Orange coolant was added to the Gold, how quickly to flush?

[wikdslo]

So I bought the truck about 2 months ago, and have only put about 1000 km on it.

I did notice that there was fresh(ish) looking orange coolant in the degas bottle, and had figured that it must have been flushed and switched at some point.

Well, as of this weekend, I'm confident that was not the case.
My plan for the coolant was to:
A) Install IPR coolant filter.
B) Drive truck for about 3000 km, cleaning filter every 500 km or sooner.
C) Profit ?
D) Flush coolant and replace with ELC.

When I went to drain the coolant while doing the filter kit, I found that the rad was filled with Gold coolant, and then as the degas bottle drained, it made a nice murky brown looking coolant mix. Looks like swamp water.

I stuck to the plan of straining and reusing the drained coolant, but I'm wondering now if I should bump up my plan to do a flush.

My intention was to use the coolant filter and log some mileage to get as much contamination out of the system as possible before flushing, and then running the risk of clogging the oil cooler.

Will this stuff gel or clump up?

Thoughts?

Thanks.

[ICBM99]

I'd flush it just to be sure.

Here are a couple write ups:

Flushing and Cleaning the 6.0

6.0 coolant flush write-up

The second one links to a PDF that is very detailed.

*Edit, I wouldn't strain and reuse. Get some coolant flush (restore, restore plus), distilled water, ELC and do it properly.

[wikdslo]

Originally Posted by ICBM99

*Edit, I wouldn't strain and reuse. Get some coolant flush (restore, restore plus), distilled water, ELC and do it properly.

Thanks for the links.

I only strained and reused because I didn't want to disturb too much of the crud in there and blasting it into the oil cooler and having it plug like some people have reported.

Otherwise, I would have done so already. I'd really like to drive it with the coolant filter to clear some of that crap out and THEN flush.

[Hoder]

Originally Posted by wikdslo

I'd really like to drive it with the coolant filter to clear some of that crap out and THEN flush.

You could put in fresh Gold if you were so inclined. But then you're paying for something that you plan on replacing. Something I personally hate doing.

[southend]

Dump it, flush with tap till clear, flush with 24 gallons of distilled, replace with any concentrated elc with the cat ec-1 rating. Call it a day. Install a filter, and monitor.

Do all of this with the thermostat out, and drain including the drivers side block plug. Reinstall a new motorcraft thermostat before you refill with elc. If you flush with chemicals, expect the oil cooler to clog.

Sent from my phone that somebody didn't help me get.

[wikdslo]

Originally Posted by southend

Dump it, flush with tap till clear, flush with 24 gallons of distilled, replace with any concentrated elc with the cat ec-1 rating. Call it a day. Install a filter, and monitor.

Do all of this with the thermostat out, and drain including the drivers side block plug. Reinstall a new motorcraft thermostat before you refill with elc. If you flush with chemicals, expect the oil cooler to clog.

Sent from my phone that somebody didn't help me get.

Just a follow up on this.

I've been running with my IPR coolant filter for a about 1000 ~ 2000 km now since this post was first made. The last clean out was slimey, brown, with little chunks of debris. So I'm back in the same boat.
I'd like to do a flush, but it seems to go that if you use chemicals = plugged oil cooler.
Don't use chemicals, and it won't plug the oil cooler. Does that sound about right?

I was thinking about doing a flush and replacing with the Gold since I'm hesitant yet to do a proper chemical flush. But can I get away with doing just a distilled flush and then go to the Cat ELC?
Also, I just replaced my T-stat within 2000km. Do i still need to replace it post flush?

Thx again.

[southend]

An oil cooler can clog from chemical or tap/distilled flush. Just less likely with tap/distilled water. I did a flush without chemicals and have not seen any adverse affects. I believe it may degrade the elc over time, but that is a small price to pay, imo. If your system is bad enough, a chemical flush may be in order. My system was not as bad you described. The migration away from ford gold is in your best interest.

Sent from my phone that somebody didn't help me get.

[wikdslo]

Originally Posted by southend

An oil cooler can clog from chemical or tap/distilled flush. Just less likely with tap/distilled water. I did a flush without chemicals and have not seen any adverse affects. I believe it may degrade the elc over time, but that is a small price to pay, imo. If your system is bad enough, a chemical flush may be in order. My system was not as bad you described. The migration away from ford gold is in your best interest.

Sent from my phone that somebody didn't help me get.

Yeah, that's what it seems to be. Going to do a distilled flush, and go over to ELC. Even if it has to be replaced within the year, I just don't have the time to do an oil cooler right now, and I'd rather do a chemical flush before I do the oil cooler. But the coolant in there has got to go!

Thx for the advice.