Okay my coolant is a nasty brown...havent kept up with it in midst of trying to do all my drive-line maintenance (both Differential fluid changes, transmission fluid replacement, etc..). I would like to flush it how Ford Tech Makuloco does in this video...


Is this an advisable way to do it? and also what antifreeze would you guys suggest on a budget? Can I use any of the generic green stuff like prestone? I do believe my coolant capacity is 4.85 gal. Thanks.

1999 f150 XLT, 5.4L 4x4.

 

What color is in your bottle? That is ALL you should use. My F150 is green, My Expy was gold/orange.

And I've only found one two things that I disagree with FTM on, and this is not one of those things.

 

My manual says green, everything ive looked at says my truck needs green. The coolant in my truck stinks and it brown, as in its been in my truck too long and is no longer good...i think. I plan to buy a tester and see...i bought the truck used two years ago so i know its at least that old, and the truck did alot of sitting around before that(5 years worth), and i doubt they changed it. So i was gunna do a flush anyways just a preventative maintenance even if it is good coolant. I just wanna know what brands of coolant are safe to use in these...i know theyre picky about most other fluids...thanks white.

 

I just did mine and just used prestone in mine. Mt. Dew color, lol. It's all good and it's A LOT cheaper than the ford green stuff.

3 gallons of the concentrated prestone was under $30 at Wally world

 

If you mix it yourself, be sure to use distilled water... not tap water.

 

Yup, that ones easy, that stuff is cheap at wally world... thanks for the headsup!

 

Glas I found this thread that's a good video. Doing my first flush since I got the 04 heritage last year. the coolant was gold and now more brown. Going with the prestone as it is ethylene based. I bought one bottle of the prestone cleaner but it says more than 12 quarts of coolant to use two. Anyone else use that? Also checking the hoses before flush as I feel they are all original. Have you had to replace their hoses or are they pretty durable?
Thanks

 

Replace your heater hose connectors.
Use oem motorcraft, they'll be good for another 15 years without issue.

the plastic degrades when they get old and they will snap off suddenly .

The restrictor for the heater core that's in the supply hose also is plastic and can break and fall apart so that hose should be completely replaced. That hose restrictor limits the flow/pressure on the heater core and prevents it failing from pressure cycles.....

 

Thanks for the advice much appreciated! So which of these parts are the essential ones? the supply and return lines and what else?

 

Seems to be teo types of same thing....crimped on connector....and clamp on.

When I replaced my supply hose I got it from a local dealer that had it......it had the crimped connector. Same as came on my 2003.

I ordered the replacement return line....but ended up just taking the removeable connector off of it and cutting the broken end out of my return hose and using the new connector on it. I couldn't get the return hose off the heater pipe. I finally changed the hose when I replace my intake manifold because I replace the heater pipe also. even with the intake manifold off I could not get the return hose off the pipe until I had the whole pipe off the engine..... And even then I fought with it for 20 minutes.... so don't plan on the return hose being easy to replace just use the connector and cut the old one off your old hose and replace the connector if have too. The hoses themselves pretty much lasts forever.