VC-9 Coolant system cleaning

[6litrefan]

Concerning a coolant change..when using the VC-9 cleaning solution from Mtorcraft, do I have to remove both LH and RH cylinder head drain plugs???....I have not heard of this step before?....How many quarts of the VC-9 do i need...just 2? Can someone clarify this step in doing the system cleaning, or better yet is this step in removing the drain plugs from the cylinder heads required???

[Banshee365]

2 qt's required. It's probably best to use distilled water for the flush but I only did the last fresh water flush with distilled then refilled with coolant and distilled water. The driver side block drain plug is easy to remove, 8mm allen. Don't try using a L-shaped wrench, buy a 3/8" drive 8mm hex driver if you don't already have one. Drain the radiator first by using the pet****, then drop the lower hose to get even more out. I'd guess another 3 gallon's are in the block/heads which is removed by pulling both plugs.

Most guy's will drop the driver side plug but never the pass. side. This involves removing the starter as the pass. side plug is behind it. I did that 3 times during my flush but I'm usually very thorough. I have read that long ball end hex can remove it without pulling the starter but I kind of doubt it, it's RIGHT behind the starter. I had pulling the starter down to about 5 mins top. There is a TSB on flushing a contaminated cooling system which I followed. It was written to flush systems contaminated with oil but I flushed my normal system with it. My coolant was nasty at 70k miles. I would follow the TSB again if I had it to do over again. If you want to save yourself some time just drop the drivers side drain plug. You'll need to remove your thermostat and rig up a set of hoses under the degass bottle to flush with a garden hose. I pulled both drain plugs and the radiator drain **** and let the hose run through it for quite a while before running simple green and then VC-9 through the engine. If you do not have the high idle mod done already I would advise that during the hour long run times with the VC-9 and simple green. Any more questions just me know. I've never had an oil/EGR cooler or HG failure at 83k miles.

[Banshee365]

TSB 08-23-1

[6litrefan]

Hey Banshee when you say rig up a set of hoses under the degass bottle to flush with a garden hose..this is only if your going to use a garden hose to flush with tap water...correct....if i am using distilled water then i do not need to rig up any set of hoses do I....?....Just simply pour in degass bottle drain then repeat correct?

[Banshee365]

The way I setup the hoses is the way the TSB shows. I flushed with tap water for a little while. I then filled with simple green and tap water. Drained along with both block plugs and refilled with VC-9 and distilled water, drained all plugs again, filled with distilled water to get the VC-9 out, drained again without dropping the pass. side plug and refilled with the correct mixture. Not a huge difference between tap and distilled depending on your location. It's not like adding a little bit of tap water will contaminate the whole system or something. As long as it's mostly distilled I'd be happy. Remember to keep up on your nitrite level's checked with strips after you'r done as regular maintenance.

[LORDDiESEL]

Originally Posted by Banshee365

TSB 08-23-1

awesome! thanks for the link