Coolant Flush...only 2 gallons

[NEW EDG]

2002 4.6 2v

Went to do a coolant flush last night and seemingly didn't get it all out. The coolant that did come out was quite dirty with a lot of sediment. All I did was remove the cap on the expansion tank and release the coolant from the drian plug at the bottom of the radiator. Basically I got 2 gallons out and was only able to get 2 gallons back in(flush included). I pulled the upper hose and the fluid was already in the thermostat housing so definitely couldn't find space for more fluid. Expansion tank reads full as well.

Is there another place I need to drain from to get the full 3.5 gallons out like the lower radiator hose or is this evidence of my system being very clogged up. Other points of data that might help, I was seeing high temps until I adjusted my fan to come on earlier and now that I have the flush and fresh water in the system I find it hard to even get hot enough to open the thermostat and trigger the fan. What am I missing?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[07GtS197]

You probably have air in it now.

To get it all out you need to either remove the thermostat and put a hose in it to flush the block out the bottom hose or remove the two plugs on each side of the block next to the motor mounts to get it all out of the block.

 

[NEW EDG]

You probably have air in it now.

To get it all out you need to either remove the thermostat and put a hose in it to flush the block out the bottom hose or remove the two plugs on each side of the block next to the motor mounts to get it all out of the block.

Now, sure... maybe. But would that have stopped 1.5 gallons from coming out in the first place?

Also I have checked every feasible way and I can't find any air in the system and I don't have any symptoms of air in it. Just finding it weird that I could only get 2 gallons out.

Because I only got 2 gallons out the fact that only 2 gallons went back in makes sense. I'm more trying to figure out why I couldn't get it all out to begin with.

 

[badass98svt]

You just drained it, but didn't flush it out??? Didn't you say there was sediment in there?

 

[NEW EDG]

You just drained it, but didn't flush it out??? Didn't you say there was sediment in there?

Flush is in it right now so that's what I'm trying to do. Just trying to get to the bottom of why it didn't ALL drain out. I know there is going to be some fluid in the block, but it shouldn't be 1.5 gallons.

If there was a blockage maybe the flush got it and it will all drain out this time?

 

[badass98svt]

I'm confused. Flush it, as in stick the hose in there and let it run out the bottom of the radiator for a bit to flush everything out of there.

 

[NEW EDG]

I'm confused. Flush it, as in stick the hose in there and let it run out the bottom of the radiator for a bit to flush everything out of there.

We were talking about two different things. I was talking chemical additive you were talking just running water through it. But I will try that when I drain the chemical flush tonight.

 

[badass98svt]

 

[07GtS197]

You have to remember that the radiator is only one small part of the cooling system. You have coolant in the block, heads and heater core. And imo it’s very easy to get air trapped in the system. You’ll need to get the front end up in the air to purge it all out. But I second doing an actual flush like badass posted. If you have sediments in the radiator you have sediments all throughout the system. I’ve never used one of those chemical flushes before but I don’t recommend them.

 

[ttocs]

I thought that the stock system only took a little over 2 gallons total?

 

[NEW EDG]

I thought that the stock system only took a little over 2 gallons total?

According to LMR it's 3.5 gallons. Is this wrong?

 

[lwarrior1016]

3.5 is probably pretty close. You’re definitely going to have to take the thermostat out and the lower hose off to get all the coolant out of the block. You’d be surprised how much stays in the heads and block.

 

[NEW EDG]

I think it was pretty clogged up. Way more came out tonight and it flowed a hell of a lot faster. What came out last night is on the left, what came out tonight is on the right.



There is still more in my catch can, I just didn't have another empty jug to use to see exactly how much I got. I could still see chunks of crap as I poured it out though so I'll probably go through the process again soon just to keep getting the junk out of it.

 

[NEW EDG]

Also keep in mind I put nothing but clear liquid in last night. So anything left that is green was already there and is what I couldn't get out last night.