Well I've made it home for the summer and it's time to start tearing this thing apart. I will begin tomorrow, but yesterday I took it to the dyno. Laid down 503 / 1215. I was very pleased with the numbers, but the knocking is getting worse to it's time to take it apart.

 

Those numbers are all fine and dandy... BUT I tested the coolants freezing point. With 3 gallons of antifreeze it was lower than -40F. With 2.5 gallons the freeze point is -25F. Maybe I've got the smallest cooling system out there

I would wonder about the accuracy of the test... Those numbers  don't jive with the percentages. 

 

All my numbers were based on the smallest cooling system capacity. Something isn't correct. 

 

Edited July 19, 20168 yr by AH64ID

This is what concerns me with doing a flush myself. What happens if I am unable to drain all the tap water out? Could you blow it out with compressed air?

  On 7/19/2016 at 10:28 AM, leathermaneod said:

This is what concerns me with doing a flush myself. What happens if I am unable to drain all the tap water out? Could you blow it out with compressed air?

 

 

Like some suggest is pulling the water pump out to drain the last bit of water out. Like myself I just add the first gallon of coolant straight and then mix the remaining coolant from that point on.

  On 7/19/2016 at 5:52 AM, AH64ID said:

I would wonder about the accuracy of the test... Those numbers  don't jive with the percentages. 

 

All my numbers were based on the smallest cooling system capacity. Something isn't correct. 

 

We use the same tester on all of the farm equipment to ensure the water doesn't freeze in them over the winter. It's been to -15F before and we haven't cracked a block, so I bet it's pretty accurate. Like I said this is just MY experience.

 

When I flushed everything there was NO way there was over a gallon left in the system. Did some orange come out? Yes, but from what I could tell it was about half a gallon. The rear end was so high there's no way anything was left in the block, only antifreeze left in the heater core. We'll see, but the everything looks good so far.

 

As for water being left in the system, I'm not worried about it. Where I live the water is VERY clean. Don't even use distilled in the equipment and the radiators are still spotless  

 

  On 7/19/2016 at 10:28 AM, leathermaneod said:

This is what concerns me with doing a flush myself. What happens if I am unable to drain all the tap water out? Could you blow it out with compressed air?

Check the PH and don't worry about it. There is no way to make everything perfect if you're flushing and putting in a different antifreeze. There's nothing you can do, so check the PH, run it, and enjoy.

Thanks for the tips guys. My dad always taught me to just start with adding the antifreeze then water a gallon of each at a time. That way you always end up with a higher concentration of antifreeze. 

 

How do you test the PH?

  On 7/19/2016 at 1:40 AM, notlimah said:

Oh ok you just cut it further towards the axle? I like the way it turned out. I was just thinking of how the stock exhaust looks and then what @CSM was saying about the angle of exhaust tip making a difference in sound and drone. 

Sorry I missed this! I cut it right before the elbow. I would have liked it to face more perpendicular like you were talking, but the tip was too long and would have stuck out past the tire. That's a no no for me! I drive too close to stuff haha

 

  On 7/19/2016 at 1:27 PM, leathermaneod said:

Thanks for the tips guys. My dad always taught me to just start with adding the antifreeze then water a gallon of each at a time. That way you always end up with a higher concentration of antifreeze. 

 

How do you test the PH?

With some of these

https://www.amazon.com/Cool-Trak-311519-Coolant-Testing-Strips/dp/B000MIUJMO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468935112&sr=8-1&keywords=antifreeze+test+strips

On these engines with the amount of liquid they hold in the block I always suggest, after a good flush, to add the proper amount of concentrate first and then top off with distilled water. This way you know you have the proper amount of coolant. 

 

Not sure why Tyler's freeze point came in where it did with that little coolant but I can tell you there is no way I would trust the reading. It's just not enough coolant for proper winter protection or corrosion protection. 

 

Ph is a secondary reading on his test strips and isn't used in determining freeze point. 

Edited July 19, 20168 yr by AH64ID

So your saying to take total capacity of the cooling system and divide by 2. Add that amount of concentrated coolant and fill the remainder with distilled water? Just want to make sure I understand....

  On 7/19/2016 at 3:36 PM, leathermaneod said:

So your saying to take total capacity of the cooling system and divide by 2. Add that amount of concentrated coolant and fill the remainder with distilled water? Just want to make sure I understand....

 

 

Yes. A 50:50 ratio is what you want for most vehicles unless you live in the arctic. 

  On 7/19/2016 at 3:29 PM, AH64ID said:

On these engines with the amount of liquid they hold in the block I always suggest, after a good flush, to add the proper amount of concentrate first and then top off with distilled water. This way you know you have the proper amount of coolant. 

 

Not sure why Tyler's freeze point came in where it did with that little coolant but I can tell you there is no way I would trust the reading. It's just not enough coolant for proper winter protection or corrosion protection. 

