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Antifreeze Replacement After System Flush

money pit

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I flushed my cooling system with a chemical flush. I've been running a number of plain water flushes (distilled water). The stuff thats coming out looks pretty bad. Once I get clear water coming out, Ill replace the water with a 50/50 mix of antifreeze. Besides draining the radiator, should I also drain the block? Normally I would just add the 50/50 mix to the radiator but because I was having so many cooling issues, I wanted to get the most protection for the cooling system. Thanks
 

Challenger RTA

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Did you not just have your radiator rodded out? I think there would be a lot of loose debris all through out the cooling system. I myself would flush each component out separately with a garden hose.Heater core radiator then block. Just to see where most of it is.I would also back flush where I could.not to mention thermostat getting gunk ed up.
 

money pit

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Did you not just have your radiator rodded out? I think there would be a lot of loose debris all through out the cooling system. I myself would flush each component out separately with a garden hose.Heater core radiator then block. Just to see where most of it is.I would also back flush where I could.not to mention thermostat getting gunk ed up.
I did a water flush before I had the radiator rodded out. I decided to do a chemical flush after I had the radiator done since there was still so much crap still in the system. I think I will do the same. Flush the heater and then the block. Thanks
 

moparleo

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The flushes were not done with the thermostat installed and the radiator connected to the engine, Correct ? If not your radiator will now have debris in the core passages.
If the cooling system has gotten that much corrosion in it you need more than a flush. Flushes are part of regular maintenance, not to repair a plugged system.
Probably time for all coolant hoses, clamps, thermostat, belts and should check the soft plugs. Corrosion occurs from the inside out.

Back flushing will be done with a garden hose not bottles of water. Distilled water after you are done.
 

money pit

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The flushes were not done with the thermostat installed and the radiator connected to the engine, Correct ? If not your radiator will now have debris in the core passages.
If the cooling system has gotten that much corrosion in it you need more than a flush. Flushes are part of regular maintenance, not to repair a plugged system.
Probably time for all coolant hoses, clamps, thermostat, belts and should check the soft plugs. Corrosion occurs from the inside out.

Back flushing will be done with a garden hose not bottles of water. Distilled water after you are done.
Correct, the thermostat and radiator were out. The engine has less than 1500 miles on it. The thermostat I just replaced, the hoses and belts are less than 6 months old. The engine was rebuilt about 2 yrs ago.
 

moparleo

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Just wondered how it got so dirty/rusty if the engine was recently rebuilt and I am assuming the block was properly hot tanked which should have removed most of the rust, etc... in the water jackets.
 

money pit

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Just wondered how it got so dirty/rusty if the engine was recently rebuilt and I am assuming the block was properly hot tanked which should have removed most of the rust, etc... in the water jackets.
I'm sure it was hot tanked. The company is a reputable builder. Thanks
 
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