OK, had a lil issue with coolant leak on my 2001 D 4.7l. Turns out the filler neck tee was cracked. I replaced that and the upper hoses with gates hose and no name filler neck from parts store. I was thinking of draining and flushing while my mind is on it but my question is. Manual shows cylinder drain plug (which i am assuming is at every cylinder) right next to what appears to be freeze plugs. Do you think it necessary to drain to this degree. Also, I am assuming I have to remove the lower fan shroud to get at radiator pet ****. I hate those snap ins that are holding them on. They only seem to be one time fastener in many case. i.e. They brake there teeth on way out. Anyway, this site has saved me couple thousand $ as far as I can figure. Love it.

 

If you just open the pet **** and run a hose through the system with light pressure, it should sufficiently flush out your system.

 

Those are block drain plugs. Don't touch them!


Just remove the lower radiator hose and she'll drain fast! While your at it, replace this hose. Now that will be a 50% change of fluid and that should be good enough. You could replace the T-stat while your at it as well. Get the T-stat from the dealer.

Next follow proper fill and bleed instructions on that motor. Last thing you want is air in that motor!

 

One more thing, replace the upper hose with OEM cause it has a spring inside that prevents the hose from collapsing if the rubber fails. I replaced my upper hose with a generic hose and jeg's t-neck filler assembly. I heard it from the experts real quick. And yes, the upper hose including the OEM neck is one piece.
FYI for DIY:
1) After you've replaced all the hoses and the t-stat, fill the rad with a 50/50 mix of coolant and water. Some may say use distailled water but I find that regular tap does fine.
2) Fill all the way you can, then start her up and drive for a few minutes. Park her at an incline, like when you just go up onto your driveway. Turn engine off and open the hood.
3) make sure the engine is cool to the touch before you open the rad cap.
4) Locate the orange-colored allen nut like this one at the upperhose connection on the engine block:

5) Start the engine and take off the rad cap and return to said allen nut and using the correct allen key, crack loosen the nut until you can hear air hissing out.
6) Start filling the rad with coolant mix until you can see coolant seeping out of the nut area.
7) Tighten the nut, replace the rad cap and there! You've just burped your 4.7!

 

The reason to use Distilled water over tap water is that tap water has mineral deposits in it that attack, rust, corrode, and clog your internal components of your motor including the radiator and heater core!


Distilled water has NONE it it and for $1 a gallon who cares?.....

 

our tap water is almost distilled, but then we have very high iron in the water, so we have a two filter system the filters get changed every month, and everything above 5 microns is filtered out

 

+1. If you are going to use any water, make it distilled water.

With that said, I am sold on Prestone 50/50 premix. Pour in what you need and you are done. It is just easier that way.

IndyDurango

 

I stand corrected.

 

^^ LOL ^^

+1 Indy!