Radiator change steps and advice?

[ripped camel]

Frogman, I searched to about page 10 when after spending 30 minutes looking all I got was that you need to burp it correctly. So search DIDN'T help...

I would like to do a flush and fill with the radiator fluid. All I need to know is if there is any special advice or steps on what to do.

I've done a few cars before but never this one. Is it the usual steps which is...

1. Drain fluid from the bottom of the radiator.
2. Open the radiator cap and continually poor distilled water in while the system is running to ensure everything is out.
3. Shut the car off and let the remainder of the distilled water drain out with the car off.
4. Fill up the radiator tank AND resevoir to required levels.
5. Start car.
6. Continue to fill with correct mixture after thermostat opens.
7. Done

Isn't waiting till the thermostat opens 1 or two times the same thing as burping the system? I only need the radiator cap to be off to burp the system while it runs right?

Thanks.

 

[kustomizingkid]

You couldn't find the burping procedure?

1. Take off the crossover cap and reservoir cap
2. Fill through the crossover until the level is full in the reservoir.
3. Put the cap on the reservoir
4. Fill Again through crossover until it is full
5. Run with crossover cap off letting more air come out
6. Fill again and put cap on

 

[ripped camel]

You couldn't find the burping procedure?

1. Take off the crossover cap and reservoir cap
2. Fill through the crossover until the level is full in the reservoir.
3. Put the cap on the reservoir
4. Fill Again through crossover until it is full
5. Run with crossover cap off letting more air come out
6. Fill again and put cap on

What do you mean the crossover? That's where I was getting confused. Is that that piping that goes around the radiator? You're supposed to do all the filling and burping through that, not through the radiator? Is the crossover cap easy to break?

 

[Aquabrit]

Distilled water also needs to be mixed 50/50 with a decent quality coolant, prior to filling.

 

[kustomizingkid]

The crossover is the tube with the cap that the hoses hook too, it goes around the alternator.

 

[Aquabrit]

Does a gen 2 not have the big decal right next to the coolant bottle, detailing the fill procedure? My gen 1 does.

 

[kustomizingkid]

Mine does too... some people aren't very observant... lol

 

[ripped camel]

Mine does too... some people aren't very observant... lol

I guess the importance of stickers was dumbed down when it became cool for people to make the outside of their car a sticker book. Now I tend to not even realize a sticker is there unless someone points it out. I guess I've become immune to them.

I've also never seen stickers on any previous cars I've owned (which this is my 15th car) that told how to change the radiator fluid. Actually I don't even think any of my past owners manuals told how to do it. I guess I'll have to pay attention more to the stickers.

I'm going to do a 60% distilled water / 40% antifreeze mixture with a bottle of watter wetter. Being in Florida I dont have to worry about a perfect 50/50 mix, because water cools better than antifreeze and I don't have to worry about freezing temps. The perks of living in the sunshine state

 

[Go Fast Get Tickets]

Take it to a stealership before you f it up. The cooling system on a Mark is not the same as a Maverick or whatever your used to working on. Not being a smart arse, just stating a fact.

 

[ripped camel]

Take it to a stealership before you f it up. The cooling system on a Mark is not the same as a Maverick or whatever your used to working on. Not being a smart arse, just stating a fact.

Not the same as a Maverick?

I changed the radiator fluid on my...
2003 fully bolted on Mustang GT
2004 Chevy Silverado with the 5.3 V8
2002 Ford Focus ZX3
1988 Iroc Z Camaro
1985.5 Dodge Daytona Turbo Z

Plus a few other cars of mine. I wouldn't classify them in the same category as a Maverick. What are you saying I would f up? I just noticed this car is setup a tad different than my Stang that also has a 4.6 (but is SOHC) so I wanted to see if there were any tips to be given before I plunged into it. I've learned through the years it's always better to ask for tips first because others may encounter something with a car that isn't listed in the books or is not usual for most cars.

Honestly if you don't have something productive to add to the thread why the f even post? Not trying to be a smart ass but.......

 

[Go Fast Get Tickets]

And what is a cross over tube? Where is the radiator cap on a Mark?

 

[The Rev]

You got the draining part down. If possible, get the front of the car elevated while doing this. XLRVIII has a good funnel he uses just for this procedure, but I do not so I cut the bottom of a poland spring bottle of and used that.


After replacing petcock, fill at the crossover tube (right in front of alternator, 1/4" drive, very very easy to strip, I had a nut welded to mine.) until the overflow tank is full, remembering to do this while the overflow cap is off. When full, replace cap and start engine. Heres where I improvised.

They say to have a funnel full of coolant, so when bubbles come up coolant just goes right in. I didn't have one handy so I used a poland spring (or any water bottle) with the bottom cut off, upside down and taped to the crossover cap. I filled it, let the car get hot, and it sucked water right down into it as the bubbles came out. I also squeezed the lower radiator hose below the tstat, and upper hose to facilitate some bubbles. Pushing the car down a little with my body weight helped, but if the car is on an incline with the front end higher than the rest of the car, it'll be much easier.

Hope this helps.

