The rig is coming up on five years old and 135000 miles and the coolant has never been drained yet (the only fluid that hasn't been changed several times already). Getting ready to order all new hoses and coolant and was wondering if there is a good safe coolant flush out there on the market? Noticed the temp gauge is running a little higher than normal but nothing to be worried about.

 

I personally don't use any kind of engine flush stuff. I just change the coolant every 2 years regardless of mileage. On the Ferds I used a coolant additive every 6 months. That was for cavitation. Hoses are a good idea. Don't overlook any of them...Good luck.

 

DD, yes there is a safe engine flush out there that won't harm or damage your seals. It's called Auto-RX. Probably autorx.com, but check the oil forums for tons of info on it. Here's a link to the oil forum.

http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php

 

[quote author=Lightman link=board=8;threadid=19316;start=0#msg181495 date=1062904211]
DD, yes there is a safe engine flush out there that won't harm or damage your seals. It's called Auto-RX. Probably autorx.com, but check the oil forums for tons of info on it. Here's a link to the oil forum.

http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php [/quote]

Heeelllllllllllooooooooooooooo Lightman,
DD 4X4 is talking of flushing the coolant and water jacket - not the oil & sludge. ;D

 

He must be foggy minded waiting for his new truck with the new and improved EGR system!!!
I think that oil flush stuff is all smoke and mirrors, snake oil. Change your oil regularly and use a quality oil, you won't need snake oil in your crankcase.

 

My bad! The post is a little ambiguous....being it says he hasn't changed the coolant, then asks for an 'engine flush'.

Auto rx isn't snake oil, it's just an engine flush that isn't quite as harsh as previously available flushes. Of course, as you say spots, if you change your oil regularly you don't need one. However there are many people that do, for example someone who buys a high mileage engine that HASN'T been maintained perfectly....or one of the many SLUDGING toyota v-6's.... I think the primary users of autorx are toyota sludgers, from what it sounds like on the forums.. Users have reported large chunks of black goop coming out with their oil drains etc...pretty nasty.

 

I do not know about coolant flush, but I'm not a big beliver in using an oil flush. If your engine is so bad it needs an engine flush crud could clog oil passages, oil pick up tube ect.

Paul

 

[quote author=Holsteinman link=board=8;threadid=19316;start=0#msg181623 date=1062949431]
I do not know about coolant flush, but I'm not a big beliver in using an oil flush. If your engine is so bad it needs an engine flush crud could clog oil passages, oil pick up tube ect.

Paul
[/quote]

And I think on our HO trucks plug the cooling nozzles for the pistons.

 

I agree on the engine flush being a scary thing. AutoRX is not like traditional engine flushes in that it's much less harsh, and gradually removes contaminants, over a few oil changes.

 

fleetguard has some sort of "acidic" flush meant for our cooling systems. I have used it a couple of times, I can't say if it has done much for the block but it did appear to loosen a lot of crud in the rad and heater core.
You would fill the cooling system with the mix of flush and water and run the truck at full operating temp for an hour or so, then you would drain and flush with plain water until no more of the flush was in the system. The directions at this point said fill with coolant and go. What I wound up doing was pulling the rad and sloping water back and forth through the tubes. I was amazed at the amount of crud that came out of the rad. It took quite a while before it ran clean. same with the heater core.

 

The radiator is what I am more concerned about being clogged up slightly.
We just had a vendor come in and do a flush on one of our Detroits at the river. He used some kind of mild acid for the flush.

 

I'm kinda mixed on using those acidic solutions to unclog? a not clogged system. Reminds of the old "If it ain't broke, why are we fixing it?" Can you peer into the radiator and get an idea if there is a lot of buildup? Did you try a Cummins Power Store for some advice? I'd like to know what they say.

I always preferred a good fresh water flush. Never done it on a CTD, but a number of gassers. Heck I do it every weekend on my Chevy's after a day on the water.

 

I'm going to call the Cummins garage in Richmond when I get back from Charlotte this week. I will more than likely buy the new coolant from then anyway.