Coolant Flush Saga

[Bullitt0819]

...
I questioned him about it and apparently the master tech said Shelby’s need the red fluid. The yellow fluid is not efficient enough to protect these engines. And apparently they had one gallon left with red fluid that they used. IMO it should take more than that to flush it out.
I have another appointment this Thursday to talk to the tech about it. My coolant still smells a little fishy which was the reason I wanted it flushed out. I did check the PH balance which is a 9. Sadly I didn’t check it before.

2017 GT350

This chart says otherwise; yellow after MY2019 and, presumably, going forward for older cars (even for the Mach-E; battery coolant I suppose). Hearing 'they had one gallon left' kinda tells you something, no? Also, the 'Ford Truck Guy' seems to think the yellow is mo' betta.

Edit: https://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubricants.com/quickref/coolantsEN.pdf

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[nando19]

This chart says otherwise; yellow after MY2019 and, presumably, going forward for older cars (even for the Mach-E; battery coolant I suppose). Hearing 'they had one gallon left' kinda tells you something, no? Also, the 'Ford Truck Guy' seems to think the yellow is mo' betta.

file:///C:/Users/bspidell/Documents/Temp/Coolants-1.pdf

Yeah tells me they didn’t do it or did something weird prolly going to have them change it to yellow

 

[Keeffa]

Yeah this is why I do it myself, if I can. I guess there are dealership's and mechanics around that are trustworthy.

 

[nando19]

Yeah, unfortunately I was fixing a coolant leak on my other car and didn't have the time to flush it out myself.

Does anyone know of a good shop or dealer shop in the Houston area?

 

[ironsurvivor]

Here was my procedure to completely switch colors. It was messy and time consuming, but it worked well.
Make sure you have 10+ gallons of distilled water, a refractometer, and optionally a vacuum filler on hand.
-Start the car, allow it to warm up to full operating temperature and then cut it off.
-Remove small return hose from coolant tank. I extended the hose to a bucket.
-Restart car. The small return hose will start filling the bucket and the reservoir will start dropping. Continue adding distilled water to the reservoir to keep it topped off until there is completely clear water running out of the small hose. This will likely take at least 10 gallons of distilled to completely flush the old mixture out. You should have more than that on hand as you don't want to run out in the middle of the process. Cut the car off once it's running out clear.
- At this point your system will be full of distilled water. After it cools down, open the drain in the radiotor and drain as much out as you can. Make sure the reservoir empties out. I also pulled some hoses just to try to get everything I could out of the system.
- Full the system back up with straight concentrated coolant. I prefer to vacuum fill.
-Start the car back up and allow it to fully warm up and run for an additional 15-20 minutes.
-Test the coolant with the refractometer. If you hit your goal, you are done. If not, drain some of the mixture out of the radiator and replace with straight coolant again.

This still working well for you? I'm about to do the same on my 2018 and this process seems the most comprehensive.

 

[bankyf]

This still working well for you? I'm about to do the same on my 2018 and this process seems the most comprehensive.

Best option I’ve found since they stopped putting drain plugs in the block.

 

[ironsurvivor]

Best option I’ve found since they stopped putting drain plugs in the block.

Awesome. That's what I'll do then. I need to get an airlift to make it easier too. At the end when you measure the concentration with a refractometer and you had to drain out another half gallon to get your mix right, did you refill just by pouring it into the reservoir or did you hook up the airlift again?

 

[bankyf]

Awesome. That's what I'll do then. I need to get an airlift to make it easier too. At the end when you measure the concentration with a refractometer and you had to drain out another half gallon to get your mix right, did you refill just by pouring it into the reservoir or did you hook up the airlift again?

Reservoir

 

[ironsurvivor]

Reservoir

Got it. Thanks again. Last question. Do you run the car with the heat on to get through the heater core? Specifically when you've got the return hose in the bucket and you're flushing it. Or is that not really a thing on these cars and it'll still flow through it even without the heat being on?

