Cooling system flush 24 valve procedure

joecool911 · #1 10-23-2012, 10:01 AM

I've searched the archives and have not found a decent description of how to do a thorough flush. I need to do it right away as I changed a water pump and have not added any anti freeze yet.

Radiator shop wants about $200. Includes a new thermostat, but I doubt it's a cummins.

RAW · #2 10-23-2012, 10:17 AM

I have always used "10 minute rad flush", and ran it for 2 hours at 1200 RPM. This is a procedure that a well know Rad shop gave me years ago. After that, its a drain, refill with water, run, repeat until the water comes out clean, and not milky.

brianb883 · #3 10-23-2012, 12:05 PM

I didn't use a "flush" product, I just drained the radiator via the plug on the drivers side bottom. There was alot of gunk that quickly blocked the plug from the inside, so I used a garden hose to flush out the radiator from the top with the drain open.

I just flushed my radiator, heater core and what hoses I could get at. I figured a little old coolant in the block mixed with majority new coolant I threw in won't hurt anything.

Make sure to use distilled water when mixing coolant!

joecool911 · #4 10-23-2012, 01:22 PM

Can we get 3 gallons of water out of the cooling system without pulling the water pump to get 50% antifreeze solution in the cooling system?

---AutoMerged DoublePost---

Originally Posted by brianb883

I didn't use a "flush" product, I just drained the radiator via the plug on the drivers side bottom. There was alot of gunk that quickly blocked the plug from the inside, so I used a garden hose to flush out the radiator from the top with the drain open.

I just flushed my radiator, heater core and what hoses I could get at. I figured a little old coolant in the block mixed with majority new coolant I threw in won't hurt anything.

Make sure to use distilled water when mixing coolant!

How'd you flush your heater core?

Not all municipal water contains enough elements to require distilled water.

RAW · #5 10-23-2012, 01:28 PM

As much as it sucks to pay money for water, I typically use a pre-mix coolant.

You probably can get 3 gal out easily. When I do a t-stat, or minor coolant repairs, I don't drain much coolant. I take the rad cap off, and run a 3/8" hose down to the bottom of the radiator through the rad cap. Then I siphon out as much coolant as I can into a pail, or water can of sorts.

joecool911 · #6 10-23-2012, 02:08 PM

Whatcha want to bet that the antifreeze makers use nasty mud puddle water in their 50/50 mix? Scam like bottled water. Would be so much cheaper to use tap water in manufacturing process. Just my gut feeling.

H.R.D · #7 10-23-2012, 04:16 PM

I drain the coolant, then remove the T stat and take the top rad hose of the radiator and stick a hose into the radiator fill cap and turn the hose on. I then start the truck and let the water flow out of the top rad hose into a bucket or the ground, until it clears up. You could use some rad flush before this process too.

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