What's the real deal on coolant/anti-freeze change intervals? I understand there are different types of coolants/anti-freezes, there's the Ford Gold/Yellow, G-05, and GM's DexCool. They all seem to advertise 5 years/100k - but is this 5 years, or 100k miles whichever comes first? Or is it 100k miles? The reason I ask is that I won't even come close to 100k miles in 5 years. Do I need to change it every 5 years (at a lower mileage) or can I change it at 100k miles?
Change intervals? 5 years or 100k miles?
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Which ever comes sooner. I'd consider sooner than That.
I do it every few years but only drain & fill the radiator which I assume does about 1/2.
I do a 1 gallon drain/fill every 50,000 miles.
Every 5 years is sufficient. Thats all I have ever done or suggested to my customers in the past with 5 year coolant. The manufactures and EPA are trying to keep it in the cooling systems and not somewhere else. I have never heard or seen a issue with 5 year change intervals. My 2008 corvette is just coming up on its five year change. Most maufacturesy call for the FIRST time at 5 years and from then on every 3 years. All thats is needed is a drain and refill. Coolant has come a long way just like motor oils.
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The manufacturers might call it 5 year coolant, but I find that by the 3rd year it needs replacement.
I don't.
Originally Posted By: artificialist
The manufacturers might call it 5 year coolant, but I find that by the 3rd year it needs replacement.
Can you describe what you are noticing? What vehicle/yr and what coolant?
The manufacturers might call it 5 year coolant, but I find that by the 3rd year it needs replacement.
Can you describe what you are noticing? What vehicle/yr and what coolant?
I'm not sure that coolant really needs changing anymore. I've seen cars that are well past the OE service interval on original Toyota SLL and Honda Type II, and the inside of the systems appear to be clean and the system still works fine.
JHZR2
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Ive read that one of the VW coolants (G12+ or something) creates a passivating coating, and flushing/replacing harms this.
I suppose it might be kind of like water in hydronic and steam systems. You fill and leave it because it is a sealed system and putting new water in provides new minerals and more dissolved oxygen, which you dont want...
I suppose it might be kind of like water in hydronic and steam systems. You fill and leave it because it is a sealed system and putting new water in provides new minerals and more dissolved oxygen, which you dont want...
You're suppose to change at the recommend years or miles whichever occurs first. The coolant rating is usually conservative so there's some leeway. For example Dexcool is rated 5/150, but typically hasn't depleted its corrosion protection at all by that point. I think G-05 might be getting depleted at the 5 year mark.
You often don't get all the coolant out so you shouldn't try to run longer than the recommended service length. The thing is the long life colants have such a long life that people don't usually keep the car long enough and open up the cooling passages to see to see results of not chainging the coolant. It could be 10+ years before any corrosion starts to become apparent.
You often don't get all the coolant out so you shouldn't try to run longer than the recommended service length. The thing is the long life colants have such a long life that people don't usually keep the car long enough and open up the cooling passages to see to see results of not chainging the coolant. It could be 10+ years before any corrosion starts to become apparent.
I think time matters more than mileage. 100K miles wouldn't bother me as much as going past five years.
Beyond 5 years, I wouldn't want to chance it even if everything seems okay, mostly to avoid corrosion. Coolant is cheap, and not as harmful to the environment as many of the automotive fluids we replace, so why not play it safe with a critical system on the vehicle?
Beyond 5 years, I wouldn't want to chance it even if everything seems okay, mostly to avoid corrosion. Coolant is cheap, and not as harmful to the environment as many of the automotive fluids we replace, so why not play it safe with a critical system on the vehicle?
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