Coolant color contemplation

desertrunner

desertrunner

Active Member
Unless I'm not doing something right but pulling both radiator hoses is not getting anything more out. Just what ever was in the hose.

It is my understanding that in order to flush the engine block I need to pull the heater core hoses or the thermostat. Neither of which I can really get to without taking off a lot of other stuff. I might try getting at the heater core again because this is getting old but not sure what else I'm missing.

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desertrunner

desertrunner

Active Member
Turns out I was missing something. The thermostat wasn't too bad to get to. So I pulled the Tstat and poured distilled through the water pump with the lower rad hose disconnected. So in theory that should take care of the block and the radiator. Really the only thing I'm not getting is the heater core but that shouldn't be a ton of coolant anyways.
I'm gonna button it all back up fill it again with distilled and run it to temp. Then drain the radiator again and see what comes out. I should see damn near clear this time.

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BaddestCross

BaddestCross

Active Member
desertrunner said:
Turns out I was missing something. The thermostat wasn't too bad to get to. So I pulled the Tstat and poured distilled through the water pump with the lower rad hose disconnected. So in theory that should take care of the block and the radiator. Really the only thing I'm not getting is the heater core but that shouldn't be a ton of coolant anyways.
I'm gonna button it all back up fill it again with distilled and run it to temp. Then drain the radiator again and see what comes out. I should see damn near clear this time.

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Yeah, through the block is what I meant. Glad you got it figured. [emoji106]



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desertrunner

desertrunner

Active Member
BaddestCross said:
Yeah, through the block is what I meant. Glad you got it figured. [emoji106]



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I'll see what happens when I drain the radiator for the last time tonight. I have read all sorts of stuff now on how the coolant moves through the 5.7 and apparently the only way to get it all completely out is to pull both side block drain plugs. Which are so burried that I can't even see either. I'm guessing there will be a little bit of color but is gonna be clear enough for me to start adding in the new stuff. Fingers crossed anyways

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desertrunner

desertrunner

Active Member
Well looks like pulling the thermostat and flushing got me farther. Still not clear enough for my taste to start a new fill so I pulled the thermostat again and flushed it 1 more time I'll see how it comes out tomorrow 20210309_231744.jpg

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S

SWTrailJKU

Member
To me all those look like the 10 year OAT coolant. It pours purple but looks reddish orange in the radiator and overflow tank. Enough to scare you into thinking it’s 5 year HOAT. The dealer flushed once when they replaced the water pump a couple years ago and probably again when I worked out a deal on the leaking radiator. Afterward the color kinda worried me, but if I dip a Q-tip or paper towel end in the coolant it comes out purple even though the coolant looks reddish orange…especially if you shine a light on it. But since you’re almost flushed, once it’s clear you should be good for whatever you want to use in it.


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desertrunner

desertrunner

Active Member
SWTrailJKU said:
To me all those look like the 10 year OAT coolant. It pours purple but looks reddish orange in the radiator and overflow tank. Enough to scare you into thinking it’s 5 year HOAT. The dealer flushed once when they replaced the water pump a couple years ago and probably again when I worked out a deal on the leaking radiator. Afterward the color kinda worried me, but if I dip a Q-tip or paper towel end in the coolant it comes out purple even though the coolant looks reddish orange…especially if you shine a light on it. But since you’re almost flushed, once it’s clear you should be good for whatever you want to use in it.


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That's what came out of the motor when I dropped the old radiator. Not sure anyone could convince me that's purple haha. The other bucket I had was a clear difference and the only thing put in that was the overflow which I had added about 1 qt of 10 year too before dropping the radiator.

So not sure why what ever is coming out is looking red / pink but it's questionable enough to make me just keep going 20210307_190825.jpg

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jdofmemi

jdofmemi

Active Member
desertrunner said:
That's what came out of the motor when I dropped the old radiator. Not sure anyone could convince me that's purple haha. The other bucket I had was a clear difference and the only thing put in that was the overflow which I had added about 1 qt of 10 year too before dropping the radiator.

So not sure why what ever is coming out is looking red / pink but it's questionable enough to make me just keep going View attachment 360227

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The color on the coolants is clear as mud.

That bucketfull looks exactly like what I just dumped out of my '15 for my engine swap. I have always made sure To use the 10 year Mopar coolant, but it sure don't look the same when it comes out.

The good news it you should be well flushed by now👍
 
desertrunner

desertrunner

Active Member
jdofmemi said:
The color on the coolants is clear as mud.

