Cooling System Draining, Filling and Bleeding
Cooling System Draining, Filling and Bleeding
Draining
WARNING: Always allow the engine to cool before opening the cooling system. Do not unscrew the coolant pressure relief cap when the engine is operating or the cooling system is hot. The cooling system is under pressure; steam and hot liquid can come out forcefully when the cap is loosened slightly. Failure to follow these instructions may result in serious personal injury.
NOTICE: The coolant must be recovered in a suitable, clean container for reuse. If the coolant is contaminated it must be recycled or disposed of correctly and replaced. Using contaminated coolant may damage cooling system components or the engine.
NOTICE: Always fill the cooling system with the manufacturer's specified coolant. If a non-specified coolant has been used the cooling system must be chemically flushed. Refer to Cooling System Flushing Cooling System Flushing. Failure to follow these instructions may damage the engine or cooling system.
NOTICE: Vehicle cooling systems are filled with Motorcraft Premium Gold Engine Coolant or equivalent (yellow color) meeting Ford specification WSS-M97B51-A1. Do not mix coolant types. Mixing coolants may degrade the coolant's corrosion protection.
NOTE: Less than 80% of coolant capacity can be recovered with the engine in the vehicle. Dirty, rusty or contaminated coolant requires the system flush and replacement.
1. Release the pressure in the cooling system by slowly turning the pressure relief cap one-half turn counterclockwise. When the pressure is released, remove the pressure relief cap.
2. Place a suitable container below the radiator draincock and drain the radiator.
3. Close the radiator draincock.
Filling and Bleeding with a Vacuum Cooling System Filler
NOTICE: Vehicle cooling systems are filled with Motorcraft(R) Premium Gold Engine Coolant. Do not mix coolant types. Mixing coolant types degrades the corrosion protection of the coolant. Failure to follow these instructions may damage the engine or cooling system.
NOTICE: Engine coolant provides boil protection, corrosion protection, freeze protection, and cooling efficiency to the engine and cooling components. In order to obtain these protections, maintain the engine coolant at the correct concentration and fluid level in the degas bottle.
To maintain the integrity of the coolant and the cooling system:
- Add Motorcraft(R) Premium Gold Engine Coolant or equivalent meeting Ford specification WSS-M97B51-A1. Do not mix coolant types.
- Do not add or mix with any other type of engine coolant. Mixing coolants may degrade the coolant's corrosion protection.
- Do not add alcohol, methanol, or brine, or any engine coolants mixed with alcohol or methanol antifreeze. These can cause engine damage from overheating or freezing.
- Ford Motor Company does NOT recommend the use of recycled engine coolant in vehicles originally equipped with Motorcraft(R) Premium Gold Engine Coolant since a Ford-approved recycling process is not yet available.
NOTE: The addition of Cooling System Stop Leak Pellets may darken Motorcraft(R) Premium Gold Engine Coolant from yellow to golden tan.
1. Install the vacuum cooling system filler and follow the manufacturer's instructions to fill and bleed the cooling system.
- Recommended coolant concentration is 50/50 engine coolant to distilled water.
- For extremely cold climates (less than -37°C [-34°F]):
- It may be necessary to increase the coolant concentration above 50%.
- NEVER increase the coolant concentration above 60%.
- Maximum coolant concentration is 60/40 for cold weather areas.
- A coolant concentration of 60% will provide freeze point protection down to -50°C (-58°F).
- Engine coolant concentration above 60% will decrease the overheat protection characteristics of the engine coolant and may damage the engine.
- For extremely hot climates:
- It is still necessary to maintain the coolant concentration above 40%.
- NEVER decrease the coolant concentration below 40%.
- Minimum coolant concentration is 40/60 for warm weather areas.
- A coolant concentration of 40% will provide freeze point protection down to -26°C (-15°F).
- Engine coolant concentration below 40% will decrease the corrosion and freeze protection characteristics of the engine coolant and may damage the engine.
