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I went for an oil change at jiffy lube and was suggested a radiator flush and also my fluid level was low. They were going to top it off for $3 but I said no. Should I go for the top off next time or simply do my own radiator flush? It’s starting to get chilly so do I use a special kind of fluid for certain weather or what?
It’s been about a year or 2 since my last radiator flush I think. If I do the radiator flush myself, do I buy the most expensive coolant there is? I don’t know if brands make a difference in coolant quality. So to do a radiator flush is simply drain out the old fluids and add new fluids right? I’ve never done this so can someone here show me?
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There are kits you can buy at most auto parts shops that come with special fittings you install into a coolant hose. They have special attachments that you can hook up a watet hose to. The idea is to backflush the fluid from yout system so that the gunk comes out of the system and radiator without forcing it deaper into the radiator where it woul clog things up worse. Purchase one of those kits and follow the instructions on the package. I am sure there are people who would disagree strongly, but i try to buy fluid that is universal, but you will want to follow your vehicle manufacturer’s recommendation when it comes to purchasing coolant. Just don’t buy the premixed stuff as you are paying for water. It is recomended that you use distilled water mixed with the coolant. Some do. Some don’t. You should pick up a little test kit to make sure that you mix it properly, and that it will protect your engine and radiator from freezing in the coldest weather you are likely to find your vehicle in during the life of the coolant.
so the hose is to suck out the fluids off the fluid container? Why avoid premixed coolants? Most use those. I would think Jiffy Lube uses something like it as well. One guy I saw he simply removed the old coolant fluid without the use of a hose. A bit messy.
No . the hose is to force water into the middle of the system fo r cing thr gunk to travel backwords toeard an opening in the system where it ca n escape thereby cleaning out the coolant ports, radiator, and other components. There is nothing inherently wrong with the premixed stuff, i just believe it is a waste of money. It is usually 50 percent water and 50 percent. Antifreeze. Yet, it generally costs more than half the cost of an equal quantity of 100 percent Antifreeze.
Honestly unless you have a lot of sediment or debris in the cooling system there’s no need to do a ‘flush’. They often try to sell this service because it sounds fancy and it’s not something the average DIYer does. That said, if you don’t have any debris in the system a drain and refill is all that should be required. Just draining and refilling the radiator is often enough as long as it’s done at regular intervals. Many times around 30K but check your owners manual to see what it says about cooling system service. The important thing is to be sure to bleed the air out of the system when you’re done with that service. Failure to do so will result in cooling system problems.
are you saying it’s bad to use 100% antifreeze and it has to be split with water instead?
[quote=”jshoup” post=114868]No . the hose is to force water into the middle of the system fo r cing thr gunk to travel backwords toeard an opening in the system where it ca n escape thereby cleaning out the coolant ports, radiator, and other components. There is nothing inherently wrong with the premixed stuff, i just believe it is a waste of money. It is usually 50 percent water and 50 percent. Antifreeze. Yet, it generally costs more than half the cost of an equal quantity of 100 percent Antifreeze.[/quote]
Two questions there, if you use premixed antifreeze no its not bad because it’s already diluted.
If its not diluted then YES it is BAD to use 100% pure antifreeze.
When buying antifreeze, here is what not to buy –
Do not buy the 50/50 mix. It is a rip-off.
YOu will notice with any given brand, pure antifreeze is like a dollar more than 50/50.I am sure the advice about the type of water to use will vary across the board. But if you have to buy “special” water (in the grocery section), that will cost a dollar. Unless you get thristy and drink it then you may need another gallon. 😀
So it is like this –
Pure antifreeze ($15’ish a gallon) plus a gallon of special water (one whole smackeroo) = $16
Two gallons of 50/50 ($14 each) = $28Yeah, you will probably need close to a couple gallons of antifreeze/water by the time you are done.
What percentages of each? 50 to 70% antifreeze. I tend to go 60% “just because”.Maybe have an empty milk jug to mix it in. Don;t do like some often do and “just guess” as I dump it into the cooling system.
When pure antifreeze is used the boiling point is 150c ish the freeze point is only -10c
As you add water strangely the freezing point lowers and so does the boiling point.
There comes a point where the antifreeze takes on the properties of water if you dilute it too much, I think off the top of my head 60% antifreeze 40% water is the optimum solution.
It’s been a while since I read it but I found it weird and interesting so I remembered it. That’s why you should always dilute antifreeze.
Kerb
What about disconnecting the heater core hoses and flushing that out? I don’t like the idea of doing the full flush either because even if you add back 100% coolant I worry if it really mixes with the water left in the block. However, the Haynes manual I have recommends disconnecting BOTH heater core hoses (as opposed to splicing in the flush valve) and flushing that out, and flushing water through the radiator. Then putting in the 50/50 mix.
Or would you say don’t flush anything out at all, just drain and fill? Thanks!
Eric did a really fun video on flushing the heater core out, worth the watch for sure.
When you dilute the mix, I strongly advise against using tap water. It has minerals in it that can cause corrosion inside the whole system.
Look at the store for distilled water. It’s about a buck a gallon and it will prolong the lifespan of the coolant.
If the heat takes a long time to build, or never get very warm at all, then do the core flush.
Change the thermostat regularly. I use the failsafe kind from Autozone. When they fail, they fail open to save the engine from overheating.Thanks for the quick response! Yeah, I actually found that heater core video right after posting my question. That has to win my vote for best ETCG video! I guess I was just more curious if he recommended even doing the heater flush if my heat works well and im only doing a routine coolant change (since he says don’t flush the whole block). He was only doing that one because it was clogged.
I have also seen lots of people advise against the tap water, however, I don’t have an air compressor, will that little bit of water from a hose to only do the heater core really cause that big of a problem? Also, if I’m not going to use the pressured water from a hose to flush out the radiator, does it still make sense to dump some distilled water through the radiator to clean it out? I have seen the method where you run distilled through the whole block by running the engine, but again not sure if I am a fan of that and Eric was saying its a waste.
Thanks again for the response, I know this is an old thread.
[quote=”DAMNLAMA” post=172618]What about disconnecting the heater core hoses and flushing that out? I don’t like the idea of doing the full flush either because even if you add back 100% coolant I worry if it really mixes with the water left in the block. However, the Haynes manual I have recommends disconnecting BOTH heater core hoses (as opposed to splicing in the flush valve) and flushing that out, and flushing water through the radiator. Then putting in the 50/50 mix.
Or would you say don’t flush anything out at all, just drain and fill? Thanks![/quote]
To begin with..
You should check the FSM to see if your specific engine is equipped with water jacket drain plugs.
If it does great, If it does not, you can remove the thermostat and get a major amount of old coolant out.When using a flush TEE you can continuously pump fresh water through the entire cooling system.
I’m not sure why you would disconnect the heater core and make it more difficult to flush the core rather than keep the system intact when flushing.[quote=”KerbDragonRider” post=115029]When pure antifreeze is used the boiling point is 150c ish the freeze point is only -10c
As you add water strangely the freezing point lowers and so does the boiling point.
There comes a point where the antifreeze takes on the properties of water if you dilute it too much, I think off the top of my head 60% antifreeze 40% water is the optimum solution.
It’s been a while since I read it but I found it weird and interesting so I remembered it. That’s why you should always dilute antifreeze.
Kerb[/quote]
Try testing pure antifreeze with a tester, you will find the freezing point to top the scale, it then drops as water is added, diluting the mixture.
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