That would be ideal but many vehicles, this is one of them, won't seal with the thermostat missing. The thermostat o-ring actually is what causes the housing to seal. But in general that is a better way.

@@ClintHolland A small leak around the thermostat housing is OK. The only pressure is from the garden hose which you can control.

I had the same question regarding the 50/50 mixture. Like you, I don't think that people understand the math and I think that Clint Holland has given bad advice to the folks watching this video who will wind up with a poor mixture in their cooling systems. I wish there were a petcock at the bottom of the block! Short of that, would it be OK to run the engine and let the water pump run dry for a few seconds? Would this remove the 60% of remaining water???

@@tribulationprepper787 you know where that connection to the heater core is? Get a 5 gallon bucket, fill it with whatever 50/50 antifreeze you would like to use, get a hand pump that can connect to it, and start pumping coolant until it comes out of the radiator looking like the color of the antifreeze. Check the water content with a gauge, yeah get a gauge.

@@gamerkay5791 I bought one of those little clear plastic gauges a while back. Now I am using those paper strips that change color to indicate coolant concentration after you dip them in the radiator. I had even given some thought to popping out a freeze plug at the bottom of the block. My next thought was NAH!

@Laredo Potato should not drain it in the street or the grass

Depends on the coolant you use. Many vehicles are now using non-toxic coolant and you can always find some to replace yours with if it is a concern. I have been running it for many years now.@@condor5635

Awesome. Glad to hear it Mike.

@@ClintHolland got a question...i flushed system, put on new water pump, new thermastat, new fan relay,new coolant temp.relay and it's still over heating only when it sits and idles for little bit,, any suggestions??

@@mikecarter3606 I know you said you replaced the fan relay but are the fans coming on when it idles?

@@ClintHolland yeah it does kick on now.but still overheating,, it seems like the fan is not turning like it should seems slow,, is that possible??

@@mikecarter3606 Absolutely. You mentioned you replaced the relay so I am assuming they are electric fans and they can definitely fail in such a way as that they don't spin fast.

Agreed Robert. I actually just re-recorded this video and will be uploading a new version that addresses these issues soon.

Aren't you suppose to let it bubble over letting vermits lick it up?...think that's what that attachments for to run in bucket?

Thanks Robert Lee, there's always at least one "Karen" in the diy auto repair video comment section.

@@tonyjackson4099 Always!!

@@bevo7041 Nice. Is that the same profile pic you use for Grindr?

If you can even find it. I have had trouble getting Distilled water for the last couple months.

@@ClintHolland I had to go to three different places.

That could be the next million dollar idea. Wouldn't be too hard to rig up something but I definitely agree.

My goal in this video was to show you how to use the flush kits you can buy at the store.

Great idea William.

The one coming from the engine block should be the heater inlet hose which is the one you should use.

WRONG! The one coming from the water pump is pushing the coolent out - this is the one that pushes the coolent into the heater inlet fitting... ..The outlet heater hose returns the coolent back into the engine block. at least on a 1996 Ford Explorer 4.0 engine.

I understand what you are saying but you aren't destroying the line. I did this procedure over 6 years ago and have never had a single problem with it.

T-fitting makes it easier for the next time you do it. @@ClintHolland

​@@ClintHollandok question then how often does your environment get freezing cold? Does it get to -20/-40? I don't trust that plastic T personally

I don't know that it matters much. You are eventually flushing all the coolant out. I was just following the instructions.

What is the year, make and model of your vehicle?

@@ClintHolland 1988 Chevrolet C3500 with 454 engine.

@@steverose2405 According to the diagram your heater inlet hose is the one on the right as it enters the firewall if you are looking at it from the front of the vehicle. Basically the hose closer to the driver side.

They bypassed it so that coolant never goes to the heater core?

Yet here we are 117,000 views later.

In that case your best bet would be to temporarily disconnect the upper radiator hose.

