MistahYebba
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- June 29, 2015
- Messages
- 275
- Reaction score
- 18
- City, State
- Clearwater, Florida
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2005 Ford Explorer XLT
I'm growing a little upset trying to figure out a clear answer to doing a radiator flush. I've posted this before but I just can't get the thoroughness that a newcomer needs to do this. Although I am mechanically inclined and determined to get stuff done, I must stress the fact that I started working on cars less than a month ago when I bought my first used '92 Explorer, so all of this is NEW NEW NEW.
Natenkiki linked me to a great thread (http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=251416) which is very thorough and explains basically everything you would "think" I need to know... but there's simply not enough answers in that thread for me to tackle this project right away.
Here's what I got out of it...
-----------------------------------
First, you drain the radiator using the petcock valve... this will (hopefully) get out any fluids you have in the radiator, BUT IT WILL LEAVE THE FLUIDS THAT ARE IN THE ENGINE BLOCK UNTOUCHED.
Therefore, a flush is required to get the fluid in the block...
So firstly, I am told to disconnect the overflow tank for this whole process... easy enough.
To flush, I have a Prestone Flush "T" on the heater hose... I am just supposed to take the radiator cap off and connect my garden hose to this "T" and let water run through everything and out of the radiator neck until it runs clear...
Since the thermostat will be closed and therefore blocking water entry, I am supposed to turn on the truck and even rev it a few times to heat it up faster... this will eventually open the thermostat and allow the water through--doing a nice full flush.
During this process, I can put the radiator cap back on which will create a closed system...except for the drain hole at the bottom of the radiator which I have left open. When it's good and clean, the water coming out of the drain hole should be clear and steady...
Now my flush is complete! I can put the drain plug back in and the overflow tank hose back on.
------------------------------------
HERE'S WHERE I'M GETTING STRESSED OUT.
After all this... that means my system is now full of garden hose water. Who's to say how much?? How could anyone know??
The guy at AutoZone told me to do a flush and then fill it with 1 gallon of pure antifreeze and 1 gallon of distilled water... then drive it around and top it off with 50/50 pre-mixed when needed.
But maybe he didn't take into account that there would be a bunch of garden hose water still in the block?
A gallon of pure antifreeze wouldn't even fit into the overflow tank! So where do I pour it?
Also, if I pour a gallon of pure antifreeze in, and then a gallon of distilled water... I'd have like 40% antifreeze, 30% distilled and 30% tap in my system or something crazy...
I want a good 'ol 50/50 mix...
What do I need to do?
Please explain this to me as if I am a moron... because I just can't seem to grasp this whole flush thing..
Thank you <3
Natenkiki linked me to a great thread (http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=251416) which is very thorough and explains basically everything you would "think" I need to know... but there's simply not enough answers in that thread for me to tackle this project right away.
Here's what I got out of it...
-----------------------------------
First, you drain the radiator using the petcock valve... this will (hopefully) get out any fluids you have in the radiator, BUT IT WILL LEAVE THE FLUIDS THAT ARE IN THE ENGINE BLOCK UNTOUCHED.
Therefore, a flush is required to get the fluid in the block...
So firstly, I am told to disconnect the overflow tank for this whole process... easy enough.
To flush, I have a Prestone Flush "T" on the heater hose... I am just supposed to take the radiator cap off and connect my garden hose to this "T" and let water run through everything and out of the radiator neck until it runs clear...
Since the thermostat will be closed and therefore blocking water entry, I am supposed to turn on the truck and even rev it a few times to heat it up faster... this will eventually open the thermostat and allow the water through--doing a nice full flush.
During this process, I can put the radiator cap back on which will create a closed system...except for the drain hole at the bottom of the radiator which I have left open. When it's good and clean, the water coming out of the drain hole should be clear and steady...
Now my flush is complete! I can put the drain plug back in and the overflow tank hose back on.
------------------------------------
HERE'S WHERE I'M GETTING STRESSED OUT.
After all this... that means my system is now full of garden hose water. Who's to say how much?? How could anyone know??
The guy at AutoZone told me to do a flush and then fill it with 1 gallon of pure antifreeze and 1 gallon of distilled water... then drive it around and top it off with 50/50 pre-mixed when needed.
But maybe he didn't take into account that there would be a bunch of garden hose water still in the block?
A gallon of pure antifreeze wouldn't even fit into the overflow tank! So where do I pour it?
Also, if I pour a gallon of pure antifreeze in, and then a gallon of distilled water... I'd have like 40% antifreeze, 30% distilled and 30% tap in my system or something crazy...
I want a good 'ol 50/50 mix...
What do I need to do?
Please explain this to me as if I am a moron... because I just can't seem to grasp this whole flush thing..
Thank you <3