coolant

[jlat]

hello people of the G body: What are youz guys using for coolant in a alum. radiator? It's been years since the last change I think it was green (prestone) that was used. Also back flushing. What's your procedure to get all the old stuff out?
IBBY

 

[Injectedcutty]

I run green straight coolant and add distilled water in my LS with aluminum rad. On back flushing it, there are kits you can get at parts stores that help flush the system.

 

[jlat]

hello people: I had a flush kit installed in a car I had. I had to cut into a hose and I don't want to do that. So how are youz flushing a system without doing that?
IBBY

 

[ck80]

hello people: I had a flush kit installed in a car I had. I had to cut into a hose and I don't want to do that. So how are youz flushing a system without doing that?
IBBY

People may disagree, but propylene glycol breaks down naturally and is actually being used as a food additive these days. Long as you aren't leaving a bowl out for something to drink or pouring down a drain in bulk it isn't going to hurt anything.

Step one is drain everything you can get for recycling.

Then I used to open the drain petcock, take the upper radiator hose off the tstat housing, and stuff a garden hose in. Adjust the water flow so intake matches discharge, flushes out the block.

Wait a bit till it runs clear then shut off the water. Although I heavily advocate for distilled water, what is left in the block won't affect scale buildup.

No need for any high dollar invasive flush and fill system when the garden hose you already own does the job...

 

[jlat]

hello ck: So you like Prestone?
IBBY

 

[g0thiac]

hello people of the G body: What are youz guys using for coolant in a alum. radiator? It's been years since the last change I think it was green (prestone) that was used. Also back flushing. What's your procedure to get all the old stuff out?
IBBY

Both my vehicles have the original GM rad, which is brass iirc, but I just use Prestone 50/50 mix.

And as for back flushing, haven't bothered yet since the hose was frozen in the winter, just disconnected the lower rad hose on both sides and let it spill onto a tray.

 

[ck80]

hello ck: So you like Prestone?
IBBY

Yes sir, green stuff all the way. Valuewise I don't do premix, but whatever floats your wallet.

 

[bracketchev1221]

either premixed or straight anti freeze and tap water.

 

[olds307 and 403]

If you have block drains, pulling them helps flush everything out. It also makes getting the right mix easier as well.