This might be a better video for you. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gpN9Z7WUq8eyemQ.html

That depends. I run only non-toxic coolant in my vehicles so I frequently do but if you don't, just make sure it doesn't pool somewhere that animals can drink it. And definitely make sure it doesn't run into a storm drain as it can kill fish and other water dwelling animals. If you have a catch container big enough the correct way is to just catch it and dispose of it according to your local regulations.

I got a spill-less funnel kit and use the radiator coupler and adaptor and 1" plastic tube, hang it into a 5 gallon bucket. No mess.

Good to know Kevin and I didn't realize that. Do you have any suggestions on a reputable brand?

@@ClintHolland I'm afraid I don't. I would imagine that water intended for a steamer would be good. Or one could distill it themselves. I'm probably gonna have to purchase several and test them lol

@@Handle_number_7 how did you test the water? Ive tested distilled water with a water meter i have? Just wondered if you test the same way i do?

Just a battery and electrodes. 100% pure distilled water does not conduct electricity. 9 volts was extremely active. I'm betting they remineralize the water. Or it's straight from the tap lol You'll see bubbles forming on either side of the electrodes.

@@Handle_number_7 i have a meter that shows parts per million. I never bought walmart distilled before so i never tested that one.

You sure can if you run non-toxic coolant in your radiator like I do. I am big animal guy and switched all my vehicles over to it years ago when I learned that animals would drink it because it was sweet. You are correct but the risk of cutting your factory hose is overblown. If you cut the hose and want to take the tee out later, you can buy a connector and clamps for less than $5. Plus, leaving the tee in works great when you want to flush it again later.

Clint Holland Tastes bitter to me. Lots of spitting to get the taste out. I prefer to buy a new hose and use the old one for the T, but OP may have stated a better way. Chunk of heater hose and remove when finished. 3 less failure points in the system.

@@caddyguy5369 Very valid point. Buying another heater hose is definitely a great route to go but this method works well to.

Clint Holland I actually just got done doing this the other day. I ended up just getting a hose barb of each the inlet and outlet heater hose sizes and some clear tubing. I plastic welded the hose barbs together and put everything in place of the heater core.

That’s not how chemistry works. Distilled water doesn’t react which is why it doesn’t corrode. Whatever elements “stolen” probably needed to be flushed anyways.

It is doubtful your engine would be hot enough for the thermostat to open in 5 minutes of idling. If you were driving it or revving the engine up, it might be.

Usually takes 10-15 minutes to reach operating temperature, if you have a a working thermostat. If yo remove the T-stat could take longer.@@ClintHolland

You would probably need to use the drain plug on the bottom instead and be careful not to let it run too low.

I get it and I completely understand. This kit is still in place after almost 10 years and works just fine. You can always try a chemical flush or buy a replacement heater hose to use afterwards.

It sure will. I actually used it for that purpose on my Dodge Dakota.

That's what I'm thinking. In don't trust that cheap plastic. Replace the hose after or get a joiner.

That is correct. It's made of Polycarbonate which doesn't melt until around 300+ degrees F and your car runs in the low to mid 200s. If you are worried, replace it with a metal inline connector. Mine has been on this truck for 8 years and still works just fine.

I've had mine in for 5 years or more. No leaks or any problems. It's the Prestone Kit.

My vehicle already has fittings of the same plastic in the heater lines. But if this came in aluminum, I'd certainly get it.

So the simple answer is it's a pain. Draining it is about the same but flushing and refilling it is horrible. You will refill it through the coolant reservoir but most cars have a bolt you have to loosen to bleed air so you can refill or flush it. It is usually the bolt on the thermostat or another bleeder valve. This isn't my video but see if this one helps. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/f9ChmcqGtbeYmHU.html

@@ClintHolland thanks for the quick reply , will follow this procedure when I flush and change the coolant on my Vauxhall Astra 👍

She did. Bailey is super helpful and still likes helping out.

And hopefully he didn't lap up any of the coolant that flushed down the driveway?😲

Not really necessary if you run non-toxic coolant like I do.

