i need some tips on what coolant to get
my 98 4.6 has never had a flush and i just rolled 50k. ITs in the garage for winter storage but in the spring im gona flush the coolant and i need some ideas as to the best coolant from temps here in mid mo from negative 10 in december to 100 in july. What kind should i get?
-Patrick

 

Just make sure to read the back of the bottle. It should have a mixture of water and anti-freeze for temprature conditions. Make sure to follow directions for the flushing, you may have to run the truck with the flush in it for some miles. I used Prestone flush and anti-freeze.

 

Friend of mine used that orange junk. Messy and worthly if you ask me. He had 2 freeze plugs rust out also. Hmmmm, suspect. He just paid to have it flushed and put the normal antifreeze in it.

 

If it came with the "green stuff", then you have to put the "green stuff" back in. If it came with the "orange stuff", then you put that in.

I'm sure a '98 is the same as a '97, and it has the green stuff. Just used the off the shelf Prestone. You can also check the spec's on their web page. The spec for your truck will be lised under the hood on the rad cover.

Prestone had the same spec for their stuff. I'm going to be doing the second flush on mine before winter.

If you are planning on storing yours, I'd flush it now. 50k is a lot of miles for the original coolent. Besides the miles, it's over four years old. Should not go over two years at most on coolent. It'll get 'acidic', even if it looks good and says it still has good temp readings and then you'll be replacing the heater core really soon...... JMO, but that's been my experience with the stuff.

Good luck!

 

in the mix ,use disstiled water, no minerals or chlorine in that

 

Have my truck in the shop as we speak. I decided to go with the Redline Water Wetter coolant. I'm running all Redline poducts, and I decided to switch that, too. I change my radiator fluid once a year to prevent corrosion.

Also, you might want to think about a flush. Motorcraft makes a good coolant system flush for $3. This get rid of any build up throughout your whole system.

 

From what i was told all you paying for on the green coolant is the brand name. From what i was told is that there is only one manufacturer of the antifreeze, just different companys that bottle it up. I know the orange stuff is mainly for some gm vehicles. The only different one i know of is prob the redline wetter water, but i thought that is used in conjuction with the green stuff. I may be wrong..not too sure.

 

Loco
I have heard the same thing too. A customer once told me he was in the factory where they bottle it and said that you could see all the different brands coming from the same tank.

I know mines way over due and probably turned to pure acid. I guess my best route would be a machine flush.

 

Your right. You mix the Water Wetter ( Redline) with the green stuff.

 

Just a comment.
We have been brainwashed into changing antifreeze every two years by the manufacturer in my opinion. It does not go bad.
Sure it's easy to test for freeze protection so they tell you that you have to change it because it turns acidic. The problem is that it is also very easy to test for that with ph strips. For about $2 at any hobby shop you can get both alkaline and acid papers.
I have an 8 year old boat with the original antifreeze. Still freeze protected and still neutral ph.

Having said that, I do change mine because I too am brainwashed.

 

My three cents...

It's not just the acidity, guys- it's the current level (yes, like a battery) of the coolant on newer Fords. You see, our new engines are made of two different types of metal. Ever heard of dissimilar metal corrosion? Know how to make a battery? Well, as coolant ages in NEWER trucks with aluminum heads, not only does the dissimilar metal corrosion take place, but due to a grounding issue (the is a new TSB on this) the coolant van build up a background voltage and cause havoc on your heater core. Dealers have been going nuts replacing heater cores lately!

Change it yearly- it's only 20 bucks or so!

Noel

 

Palerider, you're correct. Electrolysis sets in if you don't change your coolant. After a while, it starts eating away at the aluminum radiator and hoses. Moreover, the whole system gets really gunked up, and it will cost one hell of a lot more in the long run.