shepW00dD

best/easiest way to flush the radiator on a 98 cherokee

Abovetimberline

with a flush kit from the autoparts.

shepW00dD

well i was gonna pull the lowest hose from the radiator then stick a hose into the place where you put the antifreeze ten run it till its a water color again and finally fill fulll of antifreeze will that work i heard somewhere that it doesnt.

Dan89XJ

its not the same as doing a proper flush...i would go get a flush kit

shepW00dD

whats the difference?

Abovetimberline

The flush kit has chemicals to loosen rust and solids that have deposited on the metal. What you are wanting to do is ok if all you want to do is change the water. If you use antifreeze all the time it has additives to prevent rust and deposits as well as prevent water from freezing up.
If you are not having any issues just change your antifreeze.

shepW00dD

well i bought the jeep and opened the container that holds the anti freeze and it looks like mud

brandon402

Yikes! If your anti freeze looks like mud, you've got worse problems just a coolant flush.

Abovetimberline

Having a mud looking colored water or sludge just means it has been neglected and in need of attention,just changing the water will not due,you will need to flush it with a kit. Alot of folks have seen this same thing. I just flushed a friends truck and it was so rusted that it took 4 flushes to get it cleared.
I would flush with water until it clears up, then a kit last.

shepW00dD

alright i really didnt think that would end up being that bad of a problem....ha to make it better it smells real bad to....the muddy coolant

tboss619

I just flushed mine for the third time in two years and the mud was there every time I flushed it,, it was so bad it stopped the rubber hose completely up going to the coolant bottle.. this time I put the prestone super in the radiator after I drained it and refilled it with distelled water and run it for a week to give it time to work.. after the week was up I drained the radiator by removing the lower hose and I cldnt believe wht came out of the radiator it was pure muddy water and scum,, be sure you buy the super flush for its more powerful ..this is a real problem to solve as you will probably find as I did ..I had to replace the radiator, hoses thermo. and pump in mine,,I am keeping a close check on it ( every morn) to see if it will do it agn,,,If it does I will give it a chemical treatment of sodium hydroxide and zinc tablets as I was in structed to do on this forum..keep us informed as to how you come out ..mine has been a pita for two years...but I will stay on top of it good luck Terry

jon_89

Sorry if this is hijacking your thread but how do you flush a closed system. I got a 87 that runs hot hot and have read flushing will help some.

cherokee92

You may want to consider replacing the rad in the future with the thermostat and check the water pump. Just got over three weeks of my rad hoses and cap leaking. I can now spend more money on other things it needs. Good Luck.

brandon402

I'll agree that muddy coolant is an indicator of neglected coolant. However, I would also be mindful of what that muddy coolant has been flowing through and for how long.

sandstone

If the coolant in the reserve bottle looks like mud, I'd remove the lower radiator hose and drain the system. Then I'd attach the Prestone Flush and Fill Kit http://www.prestone.com/products/pri...ll+Kit&regTM=1 to backflush the system. Then I'd do a chemical flush with Prestone Super Radiator Flush http://www.prestone.com/products/coo...Treatments.php . Depending on how the fluid looks, I'd repeat the process as needed.