Parts Catalog Accessories Catalog How To Articles Tech Forums
Call Pelican Parts at 888-280-7799
Shopping Cart Cart | Project List | Order Status | Help



Go Back   PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum > Mercedes-Benz Tech Information and Support > Diesel Discussion

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 02-16-2006, 11:42 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: USA
Posts: 338
Cooling System Flush Procedure Question?

I have a 350SDL that I would like to do a good cooling system flush on before I replace the anti freeze.

Is this procedure good: open radiator drain and open block drain, drain what is in the system now, remove the themostat, add fresh water and a flush/clean product thru the top radiator hose, drive it for a while, flush the cleaner out by opening the radiator drain and flushing out the system with a water hose into the overflow tank and the engine running, replace thermostat refill with distilled water and Merceds brand anti freeze and be done? Will this procedure work?

What sort of flush product should I use?

Thank you.


Last edited by ezrider; 02-16-2006 at 11:50 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 02-16-2006, 11:57 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Reno/Sparks, NV
Posts: 3,063
Why do you want to do a flush? Unless the coolant is visibly dirty, there's no reason to do it. I'd just drain the system completely, run a little bit of water through it (with the engine off) and then refill it. I don't know about taking out the thermostat or running the engine while flushing it, I always get nervous about localized hot spots that could crack something. Be sure to fill the block through the upper radiator hose first and only when the engine is cold! Also don't dump any of the coolant, even if it's diluted, onto the street. It seeps into the soil and ground water and it's extremely toxic.

If you didn't already know Zerex G05 is the same thing as MB coolant, but it's cheaper.
__________________
2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 02-17-2006, 12:55 AM
Addicted's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Sanford NC
Posts: 429
I know Bonehead has posted a great article about flushing. I would do a search on here. It is the full works. But if you are going to do it, I would guess you might want to do the real deal.
__________________
76 300D 130K "Stella" (Sold )
74 240D 299K (Donated to Highschool For Senior Project WVO)
83 300TDT 290K (My one and only)
Sanford, NC
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 02-17-2006, 12:58 AM
Ara T.'s Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Santa Rosa, CA
Posts: 2,075
Is the engine drain plug in an obvious place not hidden by a bunch of junk? Cause I have seen something that looks like a drain plug on my 85 300D(a big recessed allen bolt looking thing on the driver side of the engine) but from pictures I've seen it is below and kinda of hard to get to, this seemed too easy to get at.
__________________
1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 02-17-2006, 09:19 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Wesley Chapel, Florida
Posts: 231
Ara t.,

The plug you mentioned on the driver side is one of four access holes for the cooling system. I believe two are plugged, one is used for the temp. gauge sensor & one for the heater hose outlet just behind the oil filter housing. It is extremely tight. The drain plug you want can be accessed with a socket/wrench on the passenger side forward & above the starter bracket.
It may be a pain to get to with things in the way, but that's the one you want to remove. Paul.

___________________
'84 300CD 290,000
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 05-18-2006, 11:38 PM
Boardmonger's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Cupertino, CA
Posts: 707
I drained/flushed and refilled the coolant on my 83 300d turbo on tuesday but today it was running a bit hotter than normal (usually right on 80, today it was around 95ish). Is it reccomended that you change your t-stat when you flush the system?
__________________
-Zack K.

http://www.maj.com/gallery/Boardmong...-Drive/si2.jpg


1983 300d Turbo (Daily Drive) -- 243,000 miles
1979 280ce AMG (Beginning extreme restoration) -- 141,410 miles
1979 Yamaha Chappy LB50 (Awating new points) -- 1411.6 miles

1981 300d Euro 4 speed -- 188,421 km -- SOLD
1979 300d Euro 4 speed (Sold to Brother) -- 257,000 miles

A Collection of w123 AMG Cars and Parts
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 05-19-2006, 08:01 AM
Diesel Giant's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Loganville/Atlanta
Posts: 2,156
I would do the t-stat when the coolant was renewed just so you can do both at the same time. Flush the coolant every 2 years to keep it up to snuff.
__________________
1981 300D 147k
1998 VW Jetta Tdi 320k
2001 Dodge Ram 2500 141k
1979 300D 234k (sold)
1984 300D "Astor" 262k(sold)
Mercedes How-To and Repair Pictorials
I love the smell of diesel smoke in my hair
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 05-19-2006, 11:11 AM
boneheaddoctor's Avatar
Senior Benz fanatic
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Hells half acre (Great Falls, Virginia)
Posts: 16,007
My citric acid flush how to
__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
---------------------
Section 609 MVAC Certified
---------------------
"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

Last edited by boneheaddoctor; 05-19-2006 at 01:17 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 05-19-2006, 12:49 PM
dieseldiehard's Avatar
Dieseldiehard
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Bay Area No Calif.
Posts: 4,368
Quote:
Originally Posted by signalredcoupe
Ara t.,

The plug you mentioned on the driver side is one of four access holes for the cooling system. I believe two are plugged, one is used for the temp. gauge sensor & one for the heater hose outlet just behind the oil filter housing. It is extremely tight. The drain plug you want can be accessed with a socket/wrench on the passenger side forward & above the starter bracket.
It may be a pain to get to with things in the way, but that's the one you want to remove. Paul.
_________________
'84 300CD 290,000
The 350 is not a 617 engine, so the above isn't applicable.
The 350 starter is on the drivers side and the block drain is easily accessed on the passenger side but it isn't a hex bolt, its a nice valve! MB got it right (finally). You can attach a hose to the barb on it and turn it open to drain into a bucket or whatever.

As for a flush, this is primarily for removing scale from the radiator but maybe some built up in the block too and is a good idea for a cooling system with many years/miles on it.
I recommend at least two or three flushes following any acid treatment to get ALL of the stuff out. You have to run the engine up to normal temps and open the heater full on to get all the stuff out.
__________________
'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 05-19-2006, 12:57 PM
vstech's Avatar
DD MOD, HVAC,MCP,Mac,GMAC
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Mount Holly, NC
Posts: 26,835
the link did not work for me

Quote:
Originally Posted by boneheaddoctor
this takes me to a godaddy.com ad site.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 05-19-2006, 01:13 PM
boneheaddoctor's Avatar
Senior Benz fanatic
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Hells half acre (Great Falls, Virginia)
Posts: 16,007
Quote:
Originally Posted by vstech
this takes me to a godaddy.com ad site.
sorry about that...some people feel the need to censor my sites name. So I will not repost it here.


click here
and search for citric acid. All my How-to's will be posted there...not here in the future for the duration of that censoring.

__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
---------------------
Section 609 MVAC Certified
---------------------
"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

Last edited by boneheaddoctor; 05-19-2006 at 01:29 PM.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 09:43 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2024 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Peach Parts or Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page