 

[Aquabrit]

I'm going to do a 60% distilled water / 40% antifreeze mixture with a bottle of watter wetter. Being in Florida I dont have to worry about a perfect 50/50 mix, because water cools better than antifreeze and I don't have to worry about freezing temps.

Coolant does more than just prevent freezing. Ford calls for a 50/50 mix, but hey, you know best.

 

[Black87LSC]

Antifreeze also raises the boil temp doesnt it? Not that you should run into that..

 

[Aquabrit]

Yeah, raises the boiling point, lowers the freezing point, lubricates and prevents corrosion.

 

[ripped camel]

You got the draining part down. If possible, get the front of the car elevated while doing this. XLRVIII has a good funnel he uses just for this procedure, but I do not so I cut the bottom of a poland spring bottle of and used that.


After replacing petcock, fill at the crossover tube (right in front of alternator, 1/4" drive, very very easy to strip, I had a nut welded to mine.) until the overflow tank is full, remembering to do this while the overflow cap is off. When full, replace cap and start engine. Heres where I improvised.

They say to have a funnel full of coolant, so when bubbles come up coolant just goes right in. I didn't have one handy so I used a poland spring (or any water bottle) with the bottom cut off, upside down and taped to the crossover cap. I filled it, let the car get hot, and it sucked water right down into it as the bubbles came out. I also squeezed the lower radiator hose below the tstat, and upper hose to facilitate some bubbles. Pushing the car down a little with my body weight helped, but if the car is on an incline with the front end higher than the rest of the car, it'll be much easier.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the help rev. That definitely helped.

And what is a cross over tube? Where is the radiator cap on a Mark?

I'm sorry I wasn't aware that everyone is supposed to know every single thing on a car before they work on it, or learn how to work on their car. I didn't notice a radiator cap when I took a quick look, but assumed that I just wasn't looking hard enough and was going to check it out later.

Quit acting like a hardass!

Antifreeze also raises the boil temp doesnt it? Not that you should run into that..

I never said I wouldn't run into hot weather that could potentially make a car run hot now did I. But I did say I was going to run a 60 distilled water / 40 antifreeze with.......here comes the drumroll..........WATER WETTER!!! Look up what that is and you should better understand that that mix will far exceed that of a standard 50/50 mix.

Yeah, raises the boiling point, lowers the freezing point, lubricates and prevents corrosion.

True, but that's why I'm adding Water Wetter. Lowers the engine temps, and according to them it lowers it much more with a stronger water content. I've ran it in my truck hammering on it pretty hard during heat waves in Florida, Ran it in my Stang and beat the snot out of that, ran it in my ZX3 same thing. My brother runs that mix in his Titan....same result. My point is with Water Wetter it is a safe mix.

 

[XLRVIII]

running a 60% water 40% antifreeze is better for hot weather than 50/50 mix is.
Water is a better coolant than antifreeze, but it lacks the anticorrosion properties that antifreeze/coolant provides.

50/50 is "recommended" because it will work in any climate.
you can customize the mix for your individual climates so long as you have ATLEAST 25% antifreeze.


WaterWetter, while it "does do" what it says, it's awfully expensive for "SOAP". that is all it is.. a "surfactant". The soap lowers the surface tension of the water and makes it work better.

1-2 drops of ivory liquid per gallon of water does the same thing for ALOT less money.
(keeping in mind.. ONE OR TWO DROPS, per gallon, this is one of those cases where "more is NOT better}

 

[ripped camel]

running a 60% water 40% antifreeze is better for hot weather than 50/50 mix is.
Water is a better coolant than antifreeze, but it lacks the anticorrosion properties that antifreeze/coolant provides.

50/50 is "recommended" because it will work in any climate.
you can customize the mix for your individual climates so long as you have ATLEAST 25% antifreeze.


WaterWetter, while it "does do" what it says, it's awfully expensive for "SOAP". that is all it is.. a "surfactant". The soap lowers the surface tension of the water and makes it work better.

1-2 drops of ivory liquid per gallon of water does the same thing for ALOT less money.
(keeping in mind.. ONE OR TWO DROPS, per gallon, this is one of those cases where "more is NOT better}

Eh, it was only $10. Not really a big deal. I definitely know that water lacks the anti-corrosion properties that antifreeze contains, but that's where the water wetter is supposed to pick up the slack for the water.

Plus that's also why I've opted for distilled water over tap. I've seen many shops use straight water from a hose to drain a radiator, and then to use for the 50/50 mix. That's the worst thing they can do as most tap water is "hard" water and will badly corrode the water pump and radiator components.

By using the mix I'll be using, it will significantly lower my temps which in turn will increase the engines overall performance.

 

[XLRVIII]

I've seen many shops use straight water from a hose to drain a radiator, and then to use for the 50/50 mix.

I dont see how a hose with straight water, could be used to DRAIN a cooling system?

 

[XLRVIII]

By using the mix I'll be using, it will significantly lower my temps which in turn will increase the engines overall performance.

unless you change the thermostat to a lower temp and adjust your fan temps via the tune.. the car is gonna STILL run at 200 degree's.

running a surfactant in the cooling system does give the ability for the engine to run cooler, but it WONT.. unless you change the thermostat AND the tune to reflect this added cooling ability.

