Im doing a spring cleaning on my truck and want to r&r the glycol (dexcool). Is there a right way to do this?

I guess you cant run it down the driveway anymore with a hose or hazmat will come knockin.

PC


The method I used is as follows:


Flush the system by draining the radiator, refilling with distilled water and purging air. Repeat this three times and after the third cycle add approx 11 quarts of DexCool , purge air and top off one last time.


Per the Helms manual the air is purged by cycling the engine to 3000 RPMs several times with the cap off and thermostats open (engine hot). At this point I close the cap and take a ride around the block and top off one more time. Each time the engine is cycled to 3000 RPMs, the coolant level in the expansion tank drops, then rises as the RPMS fall. When all the air is purged the coolant level in the tank doesn't drop as the RPMs are cycled.


Hope this helps.. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Geek.gif

Bill


I'm am going to do this in two weeks as My Dex Cool is looking mighty ruff.


How did the mix work as far as measured protection as in 50/50 well with in the operating range?





Mac

Bill wrote - Flush the system by draining the radiator, refilling with distilled water and purging air. Repeat this three times and after the third cycle add approx 11 quarts of DexCool , purge air and top off one last time.


I was thinking about doing the maintenance step also. In the above procedure, my assumption is that after three radiator flushes (drain/refill) with distilled water, most of the old fluid is gone and all that is left is distilled water. There must be approximately 22 quarts in the cooling system (if your adding 11 quarts of DEXCOOL and a 50/50 mix is desired). Have I reasoned this correctly?

Thanks

How do you drain the radiator? Do you take off the top hose?

What about the thermostat and the cold distilled water?

What about the heater core?

Where do you dump/hold the toxic glycol?

There's a drain on the bottom of the Radiator ,the heater core is part of the system no seperate drain.


The Dex is a Pollutant so it should be recovered and disposed of properly. I can recycle mine at work in other applications. You'll have to see if your local Auto store or Town Recycle facility will take it.





Mac Edited by: Mackin

I thought that the dex cool was good for 5 years?

...* In the above procedure, my assumption is that after three radiator flushes (drain/refill)*with distilled water, most of the old fluid is gone and all that is left is distilled water.** There must be approximately 22 quarts in the cooling system (if your adding 11 quarts of DEXCOOL and a 50/50 mix is desired). Have I reasoned this correctly?

Alan,

Yes...exactly.. I assume after three flushes with distilled water that all the old coolant is gone.. There is just a slight pink tint to the water comming out on the third flush. So, as you pointed out I assumed adding 11 Qts of pure DEXCOOL yields a 50/50 mix (I remember looking up the capacity in the Helms manual when I did this last fall but I'll double check the Helms Manual when I get home).

... How did the mix work as far as measured protection as in 50/50 well with in the operating range?

Mac,
IIRC the 50/50 mix yielded about -25 to -35 degF protection as indicated by my cheap-o prestone tester. (If it ever gets colder than that I'm not taking my truck out of the garage.. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Confused.gif http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Clown.gif )

gearhead,
The DEXCOOL is supposed to be good for 5-years/150-kmiles but I still like to do an annual flush & fill to renew the coolant additive pack. I also change my Baldwin Coolant Filter (http://community.webshots.com/album/91409363hjwmod).

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Geek.gif
Edited by: jbplock

…I remember looking up the capacity in the Helms manual when I did this last fall but I'll double check the Helms Manual when I get home…

I should have said I remember looking it up … but not in the Helms http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Embarrased.gif (they say memory is the first thing to go…) Per the Diesel Supplement Manual the capacity for an 03 w/AutoTrans is 21.8 quarts…So adding 11 quarts of 100% DEXCOOL after the 3-time flush with distilled water should yield a 50/50 mix. However, I also checked the Helms manual and it lists the capacity as 20.3 quarts … I tend to think that is incorrect as I've have found other minor errors in the Helms …

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Geek.gif

Good engine cooling flush works good before the flush is started.


Genohttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Hug.gif

Bill





Thanks.





Mac http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Approve.gif

Wouldnt just draining off the radiator every year or 2 and replacing with a fresh 50/50 mix do a good enough job at replacing the additives? And then do a complete flush as described every 100k to get out the crusties? I am into preventive matinence and I like to over kill the hell outa stuff but wouldnt the above described method actually be "overkill" as per gm recomandations and a hell of alot less hassel? What do you guys think?


Geno, huh???http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Confused.gif

Geno's head hamster fell off his wheel!





Mac http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Geek.gif

Wouldnt just draining off the radiator every year or 2 and replacing with a fresh 50/50 mix do a good enough job at replacing the additives? And then do a complete flush as described every 100k to get out the crusties? … wouldn't the above described method actually be "overkill" …

Ratlover,

I agree… your method is more practical and probably more than adequate to maintain the cooling system… I'm just hopelessly given to overkill when it comes to maintenance http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Embarrased.gif and I'm always looking for an excuse to tinker … http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Confused.gif

Also, I think Geno's point may have been to put some radiator-flushing agent in the coolant before draining…

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Geek.gif Edited by: jbplock

I do what ratlover is suggesting. I drain and refill the radiators on all my vehicles every year. Its pretty simple, and keeps the additives fresh. So far, all the vehicles have gone well over 100k without cooling system problems.