 

[bankyf]

Got it. Thanks again. Last question. Do you run the car with the heat on to get through the heater core? Specifically when you've got the return hose in the bucket and you're flushing it. Or is that not really a thing on these cars and it'll still flow through it even without the heat being on?

Sorry for the delay. That's not a thing on these cars. Coolant is always circulating through the heater core.

 

[galaxy]

Got it. Thanks again. Last question. Do you run the car with the heat on to get through the heater core? Specifically when you've got the return hose in the bucket and you're flushing it. Or is that not really a thing on these cars and it'll still flow through it even without the heat being on?

Sorry for the delay. That's not a thing on these cars. Coolant is always circulating through the heater core.

Actually, to support what @bankyf said, that's not really a thing on any car (that I personally have seen). Isn't now, wasn't back then. Don't really know how that tale got started. Just take a look at how your heater core is plummed from the engine. Look at the hose routings. Coolant is always circulating. There's nothing that controls the flow of coolant to/through the heater core. Your heat is controlled by controlling the flow of air over the core. This happens under the dash with doors, mixing chambers, and other mystical features.

 

[Bullitt0819]

Actually, to support what @bankyf said, that's not really a thing on any car (that I personally have seen). Isn't now, wasn't back then. Don't really know how that tale got started. Just take a look at how your heater core is plummed from the engine. Look at the hose routings. Coolant is always circulating. There's nothing that controls the flow of coolant to/through the heater core. Your heat is controlled by controlling the flow of air over the core. This happens under the dash with doors, mixing chambers, and other mystical features.

Coolant to heater core valve on my '67 Austin-Healey 3000. Note it's on the outlet side, the valve on my '56 Healey is mounted on the return side of the water pump; not as useful when your heater core or valve--I've had to replace it twice--starts to leak.

Heater control valve on my '96 Ranger; this one is vacuum operated (and fails regularly; next time I'll spring for OEM-$$$):

 

[DrZed]

Coolant to heater core valve on my '67 Austin-Healey 3000. Note it's on the outlet side, the valve on my '56 Healey is mounted on the return side of the water pump; not as useful when your heater core or valve--I've had to replace it twice--starts to leak.

Heater control valve on my '96 Ranger; this one is vacuum operated (and fails regularly; next time I'll spring for OEM-$$$):

I see that Lucas electronics. Ohhhhh nooooooo!!!

 

[Bullitt0819]

I see that Lucas electronics. Ohhhhh nooooooo!!!

Replacement voltage regulator with original cover. Actually, the Lucas electricals aren't bad, it's the wiring; the Healeys have the same bullet-type connectors my dad's Model As have. They corrode and get intermittent.

 

[sukhoi_584th]

Here was my procedure to completely switch colors. It was messy and time consuming, but it worked well.
Make sure you have 10+ gallons of distilled water, a refractometer, and optionally a vacuum filler on hand.
-Start the car, allow it to warm up to full operating temperature and then cut it off.
-Remove small return hose from coolant tank. I extended the hose to a bucket.
-Restart car. The small return hose will start filling the bucket and the reservoir will start dropping. Continue adding distilled water to the reservoir to keep it topped off until there is completely clear water running out of the small hose. This will likely take at least 10 gallons of distilled to completely flush the old mixture out. You should have more than that on hand as you don't want to run out in the middle of the process. Cut the car off once it's running out clear.
- At this point your system will be full of distilled water. After it cools down, open the drain in the radiotor and drain as much out as you can. Make sure the reservoir empties out. I also pulled some hoses just to try to get everything I could out of the system.
- Full the system back up with straight concentrated coolant. I prefer to vacuum fill.
-Start the car back up and allow it to fully warm up and run for an additional 15-20 minutes.
-Test the coolant with the refractometer. If you hit your goal, you are done. If not, drain some of the mixture out of the radiator and replace with straight coolant again.

How fast does the fluid come out of the small return hose?

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