Ford Mustang Forum banner

Coolant change on 2011 GT

24K views 17 replies 10 participants last post by  Beechkid 
#1 ·
My car is mostly a garage queen and only has about 35k on it. I want to change out coolant just due to age and to replenish the chemicals in it. Figured I would drain the radiator and pull the lower hose to get some out of the block. How much coolant do I need to have on hand to refill?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#2 ·
Take it to the dealer as they have the proper equipment to do a complete flush. I don't usually take my car to the dealer but this is one thing thats worth the $125. After 6 years you are smart to change it out. I would also consider flushing the brake fluid. Thats one you could do yourself as its not a messy job.
 
#5 ·
I've never paid a dealer to change coolant before. In fact I do 95+% of my automotive work. That's going to be a tough pill to swallow.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I was a mechanic for 35 + Years,but I just took my 2011 GT into Ford to have the system totally flushed,things have changed in the automotive world,and its not worth the MESS, and get rid of the old antifreeze + you get all of the old coolant out.It is a bitter pill for me also, but well worth it.
 
#6 ·
Depends on if you think you need a full flush or not. The coolant in my 2011 looked pretty good last year when I replaced it so I just did a drain and fill.

I removed the petcock at the bottom of the radiator and drained about a gallon out. I didn't drain the block. That's about a third of the total capacity.

I bought 2 gallons of Dexcool concentrate and mixed with 2 gallons of distilled allowing me to do 4 drain and fills total (I drove around between each drain and fill to allow the new stuff to mix with the old). If you do the math on the mixtures it comes out to most of the total coolant being replaced.

For me, this is good enough. I'm going to repeat this every 3 years (instead of the manual recommended 6) to compensate for the fact that I'm not doing a complete flush. I hate having the dealer (or anyone else) touch my car so I try to do everything I can myself.

EDIT: Here's the approximate math if you just do drain and fills on your radiator (assuming 1 gallon drained and total capacity about 3 gallons (in reality it's a little more). Each time you drain, a third of the coolant is removed, so you subtract a third of the new and third of the old. Every time you fill, you add 33% new. The math comes out to about the following:

Start:
0% new, 100% old
After 1 drain and fill:
33% new, 66% old
After 2 drain and fills:
55% new, 44% old
After 3 drain and fills:
70% new, 30% old
After 4 drain and fills:
80% new, 20% old
 
#9 ·
Well, the coolant used is special and is pretty expensive compared to the old green crap we used in our '68s. Realistically, why don't just test its properties before replacing it? this stuff has a very long lifespan compared to the old green snot. Consider this though, if you do go ahead: 200/6 = $33 a year in maintenance here, if needed. I've been building, racing and hotrodding cars and bikes for well over 30 years and I take this car to the dealer for routine fluid replacement ****, just because of the mess and disposal factor.
 
#10 ·
If not done right you will end up with trapped air bubble that will be difficult to remove, and the car may overheat. That in addition to proper disposal of the used fluid is enough reason for me to pay a shop to do this.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 5.0 Coyote
#12 ·
Let me say,


We knowfrom test conducted by Prestone, conventional coolant (yes the old green stuff) has a life of 13 + years(at that mark they stopped the test) and it's contaminants that kill thecoolant and damage components. With thatsaid, IMHO,

1. Nothing substitutes a periodic flush of the radiator

2. When I drain the coolant, I place a doubled up paper towel over the funnelwhich filters to less than 3 microns (much better then any of the inlinefilters)- in terms of contaminants, the coolant is now as clean as when it cameout of the original bottle. Provided it meets all the other test I do, it isreinstalled in the vehicle.

3. I have installed a magnesium anode in all overflows (same electrolysisprotection used per code for all underground tanks)- Zinc anodes are availableas well (JC Whitney, etc.) specifically for automotive applications and sellfor about $12, they attract all the nasty stuff that destroys radiators, pumps,hoses etc and they become the sacrificial lamb- and keeps the ph of the fluidneutral. The inside of my cooling system and related components is spotless-literally!

4. I check the ph (using a swimming pool kit) - and check the alcohol contentusing a conventional coolant bulb type test device ($10 at any parts store)

the results.....

1. Contaminant production is eliminated by 90%+ as a result of the neutral phmaintenance

2. Contaminants that are produced are contained outside of the system flow, inthe overflow at the anode. At this point I have less contaminant in my systemthan if I used an inline filter because we have eliminated 90% of theproduction and contained the residual.

3. With the paper towel, I can actually see the residual system contaminants(which you can typically count) and by most accounts visually know if apotential problem exist by the type and color of the products. The coolant isas clean as if I had opened a fresh container.

4. The system is clean and performance level known.

My personal results...

My father (an ol salt flats racer & aerospace engineer) starting this inthe 1950's and typically the conventional coolant lasts 10-20 years in thevehicle before requiring replacement.

I cannot remember repairing a radiator or heat exchanger or water pump duringmy 50+ years on this earth on any of my family's vehicles- (I take that back, Ireplaced 2 water pumps on my 1990 F150 when due to a pulley tension/alignmentproblem it ate two bearings/seals, my fault as I didn't check it the 1st time,but at 80,000 miles I was not too surprised to see a leak from the water pumpbearing)...........I did replace the radiator on my wifes 1997 Cougar sport at the 17 year mark....the aluminum core was fine and spotless but, the plastic shell started to crack and was seeping....the coolant in my 65 mustang is approaching 20 years old........the system is spotless....the waterpump, new when I rebuilt the car 30 years ago!

We typically keep our vehicles for 10+ years. Our list of vehicles includes...

1959 221 CID V8 Ranchero (1965 to 1971)
1932 Flathead V8 Ford Coupe (1960 to present)
1965 Mustang (1965 to present)
1969 F100 (1972 to 1984)
1984 F150 (1984 to 2006) (400K+ miles w2 rebuilds)
1979 Honda (1982 to 1990)
1987 Toyota Celica GT (1987 to 1997)
1990 F150 (1990 to 2006)
1997 Cougar Sport (1990 to present)
2006 Mark LT (2006 to present)
2006 F150 4x4 (2006 to present)

IMHO, basic chemistry makesit real simple to keep things in good shape......and there is a very convenient drain located on the radiator precluding the need to "pull the hose"...although it's best to purchase a short section of 3/8" diameter hose (IIRR) to connect to the drain port so you can direct it into a bucket/pan/etc.


IMHO, drain it, flush it, filter it, test it, install an anode, and re-install the existing coolant.
 
  • Like
Reactions: safetyfast
#13 ·
I have 5 vehicles. Two are old enough to use green stuff. My diesel uses the Ford gold. The Mustang the Ford Orange/dexcool. My wife just picked up a new VW, which uses VW pink. My quick look shows the VW pink is it's own thing and not compatible with anything else. Great. The wife got lifetime maintenance on her VW, so at least I'm not planning on stocking the fluids for that thing at the house. I already have to stock 3 different coolants, 3 different oils, 2 different brake fluids and a dizzying array of transmission and diff fluids. I had to make a spec sheet to hang in the garage to keep track of what goes where.
Woohoo, got to add all new stuff for the '14 Mustang ... orange and frigging PITA 5W50.
 
#17 ·
I kinda misunderstood a key detail -- I thought you were talking about the thermostat HOUSING not the actual thermostat inside, so that's why I was picturing a gusher! D'Oh! LOL :smile:
 
  • Like
Reactions: crjackson
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top