Engine Cooling: Notes

NOTE: Vehicle cooling systems are filled with Motorcraft® Orange Antifreeze/Coolant. Always fill the cooling system with the manufacturer's specified coolant. If a non-specified coolant has been used the cooling system must be chemically flushed. Refer to COOLING SYSTEM FLUSHING . Failure to follow these instructions may damage the engine or cooling system.

NOTE: During normal vehicle operation, Motorcraft® Orange Antifreeze/Coolant may change color from orange to pink or light red. As long as the engine coolant is clear and uncontaminated, this color change does not indicate the engine coolant has degraded nor does it require the engine coolant to be drained, the system to be flushed, or the engine coolant to be replaced.

The cooling system consists of the following components:

Block heater (located in the lower left hand corner of the engine block)
Coolant crossover manifold assembly (located in front of the intake manifold)
Coolant expansion tank
Cooling fan motor and shroud
Radiator
Radiator draincock (located in the lower right hand corner)
Upper and lower radiator hoses
Bypass coolant hose
Coolant pump
Coolant thermostat

The coolant pump:

circulates the coolant.

The coolant thermostat:

controls coolant temperature.
allows quicker engine warm-up.

The coolant expansion tank:

holds surplus coolant when hot.
allows coolant expansion.
replenishes coolant to the system.

The fan motor:

operates only when the ignition switch is in the RUN position.
will not operate with the ignition switch in the OFF position.

The radiator:

cannot be serviced. Install a new radiator.
allows excess heat to be transferred to the air.

The optional block heater:

electrical heating element is installed in the core plug opening.
- uses a standard 110V electrical supply
keeps the engine coolant warm during cold weather.

NOTE: 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. Failure to follow these instructions may damage the engine or cooling system.

When adding or topping off engine coolant:

measure the coolant concentration in the vehicle using Coolant/Battery Refractometer ROB 75240 or equivalent.
determine the concentration desired based on the vehicle duty cycle of extreme hot or cold operating conditions.
add/top off or adjust the coolant as follows:
- for concentrations measured 48/52 to 50/50, use Motorcraft® Orange Antifreeze/Coolant Prediluted to maintain a coolant concentration in this same range (freeze protection down to -34°C to -37°C [-30°F to - 34°F]).
- for all other concentrations, use Motorcraft® Orange Antifreeze/Coolant Concentrated and/or distilled water t get to the desired concentration. Refer to COOLING SYSTEM DRAINING, FILLING AND BLEEDING .

When refilling the engine coolant after a flush procedure, use a mixture of Motorcraft® Orange Antifreeze/Coolant Concentrated and distilled water to get to the desired concentration.

To maintain the integrity of the coolant and the cooling system:

add Motorcraft® Orange Antifreeze/Coolant or equivalent. Do not mix coolant types.
do not add or mix with any other type of 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® Orange Antifreeze/Coolant since a Ford-approved recycling process is not yet available.