davbell22602
Stihl Chainsaw Man
Your engine produces a ton of heat as it spins over. Alas, heat happens to also be the number one enemy of any engine. The oil and cooling system is charged with keeping the engine cool enough. Most people know to change their oil frequently, but few flush their coolant system.
How often should you change the coolant in your car? It depends on the make and model. A hard working engine like in a Mini Cooper needs changes done sooner. A Toyota Tacoma, on the other hand, can go a bit longer. Actually, Toyota owners are famous for never changing their coolant!
You don't want to just change your coolant. You want to flush the system to get the best result. This is a very simple process. That being said, you need to plan ahead or you'll run into trouble. First, you need to buy the recommended coolant for your car. Second, and this is important, you need to figure out the amount of coolant from your owner's manual and have containers for double this amount. This will make sense in a minute, but just understand you are going to need a lot of containers.
The first step in flushing your system is to find the drain valve for the coolant system. Place a large container under it, open/remove the valve plug and let gravity do its thing. When the flow ends, close the valve. At this point, you want to fill the radiator and system with water only. Leave the radiator cap off. Fire up the car and let it run for 5 to 10 minutes. Watch the dash for any warning that the temperature is going up above where it normally is.
Once done, it is time to drain the water. This is why you need so many containers! You want to repeat the previous draining process. When done, close the drain. Now you are ready to put in the water/coolant mixture called for by the manufacturer. It is usually a 50/50 mix, but check to make sure. Once the system is full, slap the radiator cap back on and fire up the car. Now go for a short drive until the car is up to temperature. Park it and look for any leaks underneath just to be safe.
That's it. You've just flushed you radiator and coolant system without spending $80 down at the local tune and lube shop. Make sure to dispose of the old, toxic coolant and the flush water in a safe manner.
How often should you change the coolant in your car? It depends on the make and model. A hard working engine like in a Mini Cooper needs changes done sooner. A Toyota Tacoma, on the other hand, can go a bit longer. Actually, Toyota owners are famous for never changing their coolant!
You don't want to just change your coolant. You want to flush the system to get the best result. This is a very simple process. That being said, you need to plan ahead or you'll run into trouble. First, you need to buy the recommended coolant for your car. Second, and this is important, you need to figure out the amount of coolant from your owner's manual and have containers for double this amount. This will make sense in a minute, but just understand you are going to need a lot of containers.
The first step in flushing your system is to find the drain valve for the coolant system. Place a large container under it, open/remove the valve plug and let gravity do its thing. When the flow ends, close the valve. At this point, you want to fill the radiator and system with water only. Leave the radiator cap off. Fire up the car and let it run for 5 to 10 minutes. Watch the dash for any warning that the temperature is going up above where it normally is.
Once done, it is time to drain the water. This is why you need so many containers! You want to repeat the previous draining process. When done, close the drain. Now you are ready to put in the water/coolant mixture called for by the manufacturer. It is usually a 50/50 mix, but check to make sure. Once the system is full, slap the radiator cap back on and fire up the car. Now go for a short drive until the car is up to temperature. Park it and look for any leaks underneath just to be safe.
That's it. You've just flushed you radiator and coolant system without spending $80 down at the local tune and lube shop. Make sure to dispose of the old, toxic coolant and the flush water in a safe manner.