- Vehicles driven year-round in non-extreme climates should use a 50/50 mixture of engine coolant and distilled water for optimum cooling system and engine protection.
Filling and Bleeding without a Vacuum Cooling System Filler
NOTICE: Vehicle cooling systems are filled with Motorcraft(R) Premium Gold Engine Coolant. Do not mix coolant types. Mixing coolant types degrades the corrosion protection of the coolant. Failure to follow these instructions may damage the engine or cooling system.
NOTICE: Engine coolant provides boil protection, corrosion protection, freeze protection, and cooling efficiency to the engine and cooling components. In order to obtain these protections, maintain the engine coolant at the correct concentration and fluid level in the degas bottle.
To maintain the integrity of the coolant and the cooling system:
- Add Motorcraft(R) Premium Gold Engine Coolant or equivalent meeting Ford specification WSS-M97B51-A1. Do not mix coolant types.
- Do not add or mix with any other type of engine coolant. Mixing coolants may degrade the coolant's corrosion protection.
- Do not add alcohol, methanol, or brine, or any engine coolants mixed with alcohol or methanol antifreeze. These can cause engine damage from overheating or freezing.
- Ford Motor Company does NOT recommend the use of recycled engine coolant in vehicles originally equipped with Motorcraft(R) Premium Gold Engine Coolant since a Ford-approved recycling process is not yet available.
NOTE: The addition of Cooling System Stop Leak Pellets may darken Motorcraft(R) Premium Gold Engine Coolant from yellow to golden tan.
1. Remove the thermostat. For additional information, refer to Thermostat Service and Repair.
2. Disconnect the heater core coolant supply hose from the fitting at the rear of the manifold.
3. Add the correct engine coolant mixture through the thermostat opening until coolant appears at the heater core coolant supply outlet fitting at the rear of the manifold.
- Recommended coolant concentration is 50/50 engine coolant to distilled water.
- For extremely cold climates (less than -37°C [-34°F]):
- It may be necessary to increase the coolant concentration above 50%.
- NEVER increase the coolant concentration above 60%.
- Maximum coolant concentration is 60/40 for cold weather areas.
- A coolant concentration of 60% will provide freeze point protection down to -50°C (-58°F).
- Engine coolant concentration above 60% will decrease the overheat protection characteristics of the engine coolant and may damage the engine.
- For extremely hot climates:
- It is still necessary to maintain the coolant concentration above 40%.
- NEVER decrease the coolant concentration below 40%.
- Minimum coolant concentration is 40/60 for warm weather areas.
- A coolant concentration of 40% will provide freeze point protection down to -26°C (-15°F).
- Engine coolant concentration below 40% will decrease the corrosion and freeze protection characteristics of the engine coolant and may damage the engine.
- Vehicles driven year-round in non-extreme climates should use a 50/50 mixture of engine coolant and distilled water for optimum cooling system and engine protection.
4. Install the heater hose, using an appropriately sized worm style clamp in place of the constant tension clamp.
5. Install the thermostat. For additional information, refer to Thermostat Service and Repair.
6. Add the correct engine coolant mixture to the degas bottle until the coolant level is between the COOLANT FILL LEVEL marks and replace the pressure cap.
7. Select the maximum heater temperature and blower motor speed settings. Position the control to discharge air at the A/C vents in the instrument panel.
8. Run the engine until it reaches operating temperature.
9. NOTICE: If air discharge remains cool and the engine coolant temperature gauge does not move, the engine coolant level is low in the engine and must be filled. Stop the engine, allow it to cool and fill the cooling system. Failure to follow these instructions may result in damage to the engine.
Add the correct engine coolant mixture to the degas bottle until the coolant level is between the COOLANT FILL LEVEL marks.
10. Repeat the 2 previous steps until the engine coolant mixture is between the COOLANT FILL LEVEL marks on the degas bottle. Turn off the engine and allow it to cool.