Ok to flush cooling system with garden hose?
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Yes it's ok during flushing. In fact back in the day I remember buying a Prestone flushing kit made for garden hoses. Of course, honestly distilled water in 3 gallon containers aren't that expensive, even here in parched California.
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Its fine.
No problem. Just fill it with distilled water after the hose flush and run it, drain it, and repeat before the final fill of AF.
It's fine as long as you drain it out.
Distilled water is $0.67 a gallon here, if you want an alternative and some peace of mind. I get mine from Rite-Aid next door to Autozone.
A short walk for saving $3 a gallon.
Distilled water is $0.67 a gallon here, if you want an alternative and some peace of mind. I get mine from Rite-Aid next door to Autozone.
A short walk for saving $3 a gallon.
Thanks just needed a little reassurance. I have a rebuilt block with 15,000 miles and don't want to contaminate it with rust cancer. I know I shouldn't have to flush already but long story short I have a mix of coolants in there that I believe is becoming sludgy.
I've never used distilled water ever. I think its an anal retentive thing.
I installed Prestone flush kit to one of the heater hoses in my LS400 since 1997-1998, I used garden hose to flush to coolant every 2-3 years and fill with Prestone or Peak AM/AM concentrate coolant(half capacity), and top off with tap water. I didn't use distilled water in that car.
How bad/good is tap water in Irvine, CA ? I didn't change the OEM radiator until last year after 360+k miles, the upper hose was changed for the first time 2 years before that. The heater hoses were changed more frequent at around 6-8 years.
If your tap water is good enough for you to drink it is good enough for your car.
How bad/good is tap water in Irvine, CA ? I didn't change the OEM radiator until last year after 360+k miles, the upper hose was changed for the first time 2 years before that. The heater hoses were changed more frequent at around 6-8 years.
If your tap water is good enough for you to drink it is good enough for your car.
Originally Posted By: turtlevette
I've never used distilled water ever. I think its an anal retentive thing.
I guess you never heard of hard water.
dummy
you're probably ignorant of water softeners too. and science in general
I've never used distilled water ever. I think its an anal retentive thing.
I guess you never heard of hard water.
dummy
you're probably ignorant of water softeners too. and science in general
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I installed Prestone flush kit to one of the heater hoses in my LS400 since 1997-1998, I used garden hose to flush to coolant every 2-3 years and fill with Prestone or Peak AM/AM concentrate coolant(half capacity), and top off with tap water. I didn't use distilled water in that car.
How bad/good is tap water in Irvine, CA ? I didn't change the OEM radiator until last year after 360+k miles, the upper hose was changed for the first time 2 years before that. The heater hoses were changed more frequent at around 6-8 years.
If your tap water is good enough for you to drink it is good enough for your car.
How bad/good is tap water in Irvine, CA ? I didn't change the OEM radiator until last year after 360+k miles, the upper hose was changed for the first time 2 years before that. The heater hoses were changed more frequent at around 6-8 years.
If your tap water is good enough for you to drink it is good enough for your car.
Your body needs minerals like calcium and magnesium. In your cooling system those will probably plate out as crusty scale deposits under heat. Then again, too much calcium in your body plates as plaque in your arteries and soft tissues.
If its from a city water its already been filtered. If its straight out of a well like my water no way.
Garden hoses are great for flushing out neglected systems, but I'd still drain as much of that water out and run a minimum of 2-3 gallons Distilled behind it because any minerals in the water are considered contamination for the system. If you flush every year or two though it's less of an issue. I prefer extended life coolants like G05 with Distilled water myself
Originally Posted By: CT8
I have well water, I use distilled water. The mineral deposits on the plumbing are amazing.
true you can build up some serious mineral deposits in a sink, however, your sink is bombarded with fresh mineral water with EVERY use. You radiator, being flushed and changed out every 50k miles would only see fresh minerals 4 times in a 200k mile life. Not saying to use tap water but am saying that it is hardly comparable to your sink.
I have well water, I use distilled water. The mineral deposits on the plumbing are amazing.
true you can build up some serious mineral deposits in a sink, however, your sink is bombarded with fresh mineral water with EVERY use. You radiator, being flushed and changed out every 50k miles would only see fresh minerals 4 times in a 200k mile life. Not saying to use tap water but am saying that it is hardly comparable to your sink.
i flush my own vehicles with a hose never any problems in a matter of fact most engine shops i know of use tap water in everything..
Originally Posted By: philipp10
Originally Posted By: CT8
I have well water, I use distilled water. The mineral deposits on the plumbing are amazing.
true you can build up some serious mineral deposits in a sink, however, your sink is bombarded with fresh mineral water with EVERY use. You radiator, being flushed and changed out every 50k miles would only see fresh minerals 4 times in a 200k mile life. Not saying to use tap water but am saying that it is hardly comparable to your sink.
Good observation. "Distilled" is easy to come by from a dehumidifier, but I use well water, hard or not, the only reason I changed the radiator on my 330K miles Camry was a crack in the plastic tank at 275K. I run a 50/50 mix.
Originally Posted By: CT8
I have well water, I use distilled water. The mineral deposits on the plumbing are amazing.
true you can build up some serious mineral deposits in a sink, however, your sink is bombarded with fresh mineral water with EVERY use. You radiator, being flushed and changed out every 50k miles would only see fresh minerals 4 times in a 200k mile life. Not saying to use tap water but am saying that it is hardly comparable to your sink.
Good observation. "Distilled" is easy to come by from a dehumidifier, but I use well water, hard or not, the only reason I changed the radiator on my 330K miles Camry was a crack in the plastic tank at 275K. I run a 50/50 mix.
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