That bucketfull looks exactly like what I just dumped out of my '15 for my engine swap. I have always made sure To use the 10 year Mopar coolant, but it sure don't look the same when it comes out.

The good news it you should be well flushed by now[emoji106]
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Fun times. Honestly I called the dealership and to do a coolant exchange it's only $80 I'm real tempted to just do that and forget all the uncertainty and time consuming process I'm doing now

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desertrunner

desertrunner

Active Member
Ok so turns out my dealership doesn't have the vacuum system for coolant. But at this point I was tired of guessing and came up with a great idea to say fuck it let's just pull some off my 2dr (12' know for sure it's 5 year) dilute it and see what it looks like.

Well I think I finally have my answer. Old used diluted 4dr left old diluted 2dr right. They look clearly different to me. Meaning I am more certian now the 4dr actually had 10 year in it and I can stop this diluting bull shit and start going to concentrate. Or am I still crazy?
Just really don't wanna trash the cooling system on the 4dr 20210311_194212.jpg

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desertrunner

desertrunner

Active Member
Well fuck now I don't know if that worked. Left is a bottle of brand new 5 year that I diluted a bunch. Right is the last drain off the 4dr. But when I diluted the new 5 year stuff at no time did it look red. The stuff out of the 4dr looked red then pink
Why does this have to be so damn difficult! 20210311_195656.jpg

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desertrunner

desertrunner

Active Member
Brute said:
I was trying to find my original email I had sent to AEV when I bought the Anvil...my question was in reference to the sticker on the radiator that says to service engine to 2013 Grand Cherokee 5.7...when I asked AEV what coolant they put into the engine, the service mngr replied 10 year...and that's what I have used. There was a warranty issue with having the coolant recovery tank replaced when I was getting my safety check at the dealer. and they did put in coolant. I did inform them to put in 10 year...but who knows what really went in.

typo...not 2013...2012 Grand Cherokee 5.7
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jdofmemi said:
The color on the coolants is clear as mud.

That bucketfull looks exactly like what I just dumped out of my '15 for my engine swap. I have always made sure To use the 10 year Mopar coolant, but it sure don't look the same when it comes out.

The good news it you should be well flushed by now[emoji106]
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Based on these 2 replies and the fact that the dirty diluted stuff came out red when my dirty 2 dr coolant was clearly orange. I think I'm finally convinced what was in it was 10 year.
Funny thing is the radiator sticker Ed mentioned says service to 2008 grand cherokee but I'm sure they never updated that sticker.
Feel like I'm being super paranoid but mixing the 2 would be real bad news

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OverlanderJK

OverlanderJK

Resident Smartass
I guess I don’t understand how it’s taking so long and so many tries to flush the system. Are you just removing a little bit then adding a bit of water then repeating? I would stop wasting time and literally drain the whole system.


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desertrunner

desertrunner

Active Member
OverlanderJK said:
I guess I don’t understand how it’s taking so long and so many tries to flush the system. Are you just removing a little bit then adding a bit of water then repeating? I would stop wasting time and literally drain the whole system.


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What I am doing is draining the radiator, pulling the thermostat and flushing the block.
I can't get to the heater core so some of that is still in it. And from what I read the only way to completely drain the block on the 5.7 is to pull the coolant drain plugs on the sides of the block because it traps some somewhere in there. Neither of which I can even see let alone pull.
So my guess is I am getting about 1/4 Total out at a time. Warm it up let it cool and repeat. I too feel like it should be diluting way faster but it just keeps coming out with color.

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desertrunner

desertrunner

Active Member
Gonna finally close the loop on this. Did some research on dodge forums seeing what people do to get around the block drains. Basically pull the thermostat leave the upper rad hose off and drain to a bucket. Have a big ol funnel on the rad cap run the engine and keep a constant flow of water into the radiator. Finally done and satisfied I got it all out. Not sure why I didn't think about that before but it's finally done.
No leaks, no burning coolant smell, heater runs hot, temps hold normal.
I'll need to test concentration later but for now it's good enough

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Brute

Brute

Hooked
desertrunner said:
Gonna finally close the loop on this. Did some research on dodge forums seeing what people do to get around the block drains. Basically pull the thermostat leave the upper rad hose off and drain to a bucket. Have a big ol funnel on the rad cap run the engine and keep a constant flow of water into the radiator. Finally done and satisfied I got it all out. Not sure why I didn't think about that before but it's finally done.
No leaks, no burning coolant smell, heater runs hot, temps hold normal.
I'll need to test concentration later but for now it's good enough

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Relief.......


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