 

Ph is a secondary reading on his test strips and isn't used in determining freeze point. 

That's what I did. I added 3 gallons of coolant first, then distilled water. Then drove it 300 miles (should have been mixed by then) Tested it, came out as too much coolant, drained out a gallon, then filled with water. Drive 100 miles, tested coolant and is good to -25F. I'm good with that. I'm not saying everyone should do that, but I have no regrets  

  On 7/19/2016 at 3:51 PM, TFaoro said:

That's what I did. I added 3 gallons of coolant first, then distilled water. Then drove it 300 miles (should have been mixed by then) Tested it, came out as too much coolant, drained out a gallon, then filled with water. Drive 100 miles, tested coolant and is good to -25F. I'm good with that. I'm not saying everyone should do that, but I have no regrets  

 

Just a matter of trusting a cheap 3rd party universal tester or the mfgr specs of the coolant.... 

 

I've never been overly fond of the test strips and prefer to use a specific gravity tester if testing is required. 

 

A little too much coolant is safer than little too little, IMHO. 

 

Assuming the strips are accurate you're right at the minimum coolant required for corrosion protection, but with a -40°F freeze point you're only a couple % above 50% coolant.. maybe 55% probably slightly less. Better to have more corrosion protection, IMHO. 

Edited July 19, 20168 yr by AH64ID

  On 7/19/2016 at 3:55 PM, AH64ID said:

 

Just a matter of trusting a cheap 3rd party universal tester or the mfgr specs of the coolant.... 

 

I've never been overly fond of the test strips and prefer to use a specific gravity tester if testing is required. 

 

A little too much coolant is safer than little too little, IMHO. 

 

Assuming the strips are accurate you're right at the minimum coolant required for corrosion protection, but with a -40°F freeze point you're only a couple % above 50% coolant.. maybe 55% probably slightly less. Better to have more corrosion protection, IMHO. 

I didn't use test strips.... I linked those just to test the acidity of the coolant.

I used a tester with the floating balls.

 

When you say I'm not trusting the mfgr specs, I am. I know how much coolant and water I got into the thing, and it sure as heck does not total out to 6 gallons. Like I said I'm not sure if I've got the smallest cooling system in the world or what but there's no possible way there was over a gallon left in the system after draining from the radiator and the hoses.

 

You've also got to remember antifreeze does not cool as well as water, that's why the right balance is also imperative. I could have left the extra in there, but towing in 104* weather I'd like as much cooling as possible.

 

If my motor rots apart I'll let everyone know  

 

As always though John (@AH64ID), I do appreciate your input.  

  On 7/19/2016 at 1:34 PM, TFaoro said:

Sorry I missed this! I cut it right before the elbow. I would have liked it to face more perpendicular like you were talking, but the tip was too long and would have stuck out past the tire. That's a no no for me! I drive too close to stuff haha

 

With some of these

https://www.amazon.com/Cool-Trak-311519-Coolant-Testing-Strips/dp/B000MIUJMO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468935112&sr=8-1&keywords=antifreeze+test+strips

What should the PH be at with those strips? got some today...

From what can find, 9.8-10.5 is optimal

 

Well I have some interesting results to share. Below are (from left to right) tests from my 04 Honda Civic 202K, 06 Honda CRV 150K, and 01 Cummins 258K. The Civic we have owned since 150K and it has never had a coolant flush other than what came out when I replaced the radiator 2 years ago. The CRV we have owned since 117K and it was flushed at the dealer when we bought it. My truck I have owned since 248K and the only change it had was when the radiator was out at the shop that did the front main seal. I do know that the PO did a thorough flush when he did the headgasket and changed coolant from red to green. He said he had heard that red eats headgaskets and didnt wanna risk it. Now obviously my truck needs changed because the freeze point is way to high, but the PH on all three is right around 7.5 - 8.....

Since we are talking about antifreeze I figured this would be a good place to ask this question. A diesel mechanic friend of mine said he has a great way to flush antifreeze. Something he used to do on the HMMV's all the time. You get the engine up to temp, then carefully open the drain on the radiator, then carefully take the cap of the radiator and it will flush it self rapidly out the drain. He offered to do it for me next weekend but I'm just a little concerned....Anyone ever try/hear of this? Will it hurt my engine to rapidly remove the coolant when it is up to temp?

I don't know but when I was young I discovered you could remove the end of each upper an lower rad hose and place the garden hose inside squeezing the rad hose around the garden hose best you can and have someone turn on the garden hose at various levels. Got a lot of crap out the other end,  especially when you flushed it backward to what the coolant flows when engine runs. Wow! lots a crap came out.

 

I adapt the garden hose to flush the heater core back and forth that way too.

Washed and waxed. 

 

 

Cleaned up a set of wheels I picked up for cheap. Time for some new tires!

 

Looks good!

 

Do those 4th gen wheels have a weight rating anywhere on them?