Should I get a coolant flush?

02Steve15 · Apr 8, 2011

Got my oil changed yesterday. The guy there said that I'm due for a coolant flush, I'm coming up on 50k miles and he said the coolant looked kinda gunky just from looking at the container from the outside. I'm pretty sure the coolant has been in there since 2002 and has not been flushed before by the previous owner. They said if I go back in 7 days I will get a 33 dollar discount so it will then cost about 87 bucks.

I don't know how important the maintenance is with the coolant, I understand it's very important to keep up with the oil changes, but what would you guys recommend? Should I get the coolant change or should the coolant still be ok to run?

txbass06 · Apr 8, 2011

You can do it yourself at home in less than an hour and for less than half the cost...

02Steve15 · Apr 8, 2011

The only problem is ..where would i bring the old coolant?

The Assassin · Apr 8, 2011

Have a neighbor with a pet you dont like?

The Assassin · Apr 8, 2011

Serious note: a local auto parts store or even local dump should take it.

txbass06 · Apr 8, 2011

^^true

KGBIGCOUNTRY · Apr 8, 2011

If they have the nice BG flush machine to do it then it may be worth the money. The 4.7 thermostat is also in a goofy spot on the motor so burpping the air will be alill different.

02Steve15 · Apr 8, 2011

lol at the neighbor's pet comment.

i talked to my friend who works at the town dump and he said they will take it, so problem solved. i'll check the manual for whats recommended in regards to the coolant and ill probably flush it once i get out of school for the summer.

just to confirm, i would open the cap on the coolant, throw a pan under the drain valve, open it up and let it flow. then throw the new coolant in afterwards (after the drain valve is closed obviously)...is this right? never done this before haha

txbass06 · Apr 8, 2011

That's not really a flush lol. They sell a coolant system flush for this.
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/PST0/AS107.oap?keyword=radiator+flush
Basically, you'll drain your cooling system
add the flush and re-fill with just water
start your truck, turn the heater on full blast and let it get to normal operating temp
let it cool back down and drain the flush/water mix
then refill with whatever coolant/water mixture you want to run

02Steve15 · Apr 8, 2011

txbass06 said:
That's not really a flush lol. They sell a coolant system flush for this.
Prestone AS107 - Radiator Cleaner | O'Reilly Auto Parts
Basically, you'll drain your cooling system
add the flush and re-fill with just water
start your truck, turn the heater on full blast and let it get to normal operating temp
let it cool back down and drain the flush/water mix
then refill with whatever coolant/water mixture you want to run

how much of the flush would i put in, and how much water would i put in? just half way to the "cold start" line of the flush? then another half of the water?

i'll check an autoparts store for the prestone when the time comes

and the manual says that i have a factory Glycol based engine coolant (HOAT) and they recommend the Mopar antifreeze/coolant 5 year/100,000 miles formula (of course haha)

txbass06 · Apr 8, 2011

The flush we sell is only in a 16-18oz jug so you'd use all of it. Then refill with water to the "cold fill" line.
Most people will recommend a 50/50 mix of water and coolant. It's cheaper to buy straight coolant and mix yourself than buy the pre-mixed stuff. Any local parts store should be able to tell you the capacity of your cooling system

AF_Hemi · Apr 8, 2011

to mix 50/50 i buy 2 gallons of distilled water (not drinking water... distilled) and 2 gallons of concentrate antifreeze.

poor half a gallon of antifreeze straight into the radiator, followed by half gallon of water (that makes 1 gallon 50/50, then poor the remaining half gallon of water into the half jug of anti-freeze (now you have another 50/50 mix). you'll most likely use this whole gallon as well. When you use that gallon, you'll have 2 empty jugs. Poor half the other jug of antifreeze concentrate into an empty jug and fill it the rest of the way with water (a 3rd jug of 50/50 mix) and then combine the remaining half gallons of antifreeze/water for your 4th gallon of 50/50. You most likely wont use all of the 4th gallon (if any of it)

It costs about half of what it would cost for prediluted stuff, and doesnt really take any extra effort, and you have a sure way of getting 50/50 mix.

02Steve15 · Apr 8, 2011

im getting confused between the radiator and the container that holds the coolant, are these the same things? if so, i won't be fitting a gallon of a 50/50 mix in there..its way too small

is there a DIY with a step by step process, cuz it seems like there is more than one way to do this and the two ways in this thread differ from eachother

AF_Hemi · Apr 8, 2011

the clearish bottle that you poor the coolant into is the reservoir. it fills the radiator. some vehicles have a separate res and radiator fill spots (these trucks dont). The reservoir wont hold a gallon, but the radiator, tubes, etc will and the reservoir fills them. just keep pouring until you hit that fill line. Then start the truck (keep the cap off the reservoir, let it get to full op temp so the thermostat opens. The truck will "burp" and the fluid level will drop. fill it as it drops.

02Steve15 · Apr 8, 2011

ok let me recite this back to you and see if i have it down haha

1. have four 1 gallon 50/50 mixes ready (buy 2 gallons of distilled water, 2 gallons of coolant/antifreeze)
2. drain old coolant then close the valve
3. fill radiator with the mixes until i reach the cold fill line (which should may be only three of the 1 gallon containers, but some of the 4th if necessary)
4. start truck, let it get to normal operating temperature
5. truck will burp and the fluid level will drop
6. then fill the radiator with the new coolant/antifreeze

sound right? lol the only thing is..after i put the mixes of the 50/50's in..how would i fit the new coolant in there?

AF_Hemi · Apr 8, 2011

fit new coolant where?

the procedure you recited back is fine for a simple radiator swap, but its not a full flush. If you want to do the whole flush, get the prestone kit from the parts store for like $8. The directions are so simple even a UCONN fan could do it

02Steve15 · Apr 8, 2011

LOL hahahaha

so if i did the full flush i would just empty the coolant, throw the prestone in there with a mix of water, drain it and throw the 50/50 mixes in there?

AF_Hemi · Apr 8, 2011

YEP! while you're at the parts store, grab a coolant tester. its a little rubber syringe with 5 colored balls. its like $3 and tells you what ratio you have in there based on how many balls are floating.

02Steve15 · Apr 8, 2011

lol sounds good. thank you, sir!

adamwilkes14 · Apr 8, 2011

Make sure you get the Prestone kit and flush out really good...if your system hasnt been flushed since '02, you dont want crap getting into your heater core and clogging it...anf flush it both ways too, not just through the intake tube on the heater core...

Should I get a coolant flush?

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