+Dai Do You just connect them back like they were but with the T in the middle. Ideally you should empty the coolant reservoir. Sometimes this is quite difficult since most don't have a drain and you will need to suck it out using a pump.

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I wouldn't use this kit, pretty sure you can't, with a car that has the sealed coolant system.

You are correct. This is a pure water flush to just flush out your old coolant. See my other video here on what I recommend you flush your system with. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gpN9Z7WUq8eyemQ.html

You cant use the cleaner while doing this, You have to let the car run with radiator cap on for 10-15 min when using the cleaner. Repeat that at least 3 more times. Then let the car cool down and finally flush this way. Or you can do this backwards Thats how I did it today. Took all day but my engine was fully flushed.

You can certainly drain it first but it doesn't really matter. If it's really dirty, try a product called Thoro Flush. You can get it at most auto stores or Amazon and it works great.

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Most likely. The drain plug probably can't drain it as fast as the hose can refill it.

Absolutely. Flushing with tap water is fine. Just don't run your vehicle on tap water as it can cause corrosion even though that risk is over hyped as well. Flush with tap water and then refill with coolant and distilled water if necessary.

Does it dilute it some, sure. In general it's not enough to worry about but if you are really concerned you can use a coolant tester to verify the coolant meets your needs and if it doesn't, you can drain a little and refill with pure antifreeze until it does meet your needs.

Good point. He said in video the amount of coolant that gets flushed is only 40% of system's fluid volume, so if only 50% of 40% is antifreeze then that only gets you 20% antifreeze. The solution to that would be to get a jug of the 100% antifreeze and add that, getting you 40% antifreeze after the entire system mixes. 40% seems like a useful amount if you're not in a super cold location, but I'm no mechanic, just okay at math.

On most cars it does. Some cars have a heater control valve that only opens when the engine is hot which won't work for this flush kit. However, check out my other video on Flushing Stop Leak out if you need a good flush that includes the heater core. You can also pick up some heater core flush adapters that hook to your water hose.

It does not.

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Correct. This isn't a back flush. And it will flush your heater core if you don't have a heater control valve. If you do, you will just need to run the heater and let the truck get up to operating temperature to do this.

So you aren't wrong, just a different definition of cold. The coolant in your vehicle is never truly cold, except maybe in the winter time or colder climates. However, before it reaches the engine it sits in the radiator right next to the engine and is actually warmed up substantially by engine heat before the thermostat ever opens. If you dump cold water from your hose into the engine, it doesn't get this same warm up period. And to top that off, you actually can add cold water to a hot engine as long as you do it slowly instead of just dumping it all in at once.

Some pros tell you to drain the radiator, put in some flush chemicals , fill it back up with tap water, and drive it for 15-20 minutes or until it reaches operating temp and thermostat opens. Let it cool and then run the flushing process a couple of times. @@ClintHolland

@@RSW1484 That is correct and that's how I do it most of the time. However, if you have a plugged heater core or if your coolant was in pretty bad shape, this is a much better way. It just takes more time but it results in a better flush. You can also combine the two methods of using the chemicals and this kit.

Depends on the vehicle. On this Dodge, yes. However, on some vehicles there is a heater control valve that doesnt open until the engine gets up to temperature and it's pretty hard to get it up to temperature with the cool water flowing from the hose.

Clint Holland Thank you!

You don't. Nor is it required. Just refill with the 50/50 mix and drive it a little. Once it has mixed up well, buy a cheap coolant tester and see if it is in specs of what you need. If not, add pure anti-freeze and keep retesting. This is only if you are a purist and want the mix to be a perfect 50/50, which it doesn't need to be. The main purpose of anti-freeze is in it's name. It is the keep the coolant from freezing. So if when you test it, it meets your needs even though it isn't at 50/50 there is no reason to try to hit that magical number. There are other factors of it such as anti-corrosion and boilover prevention but as long as the coolant tester shows it meets your needs, you are fine.

@@ClintHolland you're best to do it right and drain the block.

