2002 Ford with original green coolant.

[Fordiesel69]

Got a dillema. In 2005 i was buying 1998 thru 2001 cars that had rotten green coolant that was never changed. I stopped flushing with chemicals as 100% heater core failure would occur a few weeks / months after. I just picked up a 2002 ford truck with 50k on it and it has the very nasty brown murky coolant.

I will not flush it but was thinking of simply doing a drain and fill. I have about 6 gallons of real old skool green from texaco and zerex left over still sealed ( i kept them for the old cars that cant take new coolant) .

Or I was thinking of using city water to rinse the system until clean until no more brown coolant comes out, remove the radiator and ran water thru it each direction, and switch the truck over to motorcraft premium gold or zerex G-05 whichever is cheaper.

What would be safer for heater core. I dont care about any other part of the cooling system.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

My Grand Marquis had nasty coolant when I got it. I've changed the coolant in it 4 or 5 times, flushed once and it still turns to nasty stuff in 20 minutes.

 

[benjamming]

Omit using city water.
I would just do 1 drain & fill for now. That will give a bit of time to see how everything else checks out on the pickup.
4.0L or 3.0L V6 or 4 cylinder?

 

[Ursatdx]

The old Fords were rust producers if neglected.
If possible, flush the heater core through the lines at the firewall and of course the entire
cooling system. Install an in-line coolant filter and replace often/as needed.
Here's one I installed on a Cat diesel.

 

[thastinger]

I switched my 98 F150 over to Z-05 many years ago, no issues, has the factory water pump still.

 

[JohnnyG]

The biggest issue with the OG green coolant was the silicates wearing out the water pump seals. That, plus the mixture of cast iron and aluminum for the block/heads.
Flush with whatever you wish, and avoid the chemical flushes as you propose, especially the acidic types. Finish with a distilled water fill and drain.
Then use the best coolant available for the block construction of your engine. Start with what Ford called for in that year as a baseline requirement, then step up from there.

If anyone sees an issue with this plan, please reply.

 

[atikovi]

Got a dillema. In 2005 i was buying 1998 thru 2001 cars that had rotten green coolant that was never changed. I stopped flushing with chemicals as 100% heater core failure would occur a few weeks / months after. I just picked up a 2002 ford truck with 50k on it and it has the very nasty brown murky coolant.

So in 2005 you were buying 4 to 7 year old cars and the heater cores would fail after a few weeks? Why do you think 19 years later, a 22 year old truck would be any better? It's going to probably need a heater core AND a radiator sooner than later. Might as well do it all at once.

 

[michaelluscher]

What engine in this 2002 Ford Truck?
Reference this chart to see what was put in at the factory

https://parts.ford.com/content/dam/ford-parts/resources/motorcraftpdf/Antifreeze_Coolant_Usage_Chart.pdf

 

[Fordiesel69]

5.4L 2 VALVE

Kinda leaning towards just rinsing it until clean and then converting to G-05.

atikovi,
Not an option. If / when the heater core fails, it will be sold. $2500 job locally (hence why I did my own crown vics) and im not impressed with any local mechanics to do it right. Have you ever seen how hard these are to do. The 1998 ~ 2003 f150s have the worse engine compartment of any light duty pickup truck.

 

[atikovi]

Not an option. If / when the heater core fails, it will be sold. $2500 job locally (hence why I did my own crown vics) and im not impressed with any local mechanics to do it right. Have you ever seen how hard these are to do. The 1998 ~ 2003 f150s have the worse engine compartment of any light duty pickup truck.

If it fails, you just bypass the heater core with a $1 piece of hose and continue driving it.

 

[michaelluscher]

5.4L 2 VALVE

Kinda leaning towards just rinsing it until clean and then converting to G-05.

atikovi,
Not an option. If / when the heater core fails, it will be sold. $2500 job locally (hence why I did my own crown vics) and im not impressed with any local mechanics to do it right. Have you ever seen how hard these are to do. The 1998 ~ 2003 f150s have the worse engine compartment of any light duty pickup truck.

Tip a bottle or two of cheap Prestone radiator flush in, drive it for a few days
Rinse and repeat until clean and clear
Refill with G05

For a few extra dollars, I've heard very good things about Iron-tite Thoroflush

 

[redhat]

Is it possible to flush the heater core?

I would probably rinse the heater core with water, then pour in a bottle of CLR. Let it sit for a little bit then keep the hose on to rinse the heater core.

Then I’d flush out the rad and engine… continually flushing with water until clean water is seen.

Scrub the overflow/degas bottle.

The refill with your preferred long life. Perhaps Peak 10x or Prestone with Corguard.

Is this possible?

 

[Fordiesel69]

This is possible, and this is the process I will most likely do. Disconnect everything and then just flush with clean water.

I will never use chemicals again. Too risky.

Has excellent heat right now and because it will be a plow truck, no chance in bypassing the hater core.

 

[redhat]

I would imagine that you’d get to a point where enough of the “murk” is cleaned out, the additives and protectants in coolant would mitigate any future cooling system corrosion or rust.