We are officially in the spring! This means the cold, cold, cold of the winter has passed on and temperatures are starting to warm up. Could anything be better Well, the economy could turn around and do a bit better, but who are we to complain! Still, with warmer temperatures comes the need to make sure your car is in top shape. One way to do that is to flush your coolant system to keep your engine from overheating.
So, just how often should you change your coolant The answer obviously depends on a number of factors. In general, it is recommended that you change it at 20,000 miles. Now, there are plenty of exceptions to that figure. If you drive around all day with your conditioning on in 90° heat, you’re putting an intense strain on your engine. That strain is going to produce massive amounts of heat and your coolant is not going to last anywhere near 20,000 miles. As a result, you would need to check your coolant something closer to every 8000 mile to make sure that you’re not running into problems.
Assuming you need to change your coolant, the process is more involved than simply draining the coolant and replacing it. Instead, you need to flush the system. Flushing simply means running liquid through the system to remove particulates and other junk that may be blocking and compromising the coolant system. Let’s take a look at the steps necessary to flush your system.
The first step is obviously to empty out the coolant. The car needs to be parked on a level surface. It also needs to be cool. You’re going to need a tub that holds 2 to 3 gallons of liquid. This needs to be put up under your radiator. On the bottom of your radiator at one end you should find a drain plug. This is where the coolant is drained from the system. Make sure you have everything lined up because once the coolant starts it gets pretty messy pretty quickly. Once you are sure the tub is in place, open the plug.
Close the drain plug once the system has emptied. Now add water and a coolant system cleaning product you can buy from your local parts store. Follow the directions on the cleaning product. These products are designed to run through the system and remove any gunk, rust or what have you. If you haven’t cleaned the coolant system in 80,000 miles or more, you might want to think twice about using the cleaning products. There may be so much junk in the system that the cleaning product will create a sludge flow that actually blocks up your radiator!
Start the car up once you’ve refilled the system. This allows the cleaning product to circulate and clean out all of the buildup. At this point, turn off the car and let it cool down again. Put another tub underneath the radiator and drain out the water and cleaning product. Now, mix together a batch of coolant and water in a 5050 mix or as indicated on the coolant bottle. Start the car again and run it for while until you’re sure that all the air pockets in the system have run to the radiator and you have the necessary amount of coolant in the system.
At this point, you’re ready for the summer. The only remaining step is to take the old coolant down to the local gas station to dispose of it. Do not pour this down a drain or leave it around the garage because it is extremely toxic. If a pet or child gets into it, it can cause illness and even kill them. That is the last thing you want to have happen!
Heat is the number one enemy of your car. Your biggest ally in fighting heat is your coolant system. Keep it in tip top shape and you’ll have a car that runs smoothly for a very long time.
Tags: clean, cleaning, cleaning products, cold cold cold, coolant, coolant system, drain plug, engine, exceptions, level surface, massive amounts, Parts, radiator, shape, temperatures
