Filling and Bleeding without RADKITPLUS
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2007 Mercury Mariner and 2007 Ford Escape. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
CAUTION:
Engine coolant provides freeze protection, boil protection, cooling efficiency and corrosion protection to the engine and cooling components. In order to obtain these protections, the engine coolant must be maintained at the correct concentration and fluid level in the degas bottle. When adding engine coolant, use a 50/50 mixture of engine coolant and distilled water.
To maintain the integrity of the coolant and the cooling system:
- Vehicle cooling systems are filled with Motorcraft Premium Gold Engine Coolant. Always fill the cooling system with the same coolant that is present in the system. Do not mix coolant types.
- Do not add/mix orange-colored Motorcraft Specialty Orange Engine Coolant VC-2 or equivalent meeting Ford specification WSS-M97B44-D or green colored Premium Engine Coolant. Mixing coolants may degrade the coolant's corrosion protection.
- Do not add alcohol, methanol or brine, or any engine coolants mixed with alcohol or methanol antifreeze. These can cause engine damage from overheating or freezing.
- Ford Motor Company does NOT recommend the use of recycled engine coolant in vehicles originally equipped with Motorcraft Premium Gold Engine Coolant since a Ford-approved recycling process is not yet available.
- Used engine coolant should be disposed of in an appropriate manner. Follow your community's regulations and standards for recycling and disposing of automotive fluids.
- Loosen the bleed screw and fill the degas bottle with coolant until it begins to flow out of the bleed hole. Then, close the bleed screw.
- Turn the ignition to the ON position to actuate the motor electronics cooling pump and continue to fill the degas bottle to the correct level.
- To bleed air from the system, loosen the bleed screw and allow air to escape while the M/E coolant pump is operating.
CAUTION:
Adhesives, stop-leak pellets or small foreign material in the motor electronics cooling system (MECS) can cause poor performance or temporary blockage of the motor electronics pump. Only use clean, approved coolant when filling the system.
NOTE:
Most of the motor electronics cooling system (MECS) air bleeding occurs as a normal process at the degas bottle through the vent tube; very little occurs at the bleed screw.