What's the difference between the concentrated and 50/50 dexcool?? I know that it's a mix and all but, my doubt comes because here in PR, the coolest temperature i see at night is no less than 66° So i dont need the "antifreeze" section of the coolant. Me, instead of buying coolant on shops or whatever, i go to a cooling service shop and refill my old containers for $5. The guy uses that on his repairs. He told me the coolant, at least here, it's not needed. So it still contains the anti rust, cleansing agents, whatever the "coolant" contains and good to go. To all my other cars, they've never failed yet, so that's good i guess. Somebody shed some light on this. Thanks!!
When I replaced my t-stat and coolant sensor here's how I did the flush:
-pulled the bottom hose and let the system drain into a clear plastic container with marks on the side indicating the volume
-pulled the other end of the hose at the t-stat and let the rest drain into the container
-cleaned out the reservoir - into the clear container
-attached the the t-stat housing with no t-stat and reconnected the hoses
-made note of what was in the clear container
-refilled with distilled water
-ran the truck for 20 mins and shut down
-drained the system again into the clear container (the previous old dexcool was poured into empty spare jugs)
-refilled with distilled water
-ran the truck and shutdown
-i repeated this step until the water coming out was clear and clean…a bit time consuming but it was a nice day out
-installed new t-stat and housing, new temp sensor, new upper and lower hoses.
-checked the manual for total capacity and did some simple math: what was left in the system was clean distilled water only. I brought this level up as needed to half of the total system capacity. I then prepared to add the remainder as 100% dexcool to the radiator and recovery tank. This gives me a 50/50 mix.
I compared these amounts to what was initially drained from the system, what was left in the system after the initial drain and what came out with each cleaning cycle. My numbers all matched.
-I used an easy fill funnel from Lisle that burps air from the system as you refill.
-I ran the truck to further burp the system and top up as needed.
-drove around a bit and checked coolant level, top up as needed.
-used a tester to check the concentration and it was at 50/50
-pulled the bottom hose and let the system drain into a clear plastic container with marks on the side indicating the volume
-pulled the other end of the hose at the t-stat and let the rest drain into the container
-cleaned out the reservoir - into the clear container
-attached the the t-stat housing with no t-stat and reconnected the hoses
-made note of what was in the clear container
-refilled with distilled water
-ran the truck for 20 mins and shut down
-drained the system again into the clear container (the previous old dexcool was poured into empty spare jugs)
-refilled with distilled water
-ran the truck and shutdown
-i repeated this step until the water coming out was clear and clean…a bit time consuming but it was a nice day out
-installed new t-stat and housing, new temp sensor, new upper and lower hoses.
-checked the manual for total capacity and did some simple math: what was left in the system was clean distilled water only. I brought this level up as needed to half of the total system capacity. I then prepared to add the remainder as 100% dexcool to the radiator and recovery tank. This gives me a 50/50 mix.
I compared these amounts to what was initially drained from the system, what was left in the system after the initial drain and what came out with each cleaning cycle. My numbers all matched.
-I used an easy fill funnel from Lisle that burps air from the system as you refill.
-I ran the truck to further burp the system and top up as needed.
-drove around a bit and checked coolant level, top up as needed.
-used a tester to check the concentration and it was at 50/50
Sparky
Member
- Dec 4, 2011
- 12,927
For what it is worth I have 196K miles on my truck and it still has the original water pump in it.
And original tstat and sensor... don't know how, but it does! lol not complaining either!
If I had to do a flush I'd be tempted to buy a new tstat, and then just knock the actual tstat out of the old housing to use for flushing.
And original tstat and sensor... don't know how, but it does! lol not complaining either!
If I had to do a flush I'd be tempted to buy a new tstat, and then just knock the actual tstat out of the old housing to use for flushing.
Sparky said:
Why would you remove the tstat out of the housing? Are you afraid it will overheat with just distilled water in it or something? You still have the radiator and fan and the 15 PSI cap which lowers the boiling point. Antifreeze is mainly just that, to protect your engine from turning into a block of ice. If your considering flushing this way then let the coolant heat up all the way to 210 and then let it run some more so the hot water gets into the radiator. Otherwise if you remove the tstat from the housing it will take forever to heat up, if ever.
strat81
Member
- Dec 29, 2011
- 399
jes1888 said:
Adding 50/50 to a system that is partially full of water will result in a weak mix. How weak, I don't know, you'll have to test it. A weak mix is not good for resistance to freezing (not an issue in PR), but weak coolant also does not the necessary amount of corrosion inhibitors. 50/50 is a good compromise for most climates, with 30% Dexcool being the recommended minimum and 70% Dexcool the maximum. Also, a proper mix aids in cooling too. That's why they don't run straight water in tropical climates, and why track users often add something like Water Wetter to the water since antifreeze is a no go on most tracks.
Some good reading:
Coolant Experts
strat81
Member
- Dec 29, 2011
- 399
CaptainXL said:
I believe he means he's only removing the t-stat temporarily for flushing purposes. It's faster/easier to circulate coolant without the t-stat in place. Once the system has been flushed, a new t-stat is installed and proper coolant is added and the system burped.
Alright,
So I was thinking...this has to be without a doubt the most comprehensive thread regarding changing your coolant.
So I was thinking...this has to be without a doubt the most comprehensive thread regarding changing your coolant.
On a side note... since we are on the subject of cooling.
If you want to be thorough you can remove the grill and spray some coil cleaner on the radiator. Let it soak and rinse gently. preferably from behind where the fan is.
fadyasha who is in Saudi Arabia had a huge buildup of sand in his fins which was causing a bit higher temps.
Just a thought.
If you want to be thorough you can remove the grill and spray some coil cleaner on the radiator. Let it soak and rinse gently. preferably from behind where the fan is.
fadyasha who is in Saudi Arabia had a huge buildup of sand in his fins which was causing a bit higher temps.
Just a thought.