@@jjack6896 I am not saying you are wrong, just that draining the block is impractical and not needed. I am looking at the Toyota Dealer repair guide right now for a cooling system flush and even the manufacturer doesn't include draining the block in their dealer instructions.

Quick Fix that’s pretty odd I know it’s in Toyota manual for my FJ’s. FYI the manufacturer manuals aren’t always the best way. I’ve seen some really stupid ideas like pull the motor to change the timing chain.

@@ClintHolland Isn't it necessary to have the correct mixture to properly lubricate the water pump?

Listen, I love ChrisFix as much as the other guys but be careful doing a super flush on a car thats been around for a while. Aggressive flushes can easily cause more leaks in your system and potentially cause you some major issues. You don't want to super flush your system. You want the least aggressive and corrosive flush you can do as anything else can cause damage.

@@ClintHolland good to know.

It actually was.

Agreed. Or run non-toxic coolant so it isn't an issue.

I will be replacing my engine and must do a complete coolant system flush, especially since I did use the gunk stop leak [which didn't work], so that I don't void the warranty.

+Tabitha Morgan Correct. Irontite first and then do a water flush.

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It is recommended but even if you don't just run the flush for longer and it will accomplish the same thing.

Thanks for watching.

Randy Jackson On my dodge it does. If your vehicle has a heater control valve you will need to make sure the heater is on and run it long enough to heat up and open the thermostat.

Thanks for the quick response Chris. 98 dakota sport. Did not see a heater control valve. Will crank up the heater just to be on safe side. This crazy thing takes a long time on cold mornings to heat up. I was wanting to kill two birds with one stone.

Drain it first so that the only thing in your radiator is basically just water.

Oic thanks so much .

Cut ✂️ the hose in a straight section of the hose

You have to cut it to connect the included T. If you don't want to cut it, you can buy a short piece of hose from the auto parts store that matches your size and temporarily install and cut it. Then when you are done just put your original back in.

Not to get a good flush. If you don't want to cut the hose, try just purchasing some cooling system flush. It won't be as good but it will work.

Will see if I can buy a piece of same hose to use on the flush, then put back the original one.

@@rapidfirest You could also just buy a connector as you should have enough slack to join them back together.

@@rapidfirest sure if your scared take it to a certified mechanic so you can throw money in his pocket. If you don't try you will never succeed

Follow this advice at your own risk - and that of your engine.

It absolutely does as long as you let your vehicle warm up to standard operating temperature. What make and model do you have?

@@ClintHolland Dodge Ram 98 5.2

@@christopherdrake5585 Yep, that will work just fine on your Ram. Just let it warm up while you are doing this.

On most vehicles it does without any additional effort. Some vehicles have a heater control valve that only sends coolant to the heater core if the car is heated up and the heater is on.

@@ClintHolland thank you. My Ford ranger has the valve, but it engages with the heat on, so it should work

One of two options. Capture it in a bucket and either dispose of it at your local recycling center or flush it down your toilet. Just don't pour it in a storm drain or anywhere like that.

Don't flush it down the toilet.

Yes, do not flush it. Antifreeze is very toxic and it’s the last thing you want to introduce into your water system.

If you want to be by the book, then you technically should use distilled water. However, and the reason it really doesn't matter, is because anti-freeze has corrosion preventers and inhibitors that basically neutralize the small amount of tap water left behind. If you really want peace of mind, buy a coolant tester for like $10 and test your coolant when you are done. You will see that it passes with flying colors even with some tap water left behind. The issue is that you really can't do a good flush on your vehicle just by using distilled water. You need to be able to use the water hose which of course is just tap water.

Not that I am aware of. I know you can buy a metal straight through connector that you can put back in when you finish. Better than leaving this plastic one in but mine has held up for 5 years now without an issue.

@Bodhi Gurley You sure do. It comes with a cap. I have several cars that have had that T installed for 10 plus years and have never had an issue.

Thank you for watching. Hope this helps you flush your radiator.

Potentially but I run non-toxic coolant in my vehicles so it isn't an issue. I recommend everyone do that actually.

I will take that as a compliment. Thanks for watching.

