Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 10:19:10 -0800
Reply-To: TJ Hannink <tjhannink@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: TJ Hannink <tjhannink@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Best flushing method - 2.1,and maintenance questions.
In-Reply-To: <OFDAE98AE1.843EB850-ON85256CF4.005FF548@LVS.DUPONT.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
--- Jay L Snyder <Jay.L.Snyder@usa.dupont.com> wrote:
>
> The Prestone flush kit is the only way to go. I
> have used it for years and it does not only flush
> the heater core!
Sorry, but I don't agree.
If you try to use the flush kit on a cold/non-running
engine, the thermostat will keep the flushing water
from circulating in the radiator loop. You will need
to remove the thermostat in order to flush the
radiator and the large coolant hoses. Then you run the
risk of pushing whatever sediment that was in the main
coolant lines and the radiator into the engine.
If you try to use the kit on a running engine, it
dumps the cool water from your garden hose directly on
top of the thermostat after it flushes the heater
cores, keeping the thermostat from opening. If the
thermostat doesn't open, the flushing water will not
circulate through the radiator loop and you're pumping
cool water into a hot engine, which is never a good
idea.
You could open the thermostat bypass valve on top of
the housing, it will allow a small amount of coolant
to flow through the radiator loop, but not enough to
flush the sediment out of the radiator and both of the
long hoses. Visualize trying to flush sediment uphill
out of 25' of 1.25" hose and the radiator through the
7mm id thermostat bypass hose, it's not going to be
very effective.
Opening the radiator bleeder will flush out one of the
main coolant lines (the one between the coolant
distributor and the top of the radiator), but won't
flush the radiator or the other main coolant line that
ends at the thermostat. Again, you would be trying to
flush any sediment uphill through a 7mm opening.
I've found that it is much easier to open the main
coolant lines just in front of the right rear wheel
and flush from there. Since that's the lowest point in
the cooling system, most of the sediment would
eventually end up there.
Thanks for listening.
=====
TJ Hannink
Goldibox - 1987 Vanagon Camper, Wolfsburg Edition
Winter Park, Florida
http://home.earthlink.net/~tjhannink/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wolfsburg_campers
http://photos.yahoo.com/tjhannink [Vanagon] Album
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