Barth is due for its first coolant flush (by me) and I'm looking for some advise. Do I drain from anywhere except the rad? Do I then fill with fresh water, start and run the engine for circulation, then drain again? Will this remove most of the original coolant from heater core etc? If so, anybody know approximately how much coolant I'm dealing with (nothing in manual)? I do know about using distilled water and filter change. Thanks for help

Forgot to mention that I have a Cat engine and side rad. Going to add that to my signature if I can figure out how to do it.

"...remove most of the original coolant from heater core etc?"
Engine in rear, heater core up front: if you unclamp both hoses from the heater (up front) and drop the open ends down (lower than the engine) this will drain a gallon or more of coolant from the lines, and probably will drain the core; check to see the in-line heater coolant valve is open. If your hoses are original -12 years already??- now is the time to replace them!

"start and run the engine for circulation, then drain again? Will this remove most of the original coolant..."
I would not; as my idol, Texas Coach Darryl Royal, used to say about the forward pass in football: "3 things can happen and two of them are bad."

Do you happen to have auxiliary engine heat on your coach water heater? If so, there are two more hoses to drain, back at the engine connection.
Aaaand...don't forget the additive.

My '94 28' (with a GM 6.5L TD engine) has two globe valves for bleeding/draining the heater core; opening one will allow the water to drain from the heater core - but through the block and radiator - it's a vent. I also use one of these to backflush the system. There may be drain plugs on the block as well as the radiator drain.

Here's what I do:

1. Drain the system (cold)
2. Backflush with tap water
3. Refill with tap water and flushing compound
4. Bleed air from system and top off
5. Drive at least 10 miles with the heater valve open (max heat)

Wait for cooldown

6. Drain
7. Backflush again
8. Refill with distilled water
9. Bleed
10. Drive 10 miles

Wait for cooldown

11. Drain
12. Refill with new coolant
13. Bleed
14. Test drive.

The engine hot water heater on mine uses the heater hoses.

these replies have given me most of the info I need to do the flush and replace. Just need to know approximate coolant system volume or capacity (really, just how much antifreeze do I have to buy?)thanks guys

This won't help much (but neither will the manufacturer's specs for the engine), but call, email, or go to the Cat website, and find out the typical capacity (usually spec'd for a front-engine tractor), and add a gallon of (diluted) coolant for the hoses and heater core. The radiator should be pretty much standard for the Cat engine (3208T/TA?).

As has been mentioned previously, some engine builders require certain additives, so that volume goes into the mix.

When I chase a broken down truck on the highway I carry two 5 gallon red plastic gas cans - I have a 60/40 mix of antifreeze and water.

If it blows a lower radiator hose it will take both jugs to refill the system. Some take the whole 10 and others take less. The reason for the 60/40 is the ones that take more.

I also carry plain tap water to look for an antifreeze leak. I'll add no more than 2 gallons of water to any system to top it off for a 50/50 mix. I also give the driver a 1 gallon container of water in case it burps a little air in the radiator and instruct them to add it after cool down.

The water is usually not necessary as I'm very successful in getting all of the air pockets out. The newer trucks have engine shutdowns built into them for low coolant level and there very touchy - That gallon could mean the difference between a happy customer and one that has to pay for another roadcall.

What this means is... I've never had to add more then 12 gallons to any over the road truck or bus. Buy a 6 gallon case of antifreeze and expect to have a gallon left over.

Bill N.Y.

quote:

Originally posted by beeoh:
Forgot to mention that I have a Cat engine and side rad. Going to add that to my signature if I can figure out how to do it.

Click on this link.

http://barthmobile.com/eve/personal

In the upper right hand corner you'll see another link that says...

"View/Edit Complete Profile"

Click on that link. Scroll to the bottom of the page and edit your signature. At this time you can upload an avatar, change your location and even change your screen name.

Although your screen name looks like it can't be changed it will allow you. I use to be known as just "Bill" but decided when Dave got the newer format to add the "N.Y." at that time.

If you want to add color, bold or A Link to your profile then edit one of your earlier post and play with adding a signature to that.

Once you get the look your looking for go back into edit and copy that new signature. Go back into the "View/Edit Complete Profile" tap once with the left key into the signature field and hit your "Ctrl and the V" key at the same time to paste into the signature profile or right click to paste.

thanks for all the coolant advice...I now know better what I'll be doing...and also for the info on editing my signature...

Rusty, what cooling system cleaner do you use?

I use the DuPont Heavy Duty (I think that's what it's called - its not the standard); it takes about one bottle per 4 gallons, IIRC.

No lye-based cleaner in systems with any aluminum, of course; the DuPont doesn't have any.