What is the alternative to doing this at home? Also note, you can and should run non-toxic coolant in your automobile so it isn't an environmental issue.

@@ClintHolland interesting I never knew about non toxic antifreeze. I just removed the valve at the bottom and then added distilled water from the top let it run thru the system. Drained it again. Did that twice. Had a big pan on the bottom. Had no waste on the ground. And was pretty much very neatly done.

@@NeutronX101 Yep, definitely a great product to use if you have animals and it's only slightly more expensive. I suspect one day it will be all they allow us to use. I have watched too many crime shows where someone poisoned their spouse using it.

@@ClintHolland yes.

The Dodge Dakota doesnt have a heater control valve but valid point in many other models.

your Telling me the water constantly runs through the heater core

+Chris Myers Yes sir. And anyone who has ever had a heater core leak on a Dakota will confirm. If you have a leak in your heater core it will leak from the moment the thermostat opens until you have no coolant left to leak, even while running the AC.

Exactly. At least until all the coolant is out.

I appreciate the concern but I only run non-toxic coolant in my vehicles. My dad started me on that as soon as it became a thing and it's pretty much all I use now.

It sure is. We mainly use antifreeze to prevent freezing, hence the name. The specific heat of all forms of antifreeze is lower than that of pure water, making them worse at cooling than water, sometimes by as much as 20%. See this article for a better explanation. www.hotrod.com/articles/glycol-or-water-coolant/

I am simply following the instructions on the package. Cutting a heater hose is not that big of a deal, they cost like $10. I also have another video of using chemicals to flush your system. However, the truth is that if you aren't willing to cut or disconnect a heater hose, you will spend hours flushing your system versus minutes.

@@ClintHolland I get it. Whatever works for you. I just wouldn't do it that way I suppose. As long as you achieve the end result required.🤘

Ideally. Some vehicles have heater control valves which means you aren't actually flushing the heater core unless you have the heat on.

I only run non-toxic coolant in my system so it shouldn't be a big deal.

Yep, he wet the truck bed on thatn. Good thing it was the hypoallergenic coolant so as to not spill a bunch of poisonous stuff lol. Your driveway n animals n family... They say mynute amounts have no long term effects...lol, we've prob all done somthn like that at somepoint on the reels...🙃✌

Make sure your dog is not around when you are doing this, cause puppies will likely lick it and get sick.

+John Dawson You are correct in general but not in this specific situation. Many of the new coolants of today, including the one I use, are non-toxic to humans and pets. As a matter of fact, the main ingredient in them is approved by the FDA for use in foods.

John Dawson you're wrong. and also inflammatory so just take a breath and calm down.

Don't be such a pussy John Dawson

Agreed on all most points except the fact that water is in fact better at cooling at your engine than antifreeze. That is the point I was trying to make. Many people in temperate climates run water and only water in their cars and have for years. The water pump seal lubrication myth has been busted many times as well. But agreed, it does turn to steam at lower temperatures than antifreeze but with the pressure most systems are under even then it doesnt boil until 257 degrees F which is fine for most engines.

@@ClintHolland you are talking about minor differences in water vs coolant ability to exchange motor heat with the atmosphere. If you believe what you say fill your cooling system with water and take a drive through the desert southwest in July and August, or climb Raton Pass in the summer. Water really cools best when a 13 lb cap blows steam. Nothing cools a motor better than water turning to steam. Race cars use water because they are specialized and coolant pollutes the track. Under your thinking alcohol would be the best coolant or a high pressure system using freon, or even canned aerosol dust remover. Supporting your concept though, coolants are rarely used in their pure form, they always have some proportion of water. Ethylene glycol is alcohol which is way more efficient than water at heat exchange as well as propylene glycol. I hope some inexperienced person does not read your comment, then in an excited state about an upcoming X-country trip to California, decides to flush his cooling system, then wanting to add the best coolant according to you, decides to refill it with distilled water at $1 per gallon as opposed to 50/50 coolant at $13.50. His theoretical trip taking him, his wife, and new baby through west Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and finally California. Not having replaced his 13 lb radiator cap with a 20 Lb cap he will most likely be on the side of the road with steam billowing out of his cooling system because the desert floor was 140 degrees F, his altitude was 6500 feet, and he had his AC on max to keep his wife and baby cool. But say for a moment he did put on that 20 psi cap, then he might be on the side of the road with that old radiator hose split because of the excess pressure, and steam blowing out that gaping split. He will be lucky if it is the top hose, that way he wont lose all his water...But since you say that lubricity is a myth, then he probably wont lose the water pump to the lack of lubrication but rather to the over heating and of course the thermostat will soon fail after an over heating incident. So water may transport and exchange heat slightly better than the glycol coolant in a laboratory environment its not a better coolant for your car. However the math supports your position.

