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Date:         Tue, 19 Jun 2007 11:12:38 -0700
Reply-To:     Nathan Mc Blain <nmcblain@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Nathan Mc Blain <nmcblain@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: coolant system flush chemical
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

Date: Mon, 18 Jun 2007 16:35:33 -0700 From: Gerald Masar <azsun99@EARTHLINK.NET>

Is there an off-the-FLAPS-shelf recommended product, or just lots of water?

I am finally getting around to long overdue maintenance on my backup van ('88 Westy AT) after having owned it 2.5 years, and what came out was pretty dark, with some sediment in the bottom of the buckets used to catch it. Also a thin slimy coating inside the expansion tank, but nothing such as smell or oily sheen that might indicate internal problems. I will be replacing the expansion tank, cap, sensors, T-stat and some small hoses. Thanks, Jerry

Jerry, Finally a question I can answer! Someone else had this question a few weeks ago and I neglected to post. Their transmission oil cooler had failed and they had exchanged fluids in the wrong places and needed to clean things out, maybe this post will be helpful for them as well.

If you go to your local Walmart in the automotive section they sell the Prestone Flush and Cleaner that works really well. The only difference I could see after reading the ingredients on the Flush and the Cleaner was one is just larger for more cleaning ability. Just dump your coolant, flush with water, and then fill with the cleaner and tap water. Instructions say to run the vehicle for 5min. and dump it out. I left it in there until I had gone through a few heat cycles but that's just me. Just to be safe follow the instructions on the package.

The important thing though is to really flush out all the cleaner and dirty water when done! And the best way to do that is with a back-flush kit. Walmart also has the Prestone back-flush kit witch consists of three different size plastic tees, hose clamps, garden hose fitting, and a splash deflector. IIRC I used the 5/8" tee and installed it at the distribution unit (For your van 251-121-438A). You can add a small piece of hose in between the heater inlet hose and distribution unit or just cut the heater inlet hose in half like I did and put the tee in between that hose. In the middle of the tee is threads for hooking up a garden hose. Hook up your garden hose and turn it on LOW, you don't want too much pressure and end up damaging something. You can vent the water out your expansion tank or unhook your front radiator hoses and let it out there. Set your heaters open. Start your motor to help circulate and let the water flow until it runs clear. When your finished you just leave the installed tee where it is and screw a sealing cap on the threaded part. Worked very well for me to get all the crap out of my cooling system! (Stop leak oil residue, scale and debris) Flush it at least twice with water to remove all chemical residue as maybe it could neutralize the coolant chemicals or do some other undesirable thing!! The cleaner and back-flush together is less than $8 so a cheap and effective way to clean out the cooling system. http://www.prestone.com/ Hope this helps.

In another post when I get my pics up on the net I want show my coolant system project and how much this list helped me out :)

Nate 1990 Flash Silver non GL Orange County, CA

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