Coolant Flush Question

[usmcknight69]

I am getting ready to flush my coolant system. I have read that it is best to remove the thermostat, and i have also read that it is best to leave it in place during the flush?????? What gives? I am mainly doing it to prevent oil cooler from getting clogged if that makes a difference. Also, is any CAT 1 coolant good, or should i just focus on getting fleetrite? Thanks in advance!

[DieselFeverDisease]

If you remove the thermostat then it will help your engine reach operating temperature faster which in turn will save you a few hours of time during the whole process. It's pretty time consuming to do a proper flush, so spending 15 minutes to remove one of the T stats is beneficial. If you take it out, then you should have a replacement for when your done with the flush .... At minimum have a new gasket, as the old one will most likely crumble to pieces when you remove it. As far as coolant goes, there are different views on that, but I used original OEM coolant for mine (6.4 uses Zerex/Ford Gold coolant) but that is controversial as most prefer the CAT ELC coolant. I'm not familiar with what the 6.0 calls for
Plan on a solid half day of time to do it properly (ie untill your coolant comes out clear) and be sure NOT to over tighten your radiator drain plug! It's plastic. I would use an Allen head socket that is inside of the 18mm hex head drain plug.... It's less likely to twist off that way.

[usmcknight69]

Originally Posted by DieselFeverDisease

If you remove the thermostat then it will help your engine reach operating temperature faster which in turn will save you a few hours of time during the whole process. It's pretty time consuming to do a proper flush, so spending 15 minutes to remove one of the T stats is beneficial. If you take it out, then you should have a replacement for when your done with the flush .... At minimum have a new gasket, as the old one will most likely crumble to pieces when you remove it. As far as coolant goes, there are different views on that, but I used original OEM coolant for mine (6.4 uses Zerex/Ford Gold coolant) but that is controversial as most prefer the CAT ELC coolant. I'm not familiar with what the 6.0 calls for
Plan on a solid half day of time to do it properly (ie untill your coolant comes out clear) and be sure NOT to over tighten your radiator drain plug! It's plastic. I would use an Allen head socket that is inside of the 18mm hex head drain plug.... It's less likely to twist off that way.

Sweet....Thanks for quick response. Ive got some work to do tomorrow between flushing and fixing my fuel pressure gauge. Oh well, nothing a 12 pack can't handle.

[2 stroker]

This should be in the driverside block drain to ease the pain in draining and getting burned.
QuickOilDrainValve.com - the best way to change oil
Here is another great cooling flush if you have to back flush.
http://home.comcast.net/~lyon.family...ush%20v1-0.pdf

Flushing and cleaning the 6.0

Restore is for cleaning out any silicate goo. VC-9 is for cleaning out iron and scale. Restore Plus is the same as VC-9 and cheaper.

To flush drain the coolant by removing the lower radiator hose from the radiator, and removing the drain plug from the driver side of the block. There is a drain plug on the passenger side also but you have to remove the starter to get to it. I don't bother with that one.
I also highly recommend you pull the thermostat out on your first drain and put the housing back without the thermostat. It only takes about 10 minutes and will save you 2.5 hrs or so in doing this whole procedure.

Ok now put the lower hose back on and the drain plug back in the block if you removed it. This is the procedure you will use each time to drain the system, except you will not touch the thermostat again until you're finished the whole procedure. Make sure that you set your heater to high while doing this to flush out the heater core as well.

Fill the cooling system with distilled water, start the truck and let the water circulate for 5 minutes. (if you did not remove the thermostat you must run the truck until the thermostat opens + 5 minutes to circulate. This takes 15 to 20 minutes each cycle and is why you should just remove the thermostat) Stop the engine. Drain the system and repeat the flush.

Now add at least 1/2 gallon of Restore and fill with distilled water. I used cardboard in front of the radiator because you have to get to 185* 190* for these products to work. Drive truck or run on high idle for 60-90 minutes just before you get back from your drive remove the cardboard this will help in the cool down same on the Restore+ flush. Drain and flush 3 or 4 times. or tell clean

Add 2qts VC-9 or 1/2gal of Restore Plus, top with distilled water, and drive the truck or run on high idle for 60-90 minutes. Now drain and flush until flush water comes out clear and clean. When you get clean flush water, flush 3 more times using distilled water while draining the block.

After your final distilled water drain it is time to put the thermostat back in take a funnel and dump the ELC coolant down the t/stat hole 3 1/2 gallons or till full to the top of the hole that way you have O air in the block, I recommend you install a new thermostat at this point 3C3Z-8575-AA Thermostat with housing come with new o-ring. They are only $30 or so and it is good maintenance procedure to do so and top off with distilled water. Drive the truck or let run for a while topping off with distilled water. Check the truck over the next few days and top up as required while any air left in the system works its way out useing the 1/2 gallon left over but fill with distilled water that will give you 1 gallon of mix fill ONLY to the add mark this is the new full cald mark. Remember the system hold 7 gallons of coolant by draining the driverside block drain and Radiator you remove adout 3 1/2 gallons of DISTILLED water that is why you only use 3 1/2 gallons of concentrate coolant this gives you a 50/50 mix.

Keep some 50/50 ELC on hand to use to top off the cooling system from here out and you are good to go.

new t/stat from Ford it should all come together (housing-t/stat-o-ring) in a box. The part number is RT-1169
My advice is to get some ph strips from Napa and check the ph level before add ELC coolant because you what a ph level of 7.0 if higher you must keep flushing to get to a neutral balance in the distilled water then you can add coolant, for me it was 6 flushes or 24 gallons of distilled water.

the Restore Product from Cummins dealer

I used a total of 48 gallons of distilled water 1/2 gallon Restore then 1/2 gallon Restore+ 1/4 tank of fuel and 12.5hrs of my time but my motor is clean.
2 stroker

[usmcknight69]

Thx for the good info. Is it necessary to do a coolant flush when adding coolant filter?


Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app

[2 stroker]

Originally Posted by usmcknight69

Thx for the good info. Is it necessary to do a coolant flush when adding coolant filter?


Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app

Install a coolant filter and run 5-7000 miles then do the flush to get the casting sand out first they are a must on a 6.0
You can order here
Performance Machine & MFG. 6.0L Powerstroke Diesel Coolant Filtration System
or here this is a good deal
Ford Superduty Powerstroke 2003-2007 6.0L Coolant Filter Kit
2 stroker

[usmcknight69]

Thx for the info stroker, i was hoping somebody said install filter then do flush.