xjallseasons

So I am flushing my cooling system. I have run water thru the heater core backwards to loosen up anything clogged and drained my radiator. The draining only dumped out 1.5 gallons. I removed the t-stat and re=installed the housing, then I put some flush and as many gallons of distilled water in it (almost 2 gallons, about the same that drained out). I cranked it up with the cap off and I was able to pour a little bit more in but that was it. I have let it run for 10 minutes and cooled for 15. Should I keep flushing it over and over and over? Could my radiator be clogged with debris or something?

TCP64

Radiators don't hold as much water as you might think. Here's one I pulled out of my WJ. I removed the plastic ends and am going to take it to the scrap yard for money.

xjallseasons

Then why does the manual say it takes 12 us quarts and I can barely get 2 gallons in it? Oh and I am getting these particles that look like pebbles but when I grab them they break apart. They are clumps of rust. Where are those coming from?

318SixPack

Pull the lower radiator hose and see now much comes out of the block.

Ralph77

Every other year in a even year I swap out the anti-freeze in my '00, always use green by the way, and when I drop the lower hose and refill her I get pretty much 2 gallons in.
This is normal IMO.
Have to remember their is always some in the block.

xjallseasons

So I pulled the lower hose from the block and only about 8 oz came out. I put my thumb into the block and rust colored fluid was on there. This is getting frustrating. How many times do I have to do this? The color of the fluid isnt getting any clearer except when I flushed the heater core alone?

xjallseasons

I bought a 3 core radiator with new t-stat and hoses. Back about 7 years ago I put in a new water pump and have only put around 20k miles on it so I believe that should be good still. If my radiator is clogged with debris and it is the culprit, how do I know my system wont be clogged again once the new radiator goes in? I keep spending money down the drain and its not fun!

318SixPack

I could be wrong and misreading, but it sounds like your block is full of crud. Pull the thermostat housing and run a hose (not high pressure, just regular outlet pressure) in there and see what comes out the lower hole.

Wait a bit for the folks with more experience to see this before trying it.

Ralph77

Think it might be good to pull the water pump too.
Guessing with the heater control valve in a '96 you can keep it from circulating into your heater core.

TCP64

It kinda sounds like a PO used stop leak which is a bear to get flushed out entirely. You might google flushing stop leak to see what the best method is of getting it out.

xjallseasons

I did check that out and found a youtube video of a product that costs $18 a bottle. I should just run it and find out what happens, right?

dave1123

People! You're forgetting the coolant that remains inside the block! In order to completely drain that, you have to pull the block drain plugs that are behind the exhaust header at the bottom of the water jacket.

318SixPack

Can't you tilt the vehicle forward a good bit and run a hose through it? Yes, I know not perfect but isn't that pretty close?

ijeeep

I've had to pull water pumps and flush the block with garden hoses before to get that stuff out. It's easier to shoot water into the passenger side of the water jacket than the drivers side but it can be done if the hose nozzle is short or no nozzle is used

dzywicki

When I want to get as much coolant as possible out of my XJs, I use a blower attachment on my compressor and disconnect one of the heater hoses. I put the blower into the heater hose and blow air through the hose. I put my hand around the blower attachment and get a lot of coolant out of the lower hose.