Datalog the car, BEFORE you change the coolant and afterwards.
Simply changing the coolant wont have a "significant" impact on the temp, unless you make SIGNIFICANT "hardware and software" changes.

 

[XLRVIII]

I thought from the title of this post that you were looking for "advice".


If you want to spend 10.00 on some OVERHYPED SOAP, feel free.

I commented for those other readers that may follow, would get REAL information, not hype.

 

[ripped camel]

I thought from the title of this post that you were looking for "advice".


If you want to spend 10.00 on some OVERHYPED SOAP, feel free.

I commented for those other readers that may follow, would get REAL information, not hype.

Yeah, I do want advice......on the process of changing fluid in this car. Every car is different, and I wanted to see if there were any little tips. After the whole oil change fiasco I wanted to make sure there were no surprises, which I've learned that

I already knew what mix I was putting in and didn't need advice on that. I'm always open to suggestions though and appreciate them. I already have the water wetter and have had it in my garage since the day I bought the car (in May). Even so, I literally have watched the temp gauge go from it's normal position, to about a 1/4 of the way in the cooler direction by adding water wetter alone.

I don't think it's hype when I literally watched my gauge go from it's normal position, to a much lower position at all times from that point forward. Not everything is "Hype" because it claims it does something good. Some things actually do what they say.

So I just want the other readers that follow to know not to just pass everything off as "Hype" without trying things themselves.

Yes you have much more knowledge about the Mark VIII than I do, however that doesn't mean I have zero knowledge about cars or the aftermarket world. I actually had to know quite a lot about aftermarket components to get a job at Steeda. I've also learned from working there though that you don't just jump into a build, or repair without getting supporting advice or info from fellow enthusiasts. That's how you learn extra "tricks" to make the job that much easier.

 

[XLRVIII]

I used water wetter in the past, while it's a decent product that works pretty much as advertised.. I still stany by my original statment..
it's kinda pricey for "SOAP".

I understand you worked for steeda, and IMHO.. BIG WHOOP.

There are alot of areas where a mark 8 differs frm your garden variety mustang.
the cooling system is one of those areas.

keep pounding your chest, and disagreeing or batting down useful information.
Before long, no one will reply to your posts..
*shruggs*

 

[ripped camel]

I used water wetter in the past, while it's a decent product that works pretty much as advertised.. I still stany by my original statment..
it's kinda pricey for "SOAP".

I understand you worked for steeda, and IMHO.. BIG WHOOP.

There are alot of areas where a mark 8 differs frm your garden variety mustang.
the cooling system is one of those areas.

keep pounding your chest, and disagreeing or batting down useful information.
Before long, no one will reply to your posts..
*shruggs*

Dude get the f'n stick out of your ass! I asked for some help about HOW to change the radiator fluid NOT WHAT TYPE OF FLUID TO USE! AGAIN, your advice about water wetter was noted but do you expect people to drop everything and do exactly as you say?! Seriously dude, I don't care how long you've been on this forum, or how respected you may be, I'm not just going to do as you say! I'll comprehend it, and research it, but I'm not going to take it as textbook fact!

Anyone with any bit of intelligence takes everything they hear, formulate a hypothesis, and go from there. You don't just take every persons word as text! I had a guy that everyone boasted about being the best mechanic on the east coast for stangs. I brought my car to him, he diagnosed it wrong, I figured it out through tips from fellow forum members, and my own problem solving. Point is just because you may be an expert doesn't make you always right.

My mentioning working at Steeda wasn't pounding my chest, nor was it to boast about how knowledgeable I am. I specifically said that to make the point I'm not just a garden variety noob with internet car knowledge. I had actual REAL WORLD experience.

I also understand the cooling system is different in the mark....WHICH IS WHY I STARTED THIS F'N THREAD IN THE FIRST PLACE! I even mentioned to the other guy on this thread that compared my previous modern cars to a "Maverick" that I've changed other cars radiator fluids but........ITS A TAD BIT DIFFERENT THAN THE MARK!

My god dude, f'n read what people post before you start getting on your high horse acting like your tough :q:q:q:q.

Something tells me if this was face to face this conversation would be going much different. It always does..........internet is always the place for people to act big.

 

[mmtphoto]

+1 on the water wetter, but it's positive effects are diminished by the amount of anti-freeze in the system. Water is better at transferring heat than antifreeze, but boiling point is increased by water wetter or antifreeze-and antifreeze, as pointed out, is better at inhibiting rust. Also, the points about the thermostat and fan-ON settings are important, otherwise it is going to run at the same temp if they are not addressed. Burping the system is real important on these, and it's a good idea to do it a few times to be certain there is no air in the system.
All the 'helpful' posts here are without name-calling or lame attempts at ridicule-there are a few here who just like the 'internet bully' image they've so carefully crafted for themselves, and it is a shame-they have gotten this forum to the point where people don't want to post for fear that the post whores will come out of the woodwork, acting like some tough guy with a keyboard. Good forum, 'cept for that, unfortunately there's plenty of that.
Hope you found your answer among the BS.