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Coolant Flushing World Record in the Making

2K views 20 replies 10 participants last post by  colonel angus 
#1 ·
Flushed the truck 14 times and it's still dark as Tea.

Procedure:
Fill with tap water, drive until hot ~195 open both fumoto valves and radiator pet**** collect about 6 gal. of hot cloudy Tea. Repeat

It does settle out a bit but is still Tea colored.

It's improving, but reallllly slow i need encouragement to continue.

Would it help to pull the thermostat or is that counter productive?

Ph is really low Acidict via test strips.

Is it remotely possible that it won't clear up?

Denny
 
#2 ·
Pulling the t/stat may cut it in half, i did my whole flush without the t/stat used cardboard in front of Rad to build heat so the Restore and Restore+ would work but still took 12.5 hrs and 48 gallons of distilled water but it's clean.
2 stroker
 
#3 ·
Are you using any restore or VC-9
 
#5 ·
I did VC-9 before the new cooler and restore and restore + both 1/2 gal at a time after.

I've been flushing for 2 days with no end in sight.

I'll run it until the thermostat opens and then from then on flush with the fumoto's open and the flow adjusted to keep it around Min. level.

Our local lake is going to go dry.

D
 
#6 ·
Took me 5 flushes to get clear from the original Ford Gold and 12 to get clear from running around with 1 Gallon of Restore. I did not use VC-9 or Restore+.

I would pull your T-Stat...I did mine 4 times yesterday. Pulled it out when I started, put it back in for the one hour drive, back out and then back in when done. The T-Stat only starts to open at 192...you are not getting full flow through it.

Here is what it looked like after the first 5 flushes to get the Gold out.


Here is what it looked like after I ran it with Restore.


I did not get a picture when done as it was dark, but after 12 flushes it looked as clear as the first pic.
 
#7 ·
With the thermostat in will i be leaving the radiator and it's fluid out of the flush?

I've back flushed it several times and it's clear.


Plan is to flush this am keeping it hot and remove tstat in the pm once it clears up for full cleaning.

d
 
#9 ·
Pull the thermostat and also be sure to have the heat set at high in the cab. Otherwise you wont clean the gunk out of the heater core and lines.

Did you have a coolant filter installed prior to the flushing? I did and it only took me three rounds to get the coolant to run clear.

Also, how's your oil cooler performance? Is it possible that your oil cooler is plugged which is limiting the amount of your cooling system affected by the flushes?
 
#8 ·
I had my Tstat out the whole time I was flushing. That way, you're always running fluid through the whole system instead of having to heat it up each time. Definitely needed the cardboard to get it up to temp for the chemicals though...
 
#10 ·
Part of your problem is also in your actions. Instead of just opening the pet****, you need to pull the lower rad hose off. If you don't you aren't getting nearly as much fluid out as your should for each flush. Plus, you are wasting a TON of time by using the pet**** since it is so much slower.
 
#11 ·
Good point. Pulling the lower hose off the radiator really helps in removing crud and speeds the drain cycles.
 
#12 ·

First four are getting the stock stuff out, Then was Cummins Restore, then four flushes, then the Restore+. Then i continued to do more flushes till i got it close to clear, Then i did headstuds and the the internal teardown and build up stuff then filled with water, flushed till clear then went in with CAT ELC. which is the bottom pic.
 
#13 ·
Dang. That's some nasty stuff. A couple look like giant urine samples :hehe:
 
#14 ·
Also, when I was doing my final flushes, I was using test strips to check ph. It was always low, so I checked the ph of the distilled water and it was low right out of the jug so I finally called it good when it came out clear plus one more flush. Hope I got it all :dunno:
 
#15 ·
I have no idea if i got it all either, but i'm done and it is what it is.

Lesson #41? Tap water and Distilled water have different effects on the scale and crude in there.

I've been flushing with Tap to get to clear, after 2 days and countless > 20 flushes it got pretty clear.

Filled with Dist. and it was 2 Tblsp of white scale that hasn't been in any bucket yet.

Flushed 7 times removed lower Rad hose.... -using 4 gals each time until it was pretty clear and drained everything.

Added 3 gal of ELC 100% followed by ~2 gal of Dist.

Replaced Thermo.

Added Sinister Coolant Filter

Now watch it get stolen!

Thanks for everyone's help, I couldn't have done it without you guys.


Denny
 
#16 ·
Was that enough ELC? I added 4 gal plus a gallon and a half of distilled to top off...

You better get some sleep after two straight days of flushing!:hehe:
 
#19 ·
And, 5 weeks post Brian Tumor craniotomy. I need a nap.

D
 
#18 ·
I dunno i drove it around to 194 and rechecked it. I'll watch it over the next few days and refill with 100%.

I guess I could catch a gal. and replace with fresh to get the mix stronger, but it rarely ever freezes much less gets below Zero here in Dallass Texass

D
 
#20 ·
Well, I guess it's a good thing you have all this time off to work on your truck :dunno: Take it easy man!
 
#21 ·
Not long enough, 8 weeks passed by quickly, back to the grind tomorrow.

D
 
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