The way my schedule has been lately I'll probably end up skipping the complete three time flush this year and just do the drain and fill with 50/50 Dex/DistilledH2O... I think it's good to do the initial 3-time flush with distilled water but after that the annual drain and refill with 50/50 Dex/DistilledH20 is all that's really needed.


http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Geek.gif

Thanks JB


These yankee's have to have it step by step or it goes between there toes. coolant flush into cooling system then follow directions if you are capable of reading them. Prestone makes a good one and a lot of others out there also.


Genohttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Hug.gif

This will be the first year I've done mine. When I open the drain on the radiator, does the stream of antifreeze go all over requiring a large pan to avoid a mess? I miss the older petcocks where you could slip a piece of hose over the end and neatly drain it into a pan.


What brand of dexcool have you guys been using? Texaco used to be easy to find here, but lately, stores have been stocking other brands.

My 2002 Duramax Diesel Supplement says the
scheduled maintenance for drain and flush is 150,000
miles or 60 months. (page 7-41)

Also, the Helms Manual calls for using "clean drinkable
water"....... don't need distilled. (page 6-1478)

… When I open the drain on the radiator, does the stream of antifreeze go all over requiring a large pan to avoid a mess…
…What brand of dexcool have you guys been using?

Roegs,
When I drained mine I positioned a 5 gal pail under the petcock and was able to get most of the fluid with out much spillage ... For Coolant I bought Texaco DEXCOOL form Wal-Mart.

56,
I can't handle waiting 150,000 or 5 years before I change my coolant… the urge to tinker is to strong to resist... http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Approve.gif

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Geek.gif

jb...thanks for the note on spillage and Texaco availability in Wallmart.


56...I saw the note on drinkable water also. In my area, that could mean anything from soft water out of my water softener (may have high sodium), to extremly hard water from the tap with high mineral content. All kinds of water is probably okay, but I like using distilled water, as the mineral content is very low. For me, its one of those cheap insurance things...http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Approve.gif

jbplock wrote:

"56, I can't handle waiting 150,000 or 5 years before I change my coolant… the urge to tinker is to strong to resist... "

Yikes...... I love to tinker too, but changing out my coolant at this
time would be like changing my oil at every 1333 miles http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/HiHi.gif

If you can find it deionized water is probably the best. Here the major oil destributers (sp) have it for the heavy industry. Cat has a 50/50 mix that will work great and you have no worries about bad water.


Genohttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Hug.gif

Also, the Helms Manual calls for using "clean drinkable
water"....... don't need distilled. (page 6-1478)


true. But drinkable water has minerals. These minerals will settle out on surfaces, eventually causing reduction in heat transfer. I think Bill's idea of using distilled water is right on the mark. But then if you only plan on keep your truck for 100K, then the next guy in line gets to deal with the problem http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Evil Smile.gif

Jim

Here's an interesting dicussion on what type of water to for the cooling system.

Distilled Water For Your Cooling System (http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=37;t=000092) (long thread ... 2 pages)

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Geek.gif

The cost of several gallons of distilled water is very minimal at the supermarket. To me this is not even an issue

As a chemist, it amazes me how so many people suddenly become arm-chair scientists on subjects like this. Don't waste the money on deionized water, distilled will be plenty good enough. The difference in mineral content will at most be a few mg/L (ppm in SI units); neither of which will be remotely high enough to precipitate out in the cooling system. Unless your tap water is terribly hard, it too would be fine. Proper coolant should have plenty of buffer capacity to keep the minerals in solution. But if it makes you feel better, pay the few cents and use distilled water. Don't waste time or money on deionized water and for God's sake don't pay for the premix rip-off.

"God's sake don't pay for the premix rip-off."





But what if the wife gets made when you use her Pitchers for mixing containers?





Mac http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/HiHi.gif

You can buy her a plethora of pitchers for what you are paying for the water in the premixed coolant.

If you just drain the radiator,which is fine with me for a 2 1/2 year old truck, what is the capacity of the radiator?

But what if the wife gets made when you use her Pitchers for mixing containers?


Mac http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/HiHi.gif<!-- Signature -->


I buy the regular stuff and noticed that it always comes with a mixing container. Pour half a container in the radiator followed with a half gallon of water. Now mix up the next gallon in the provided mixing container. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif

Jim

It's not the wife getting mad that bothers me, don't have one of those, it's me getting mad at me http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/HiHi.gif

I always figured the impeller on the water pump was a pretty good mixer, just have to get the ratio close. L8R