flushing coolant system

[colossus68]

Can anyone be of assistants. I have a Jeep Wrangler 2005 and I would like to know the proper way to flush the coolant system/radiator.

 

[xt master]

1.Remove cap
2.Put bucket under radiator
3.open drain valve
4.close valve
5.add water only
6.run engine
7.let engine cool
8.Repeat steps 1-4
9.add a mixture of anti freeze and water

 

[JPNinPA]

*IMPORTANT: Coolant can be very dangerous to pets. It tastes sweet to them but ingesting it can be fatal. Be sure not to leave any -- even a small puddle -- where an animal could drink it.

1) With the engine cold place a catch container under the petcock. Open the valve and let it drain.
2) Close the petcock and open the cap on top. Add flush chemical and fill with water. Turn your heater on high heat and run vehicle for 10 to 20 min so fluid gets to heat and run through the system.
3) Drain like above.
4) Some refill with coolant at this point. I usually repeat step 2 & 3 with water only until the water comes out clear. Then refill with coolant and water mixture.
5) Leave the radiator cap off, turn the engine on and let it run until the radiator "burps": You will see the coolant level drop and may see or hear a large air bubble come to the top as the system burps.
6) Top off the radiator and fill you overflow to the marking.
Note that if the engine runs hot after this procedure there may have been another pocket of air that "burped." Let the engine cool down and then add more coolant to both the radiator and the coolant reservoir.

 

[JohnnyO]

I drain radiators by pulling off the lower hose. Much faster. It seems that some newer vehicles like my Focus don't have petcocks anyway.

 

[lambo]

This method only clears the radiator, There is still fluid in the engine! Stick the hose in the radiator and run the engine with heat on and lower hose off. when The when the water is clear shut down engine and let it drain, replace hose and fill er up!

 

[JohnnyO]

I guess I didn't say that I drain it and refill it a couple times that way. Pulling off the lower hose will drain the majority of coolant in the block. Coolant flows OUT of the upper hose to the radiator and IN to the engine through the lower hose. Sticking a garden hose into the upper radiator hose will only work if you take out the thermostat.

 

[lambo]

My bad... Thats correct, I forgot its been so long... Remove the top hose and thermostat then run the hose to flush the block..I did this becous the guy before me kept filling it with some kind of radiator sealant.. I do not use that crap. If you got a leak replace the thing and dont try to bandaid it.

 

[tardis454]

I run a bottle of white vinegar through the cooling system before refilling it. The acetic acid in vinegar cleans/removes rust & deposits from the block & radiator without harming any cooling system components. After the cooling system is clean I refill it & add 1/4 cup of pepper for good measure. Pepper is the best cooling system sealer there is. It seals radiators, heater cores, small head gasket leaks, etc.. without harming anything.

My S-10 radiator developed a pinhole leak 2 yrs ago, I dumped 1/4 cup of pepper in it & it hasn't leaked a drop since. It also works great on heater cores. My 94 YJ's heater core had a pretty good leak & lost about 1/2 gallon of coolant a week. I dumped 1/2 cup of pepper in & it never leaked again, that was 4yrs ago lol!!!

Sometime you gotta raid the grocery store for good car care products... :lol:
Hope this helps,