@@JA-ux7dd Ok.

@@JA-ux7dd Holy moley Karen…

Thanks for watching. I realize that and have tried to get better through the years of making these videos. This one was one of my first.

Why be an ass? He is trying to show you some valuable tips and all you can do is insult him, go away. Your video is great Clint, thank you for the tutorial.

Thanks for watching. This was one of my first videos. I would like to think I have gotten better and care more about my viewers now than I did making long videos for KZfaq. Live and learn but thanks for the kind words.

You can increase/decrease the playback speeds. Almost any instructional video needs to be increased 1.5x - 2x in order to get through it without losing interest lol.

Your s glass half empty eh.. Alot of people get quiet and you bout hafta guess what's goin on cuz they think, am I soundn like a dousch right now, how many hits will this get....Arrghhh, no face shots, everything below chest...!!!

It's also obvious that you didn't actually watch or listen to the video. If you had, you would have heard me cover why I didn't use the deflector tube at around 3:30 seconds, it didn't fit by the way, a common complaint from people online about this kit as well. You will also notice, again if you actually watched the video or looked at the description, that my vehicle didn't have anti-freeze in it and had already been flushed so allowing it to flow on the ground was completely safe. But let me do you one better. Had you read the description for the video, I even mentioned that I run non-toxic anti-freeze in all my vehicles and have been for years so even if I wanted to drain it on the ground, I can. But thanks for watching, or kind of watching.

Would have* And I disagree. Obnoxiously loud, over-used, crappy uncopyrighted songs pulls the concentration of the topic away from the purpose. The people generally viewing these type of videos lack the knowledge that is focused within them, and distractions like crappy music, and horrible sound distribution causes people to lose focus. You can miss something or overlook something. If you prefer reading, you might try a book. Typically videos are a visual source of information, not a written one. Common sense should compel you to automatically understand the concepts that define their purpose, but I guess that doesn't come naturally to everyone. Also, there is an option of subtitles available, automatically generated subtitles that are lacking in punctuation, but you obviously don't acknowledge the functions of punctuation anyways, so there is some video reading material fit for your level of intelligence. They're not blocking off parts of the screen in huge prints or colorful fun fonts, but this is KZfaq, not Sesame Street. So I respectfully disagree. I would love to see more in depth videos like this one that do not run away from the purpose because the simple minded need shiny bright colors and music to watch it. The video is about working on a vehicle, so it's entire viewing range is based around adults who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty, and want to learn some diy mechanic stuff. It's not made for kids who need sing alongs and fancy fonts to pay attention. I'm well aware that this was written 10 months ago, but if you can find logic in complaining about a lack of irrelevant distractions then my logic of responding to that shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone with half a brain.

It's not nearly as big of a deal as people make it out to be. Just make sure when you are done that you refill it with distilled water and coolant. All coolants today contain anti-corrosives which neutralize any remnants from the tap water.

No, you will need to buy a coolant flush "liquid" I recommend Prestone. Then run your heater on high for 20 minutes. After that drain the radiator them do this procedure

The truth is it depends. If your vehicle has a heater control valve, then this won't flush it because the car won't get hot enough for it to open. If your vehicle doesn't, then this will flush it.