Flushing engine coolant

Tiny
JUNIOR AGUIRRE
  • MEMBER
  • 2006 CHRYSLER 300
  • 5.7L
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • 114,000 MILES
I changed my alternator flushed the coolant and only added one gallon of pure coolant. Ran the car for two hundred miles could I of damaged the engine? Engine did not overheat.
Friday, July 27th, 2018 AT 10:54 PM

21 Replies

Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
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Good morning.

Coolant should never be added with 100% coolant. It needs to mixed with water. It should be 50-50 mix. If you use one gallon of pure coolant, add water and you will have two gallons of 50-50 mix.

Using the pure will cause the engine to run too cool and the engine will not reach normal operating temperature. It will eventually set a code for efficiency.

Roy
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Saturday, July 28th, 2018 AT 6:11 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
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Well you did flush the system and likely there was quite a bit of water left in the block depending on how you did the flush. That would still make it low but it may not have hurt it. The system holds 14+ quarts total.
May being the operative word, How did you flush it out? How did you drain it?

The only real way to know would be to top it up with coolant and run a pressure test on the system to see if it has any internal leaks. Then see how it behaves once it is full. I would also change the oil as it likely was running hotter than it should.
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Sunday, July 29th, 2018 AT 3:48 AM
Tiny
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I just unscrewed the plug from the bottom of the radiator and to be honest I did not even add the full gallon now that I remember I just filled the tank up.
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Sunday, July 29th, 2018 AT 9:26 AM
Tiny
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Did you bleed the system of all air? There is a bleed screw at the upper hose to the engine that you open while filling to allow the air to escape.

Roy
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Sunday, July 29th, 2018 AT 9:53 AM
Tiny
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I did not smh.
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Sunday, July 29th, 2018 AT 10:01 AM
Tiny
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Could that cause some damage?
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Sunday, July 29th, 2018 AT 10:02 AM
Tiny
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Not at this time. Like I said before, it should be delulted to 50-50 not pure 100% coolant.

Change it out to the proper solution. Over time, you can damage the motor.

Roy
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Sunday, July 29th, 2018 AT 10:11 AM
Tiny
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Okay, I did run it for about two hundred miles.
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Sunday, July 29th, 2018 AT 10:51 AM
Tiny
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Thats okay.

As long as the engine light did not come back, you are good. Just change it back out ASAP.

Roy
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Sunday, July 29th, 2018 AT 10:53 AM
Tiny
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What I did was add water to it. Do I have to flush all over again?
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Sunday, July 29th, 2018 AT 11:04 AM
Tiny
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How much water?

Roy
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Sunday, July 29th, 2018 AT 11:06 AM
Tiny
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I did not add the full bottle of coolant that day, just what fit in the tank then the rest of the coolant that was left in the gallon I added water to it when I realized it was going to need more.
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Sunday, July 29th, 2018 AT 11:09 AM
Tiny
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Okay, then it sounds like you are good.

Roy
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Sunday, July 29th, 2018 AT 11:52 AM
Tiny
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But, I did run it for two hundred miles until I noticed.
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Sunday, July 29th, 2018 AT 1:27 PM
Tiny
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I understand that. I posted that you were good, but it changed out so you have the proper mix.

Roy
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Sunday, July 29th, 2018 AT 1:35 PM
Tiny
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Lol, okay.
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Sunday, July 29th, 2018 AT 1:51 PM
Tiny
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Just worried man.
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Sunday, July 29th, 2018 AT 1:51 PM
Tiny
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Just do the change and forget about it.

Roy
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Sunday, July 29th, 2018 AT 2:13 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
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Now that you have topped it off how is it acting? From what you have said you ran it with about a 3/4 - one gallon low on coolant. That may have been enough to save it. I would still be watching close.
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+1
Sunday, July 29th, 2018 AT 2:15 PM
Tiny
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It runs good never over heated, but I think I here a little noise in the engine but it might just be me freaking out.
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Sunday, July 29th, 2018 AT 2:34 PM

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