Flushing cooling system (block pic) - do I need a Thermocure flush?

[James9100]

Been slowly working on getting my cooling system flushed out for the past week. Drained the BlueDevil cleaner I had in there for the past 3 days (was only able to get about 1½ hrs of run-time with it). Pulled the tstat today to have a look at the block and it’s certainly not as clean as I was hoping.

Does it look bad enough that it warrants a Thermocure flush or would another round of regular cleaner with proper drive time do the trick?
I found the Prestone cleaner that @mrblaine recommends so I’d be using that. Can only find Thermocure on amazon so it’d be another week before I got to that.

 

[mrblaine]

Been slowly working on getting my cooling system flushed out for the past week. Drained the BlueDevil cleaner I had in there for the past 3 days (was only able to get about 1½ hrs of run-time with it). Pulled the tstat today to have a look at the block and it’s certainly not as clean as I was hoping.
View attachment 457594
Does it look bad enough that it warrants a Thermocure flush or would another round of regular cleaner with proper drive time do the trick?
I found the Prestone cleaner that @mrblaine recommends so I’d be using that. Can only find Thermocure on amazon so it’d be another week before I got to that.

I don't recommend the Prestone stuff. I recommend that you use a drive around flush like the Prestone and check it after that to see if it is clean.

 

[James9100]

I don't recommend the Prestone stuff. I recommend that you use a drive around flush like the Prestone and check it after that to see if it is clean.

Okay sorry for my misunderstanding.

So in your experience would you expect that I’ll need a Thermocure flush or would you guess that a proper drive around flush will do it?
If you’d expect I’ll need Thermocure I’ll probably order some right aways.

 

[mrblaine]

Okay sorry for my misunderstanding.

So in your experience would you expect that I’ll need a Thermocure flush or would you guess that a proper drive around flush will do it?
If you’d expect I’ll need Thermocure I’ll probably order some right aways.

I only know how to find out. Do the drive around flush and see what it does.

 

[James9100]

Quick update: Only got around to putting in the cleaner this morning as I wouldn’t have been able to get much drive time on the TJ the last couple weekends.
Gonna do some driving around with it today and tomorrow but after that I’m gonna have to leave it as is until spring, hitting freezing a lot sooner than expected and I don’t have access to a garage so I need to get coolant in it.

 

[James9100]

Ran the Prestone cleaner from Sat-Mon, got some decent drive-time in and unfortunately doesn’t look really any better so I am gonna need a Thermocure flush.

As I mentioned previously freeze-up is coming sooner than I can get Thermocure as I have to order from Summit. So looks like I’m gonna have to just do a good rinse, dump coolant in and wait till spring to continue.
Come that time I’m thinking I’d be fine just to filter the coolant through a coffee filter when I drain it and then re-use it after I’m done with the Thermocure, ya?

 

[macleanflood]

Coolant is cheap enough I wouldn't bother reusing. But to each their own...your proposed method is valid.

I keep a couple of coffee filters in my trail kit JIC I need to reuse fluids to get home.

-Mac