Flushing The Cooling System

isam · March 13, 2009

Thanks for reading my post.

Got a new motor for my Jeep and the mechanic said its better to flush the cooling system before commissioning the rig back on the road. I've got an ABR* radiator flush and the shop owner said that I need to topup the cooling system with water and the stuff in the cannister and run for about two days before draining it and re-filling with coolant. The label on the cannister says it would suffice an idle run for about 10 minutes to clean the whole system. When I quoted it to the shop owner he said a 10 minute idle run would not be enough to clean any rust inside the block.

My mechanic also opts the idle run for about 15 to 20 minutes before draining the system, washing it with water before topping up with coolant.

Want to know what's the right way of doing this. Value your experience in this regard.

GearHead · March 13, 2009

follow the instruction on the lable. I have done this at home following the instructions given on the lable itself and it just worked great.

1. First drain the radiator and pour this liquid into the radiator and then fill it up with water. - before you do this, make sure that the engine is cold.

2. Start the engine with the radiator cap is open. As soon as you start the engine you might see the water level going down a lil bit. This is normal.Fill it up till it reaches the top level of the radiator.

3. Keep the engine running till it reaches its normal operating temp and at the same time make sure that you keep your heater running as well. The reason for this is to make sure that the water flows through the small radiator in the heater unit, so that the the radiator flush liquid could clean all the rush and other sh*t in it.

5. When the engine has reached its normal operating temp, let it run for another 10 -15 mins. I ran it for another 15mins.

6. Then turn the engine off and and wait till it cools down completely.

7. Drain the system again.

8. Fill it up and start the engine and wait till it reaches its normal temp.

9. Let it cool down and drain it again.

10. Fill it up with water and start the engine, but this time dont close the radiator cap. While the engine is running, remove the drain plug of the radiator and at the same time pour more water into the radiator from the top to compensate the amount that drains out from the bottom, so that the engine doesnt run out of a constant and a good supply of water.While you are doing this, you will see some sort of a white form forming around the top of the radiator. This is normal and it is the left overs of the ABRO liquid.. Continue this process untill almost all of that white form is gone.

11. Turn the egnine, let if cool down and then fill the radiator up with some proper coolant.

Good luck..DIY rules...

Oh BTW i used the same brand that you have mentioned in your post. It worked great.

Edited March 13, 2009 by GearHead

AMG · March 13, 2009

And don't do the draining process inside a garage or whatever with a floor with tiles or polished concrete. Cos the fluid will ruin the floor and very hard to clean.