I think it's time for me to flush my system. My question is how do I know if I need an additive like a descaler or others. Should I get this done professionally or should I do it myself. Thanks in advance

 

you can do it yourself to save a cople of bucks. i put some bakingsoda in my coolant a week before i did the flush to help clean out the engine. you shouldnt need to add anything to the coolant

 

dose bakingsoda realy clean out the crud in the cooling system?

 

Pretty much. It neutralizes the acidic build up in the system.

 

how much bakingsoda do you need to put in?

 

Is the baking soda safe for al heads?

 

i put in about 2 table spoons in and let it run for a week and the coolant came out looking brown so it must have cleaned out a good amount. i dont see why it will hurt al heads my buddy ran it through his supra and it didnt hurt anything

 

I put 2 gal. 50/50 mixture when I first got my car. Couple months later it's like rusty water. I am guessing is pretty cruddy in there. So just a couple doses of baking soda, run for a week and then do the flush??

 

well just cause i wanted to flush it all out when i got all the coolant out i ran the engine with the hose in the rad. i also have been toying with the idea of using stright water and some of the purple ice stuff for the summer time.

 

I never put much stock in flushing til had a 65 chevelle convert project we pulled the body off frame and I assembled the frame with motor and complete driveline with exhaust before putting body back on. Started the engine brok in cam with straight water. Car sat for 2 years before it was completed. It ran warm and a guy suggested flushing. So I did and all the rust in the block came out after two flushings, and the engine ran 6 degrees cooler.(sorry for the ramble) Now I do it every 2 years on my street rod. It does help

 

Which method is better normal or reverse flushing?

 

i think the normal way is better just because natrally all the gunk is going to the bottom, but i never even tried the other way so i couldnt tell you wats better

 

just open the spiket under the bot rad hose, and disconect the up rad hose and stick a hose in the fill cap. I flushed and put straight water and water wetter in, runs a lot cooler now.

 

i'm sorry but what is water wetter?

 

Its a coolant additive that transfers heat better keeping your car cooler. I had been just using straight water and flushing it every month, then decided to use this stuff and it keeps it cooler, about 10 degrees. YRMV. Straight water is the best thing, and water wetter also acts as an anti corosive too. Just remembere to put antifreeze in come winter time, if you are even gonna drive your 3rd gen in the winter (not here in buffalo!).

 

Thanks for the tips guys. I bought the 5 buck reverse flush kit made by prestone and used zerex flushing agent while I flushed mine twice this weekend and couldn't be happier with the results. Went from an orange mess to crystal clear. Rayzor, yes water wetter is great stuff.