Radiator flush

[serge_saati]

Yes it has a rad cap in the 2000. You mean it's not a pressure cap.

[veerg]

Well, I will be damned.....I can not find the rad cap of any sort in my 2000 Winnie. I have three other vehicles. I have no trouble finding it on them. In fact I changed the rad on my Kia Rio. So I know what they look like.
Are you sure there is a cap on the radiator of 2000 ?

[northern piper]

no there is no rad cap on the 2000 w/s. If adding fluid it must go thru the reservoir.

[northern piper]

no there is no rad cap on the 2000 w/s. If adding fluid it must go thru the reservoir.

[serge_saati]

I remember, I already see a cap on the passenger side of the rad in a 1999. I think it's similar in 2000. Maybe my vision was an hallucination, I dunno.

So I just check in catalog, they said they have also a rad cap:



They also said there's an adapter for the rad cap:



I don't know. I must check again.

[veerg]

May be 1999 does. But 2000 dos not have a cap.

[AvalonJohn]

Question? If I install a flush kit and T on the heater line and run water via a hose through the system with the drain cock open, won't it remove all of the old anti-freeze and all I have to do is fill it up with 50/50 mixture since the water used to flush the system will all drain as well? Or will some of the water used to flush the system still be in the system and won't come out 100% and put a higher % of ant-freeze in?

Thanks,

AJ

[serge_saati]

No, it'll not remove all the distillated water. So it's better to put more than 50% of anti-freeze and add distillated water after.

[wiswind]

A "T" connector for a flush will help in flushing out the system....HOWEVER you will STILL have a LOT of fluid left in there.
I recommend that you do the end of the flush with distilled water......then remove as much as you can and then add full strength G-05 coolant in the amount that is slightly more than 50% of the rated capacity of your system.
In other words......if the total system capacity is 8 quarts......add slightly more than 4 quarts of concentrated G-05 coolant.
Then.....if you still have room.....top off with distilled water.

[crrobbins]

I am going to do a flush on wife's Windstar(1999-3.8). After reading these posts I double checked and her van has no radiator cap. Fill is done through reservoir and pressure cap is on reservoir. Glad I read these posts.

[Gobowiec]

Originally Posted by wiswind

you want the overflow tank to end up with a slightly stronger than 50/50 mix of coolant........just like the rest of the system.

I'm draining using the drain plug on the radiator, but I can drain only half of the coolant. How can I drain more? If only half comes out then I suppose I should fill the radiator with 100% concentrate and it will dilute to 50/50 after warm up.
Beside that, did three times drain/refill/warm up with distilled water and the water is comming out brown. If I can get rid only half of the capacity this can go very long before I get clean drain.

[wiswind]

Gobowiec, I would flush out the radiator, then run the engine to circulate the fluid through the engine and heater system. Then flush the radiator again.....and repeat until you get the water to run clean. Make SURE to stay with the vehicle and monitor the engine temperature and I have had an air "bubble" get into the system and cause the temp to spike.....shutting the engine off and letting it cool will help keep you from causing the engine overheating.

[tomj76]

>How can I drain more?

You can remove the block drain plug(s) to remove water from the engine block and you can use air to blow out the heater core.

[phil-l]

Also, I've had luck with this: If your Windstar has the rear heater, you can disconnect one of the lines under the van in the rear (it's been a while since I've done it, but I recall that one of the lines is easy to get to), which will drain most of the coolant in the rear heater and the lines feeding it.