I changed the oil in my brothers 97 F150 on Tuesday. I always give it the once over for him because he is not very mechanical on cars. Computers are a different story though. Anyway I was checking his cooloant and it looks like crap. It is not to green anymore and I did the hydroculator test on the coolant and it failed miserably.

The coolant has never been changed on it. I plan on doing it for himj real soon but I cant seem to find the plugs in the block where you can drain the block.

I looked where they are on my Dodge Rams but there not there on the Ford. Anybody have the factory service manual on CD? Can somebody e-mail me the coolant change procedure from the service manual.

Its a 1997 Ford F150 extened cab 4x4 4.6l v8
automatic
airconditioning

Thanks

 

Try doing a search and you will find much info.


https://www.f150online.com/forums/search.php

 

You will find one plug on the drivers side toward the rear of the block.
I don't know but I would think there is a matching plug on the passenger side.

 

Drain the radiator with the pet**** on the bottom, fill the radiator and start the truck leaving the radiator drain open through all of this. Let it run with a hose filling the overflow jug for about 10 minutes and your all set. Let radiator drain again add 1 and half gallons of antifreeze and your done.

Easy and she's flushed don't make a big deal out of it. Just do it.. Dude

 

from now on, please change it every year or two~

 

What do you do with all that coolant?

I need to change mine too, but dont know if its safe to just pour on the ground (I assume it isnt), or you need to take it somewhere...especially if you flush it that way, you get alot of it...

 

find the petcoc,k on the lower part of the raidiator on the passenger side--its a yellowish PLASTIC screw that has a fitting for an allen wrench on the inside, Use that to drain the coolant. However,, do not use a cresent wrench on it when tightning and break the petcoc,k off into the raidiator....wouldnt know about that one!!

 

In most areas they say dump the antifreeze down the sanitary sewer (toilet). I guess the treatment plants can take care of it, and I heard that it is also good for the treatment plants.

 

How do you expect the thermostat to open and let in the fresh water into the block and flush out the old coolant if you keep a constant flow of cold water going into the coolant recovery tank?
Need to let it come up to normal temp. Do this a couple of times to ensure all of the old junk is gone.

 

Just changed the coolant on Saturday. Have a '97 w/ the 5.4 and 4x4. There is a pet**** at the bottom passenger side of the radiator. Best access was from the right front passenger wheel well, slightly hidden behind the wheel splash protection.

What I did -

Open the radiator cap on the degas bottle.
Open the pet**** on the radiator and drain into a bucket.
Close pet****, poor in distilled water into radiator slowly.
Replace radiator cap.
Start truck, turn heater on high and let cycle for a few min after thermostat opens up.
Drain radiator again per same as above, make sure about pressure on rad cap.
Overall, I drain the radiator 3 times.
After the last drain, I fill with 100% anti-freeze.
Drive it around for awhile, check strength and adjust when filling to the proper cold level after truck cools.

Using distilled water is better for the radiator. Also running your truck with 100% distilled water for a bit will clean the coolant system (distilled water is a good cleaner for it). Draining the radiator is about 1/2 of the coolant in the vehicle, so it works out pretty good. Also, you are not dumping it into the drain.

That simple

 

Please don't dump it on the ground. Try to find a hazardous waste facility.

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/protect/citguide.html

http://www.thisland.uiuc.edu/57ways/57ways_24.html

 

Well I did some searching and I found out what I need to do with it...

The closest place I can go to dump it is like an hour away. But in a few weeks theres an "event" here in town I can dump it. Will probably have to take all our old paint cans too.

 

Just an "FYI" antifreeze is very attractive to animals for a drink. Sister-in-law had two cats lap-up some that was in a pan next to her garage and she rushed them to the vet after she saw what they had done. Vet pumped there stomach and one didn't make it, he said it happens all the time, dogs and cats, guess it shuts down there kidneys or liver can't remember which. If you ever taste it on your finger it does have a sweat taste.

Like I said for "what it's worth"

T-man

 

I usually call all the cats and dogs in my neighborhood to my house when its coolant disposal time! ......just kidding! I use a huge rubber container to drain my coolant into,bottle it,then bring it to my local auto parts store.

 

Glycol is a sugar molecule similar to table sugar, so that's why animals find it tasty. It's also very toxic, causing such a horrble outcome.

Rick