Taurus Car Club of America : Ford Taurus Forum banner

Coolant Flush Questions

2K views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  okgeniezuccini 
#1 ·
2000 Bull LX 165K Vulcan

Just got done flushing the coolant per SHOZ123's instructions: http://www.taurusclub.com/forum/82-...help-some-maintenance-things.html#entry702105

The coolant was very rusty, as was the distilled water/flush when it was drained, a dark orange-ish brown. I have new coolant in the reservoir tank, a pretty glowing green.

The car has never had an overheating problem (knock on wood) and the cabin heat works ferociously. I flushed the radiator because it had been 40K since the last time.

Do you guys suggest a rust inhibitor or some other chemical to keep the rust to a minimum? Is the rust color a problem and a harbinger of future issues? Could the flush have solved the issue? What does everyone here think?
 
#5 ·
I already completed a thorough flush. I used distilled water and exactly followed the instructions here.

There are no leaks and therefore no need to add coolant.

About six months ago, I had to replace the coolant reservoir, because it was cracking. Since then, the car has been running fine, but the coolant changed color to the rusty orange present when I drained it. I want to minimize the amount of rust in the system.

There are several rust inhibitors on the market, all with varying recommendations from users: Use it, don't use it, use it only if you don't have rust already, use it only if there is already evidence of rust.

I just want to lengthen the life of my car and keep repairs to a minimum.
 
#6 ·
The coolant will change color because even with the flushes that we do (I've done it the same way) there is going to be some gunk in there because we are not pulling the drain plugs on the engine.

Just keep up with the flushes and maybe for the first few years do them 1-2 times a year if you are really concerned about it.

As long as you keep up with them, the system should stay clean. Good work too using Distilled Water. It's amazing how many people don't use it because it's a dollar a gallon.
 
#8 ·
Antifreeze

Do not use the “any color” antifreeze in any car older than a 2003. The new antifreezes use Organic Acid Technology (OAT) containing neutralized organic acids (organic acid salts) that protect engine parts from corrosion instead of the inorganic inhibitors such as silicates, phosphates and / or borates in the old (green and yellow) antifreezes. The any color stuff will dissolve the solder in your heater core. Mixing the two can cause other problems too.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top