2002 Civic LX - first coolant change

[y_p_w]

Yeah - it's been neglected. I get it. I don't think my wife ever had the coolant changed before I met her. I thought about it a few years ago and bought a jug of Honda Type 2 but it just sat in the garage.

So all I did was drain the radiator last night. I'm not really that interested in the overflow reservoir since that means taking out the battery. I figure the most important thing right now is to replenish the corrosion inhibitors. It was probably the least messy coolant drain I've ever done. The petcock was easy to reach (makes me wonder about how easy it would be vandalize one) and it drains straight down via a small rigid tube. Kind of slow though. Once it was down to a tiny drip it looked like maybe I had 3/4 of a gallon. The manual said that a change including the overflow should be 1.03 gallons, with a total capacity of 1.32 gallons.

I don't really have any way to burp the system. I thought that older Hondas recommended removing the engine block and there was a bleed valve on the block (as with two Integras I've serviced). It seemed to fill slowly with a lot of trapped air eventually coming out. I got a little more air out by squeezing the upper radiator hose, but in the end I still have some coolant left from that gallon.

Also - the factory coolant came out green. I guess they didn't change the dye until later. There was a little bit of sediment that came out, but not much. The Honda Type 2 coolant was blue out of the jug.

I know the recommendations are for every 5 years, but there's something odd here. I was thinking of just changing it every two years the same way I did it yesterday.

 

[Omahaug]

Yup Type 2 coolant back then used to be a deep, dark green. It's now a similar color but a deep dark blue instead. In low light they almost look identical.

The green should look nothing like regular green (that bright neon green) or those really clear green ones like Nissan uses.

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted by NoNameJoe
Yup Type 2 coolant back then used to be a deep, dark green. It's now a similar color but a deep dark blue instead. In low light they almost look identical.

The green should look nothing like regular green (that bright neon green) or those really clear green ones like Nissan uses.

The color was similar to maybe a forest green that looked just like the Honda "Type 1" coolant I used in my Integra. I remember back then it came in a concentrate where I usually just did a 50/50 mix to make it easy. I do understand that in my climate a 40/60 mix might have even worked. But Type 2 is only 50/50 so there's not much I can do other than maybe add some water if I'm looking for better summer cooling.

The blue from the jug was maybe a slightly greenish blue.

Also - I've never done this before and I followed the instruction to turn the heater all the way on. However, in the previous cars I've done that with there was a mechanical link between the heater control and the heater core. I thought about it, and I'm thinking I should have at least started the engine for a few seconds because it seems like it's not a direct link between the heater core and the knob. Too late now, and I'm more relived that at least there some new additives in there. So would not opening up the heater core account for maybe a quart of coolant?

Still - I'm not going to stress it now. As far as I can tell there's nothing really all that nasty in the coolant like corrosion or any kind of fallout. Maybe a little bit of solids but that seemed pretty normal. I did a few stupid things like not service it all those years I worked on my wife's car and one time I poured some methanol-based windshield washer concentrate in the wrong white reservoir.

I'm thinking maybe replacing every 2 years from this point, even if Honda recommends every 5 years.

 

[bullwinkle]

You'll be surprised to hear this, but my brother STILL has never changed the Nissan PHOAT coolant in his '01 Altima, just topping it off with Zerex Asian-and it hasn't died yet, now approaching 200K.

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted by bullwinkle
You'll be surprised to hear this, but my brother STILL has never changed the Nissan PHOAT coolant in his '01 Altima, just topping it off with Zerex Asian-and it hasn't died yet, now approaching 200K.

Never topped it off in 18 years. No water, no nothing. For whatever reason it's still above the max mark. Well - the only top off was my accidentally pouring in of 2 oz Rain-X winter washer concentrate in there.

Topping off would at least put in some corrosion inhibitor. I've heard with many of these newer long life coolants premixed with DI water is that there's basically no worry about stuff like silicate dropout or removing scale in the radiator that needs to be regularly removed. Even Honda's Type 1 coolant didn't have those issues but wasn't rated for 10/5 years. No need to flush, where companies like Prestone used to recommend sticking a hose in the radiator and running water until it came out clear. I guess topping it off often enough should replenish the corrosion inhibitors.

I was afraid this was going to be a mess. My experience is draincocks that spew out the contents sideways - possibly into a shield which then distributes the coolant everywhere. This was the first one that drained straight down. I think I could have drained it into a 1 inch wide hole if I had to.

 

[JamesBond]

Is this thing driving on the original water pump? How about the timing belt? Many places will change the water pump with a timing belt service which would drain most of the cooling system.

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted by JamesBond
Is this thing driving on the original water pump? How about the timing belt? Many places will change the water pump with a timing belt service which would drain most of the cooling system.

Original. I know it's living on borrowed time. I plan on having someone I know change the belt/pump/tensioner. I was debating whether or not to change the coolant, but it's been 17 years. It would simply be another change.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

The Lisle coolant funnel is awesome

 

[cb450sc]

Why not suck the coolant out of the reservoir. That way you are replacing as much as possible. That is what i did with my 2005 Civic a few years ago. I just had the timing belt and related components changed a month ago so all new fluid was installed. I'm good for another five years.