Change your coolant!!! Yes change it!

[The motor guy]

This isn't the 80's anymore and old style green hasn't been spec'd for decades. Many modern coolants in cars from the last 20 years are good for 10 or even 15 years.

They still use it. In fact the only thing that doesn't have green coolant in it are my two cummins trucks. They have zerex g-05

 

[Rust_Belt_Pete]

Yeah the thing is a coolant change won't keep the seal on the waterpump from hardening and leaking. That's what happened on my other dodge diesel that has a maintained cooling system. Basically a flat gasket like on an oil filter that turns hard as a rock. The bearing was still fine. I assume every pump has a different sealing setup, because I don't see how not changing the coolant would cause wear to the seal on that concentric brand water pump.

The solid rust particles are the ones doing the damage to the seal.

 

[johnmyster]

The solid rust particles are the ones doing the damage to the seal.

There's also suspicion that casting sand is no bueno, or that through the years when pump recalls and actuator replacements were performed misc coolant was used for top off. There's also the mentality that the pump is a simple/cheap 100k maintenance item. Shame. It's a simple pump. If the plastic impeller didn't fracture, and the seal didn't leak, they should go for some time. Yet, they're easy to get to (compared to modern ford or duramax) so why not do it as PM?

My 2014 truck got the first pump changed in 2018 under recall and was not failed at that point. I put a fresh $60 Cummins/Italy pump on it last fall when I thoroughly flushed, citric acid cleaned, and converted to Peak Final Charge Pro. I nabbed one of the last $60 Cummins/Italy pumps I could find and it's now in the camper as a spare. In perhaps 5 years it'll go on the truck.

And with several brands of vehicles these days susceptible to heater core plugging, 5 year interval on good coolant is cheap PM compared to a dash pull.

 

[Rust_Belt_Pete]

There's also suspicion that casting sand is no bueno, or that through the years when pump recalls and actuator replacements were performed misc coolant was used for top off. There's also the mentality that the pump is a simple/cheap 100k maintenance item. Shame. It's a simple pump. If the plastic impeller didn't fracture, and the seal didn't leak, they should go for some time. Yet, they're easy to get to (compared to modern ford or duramax) so why not do it as PM?

My 2014 truck got the first pump changed in 2018 under recall and was not failed at that point. I put a fresh $60 Cummins/Italy pump on it last fall when I thoroughly flushed, citric acid cleaned, and converted to Peak Final Charge Pro. I nabbed one of the last $60 Cummins/Italy pumps I could find and it's now in the camper as a spare. In perhaps 5 years it'll go on the truck.

Replacing my waterpump the right way would cost me about 4,000 dollars.

 

[johnmyster]

Replacing my waterpump the right way would cost me about 4,000 dollars.

I wouldn't pay someone to do a water pump and coolant pipe job on a BMW V8 either.

 

[Rust_Belt_Pete]

Ford Flex, Edge and a couple of others I think. Oh Taurus, and bunch of Lincolns.

 

[millerbl00]

There seems to be some evidence that on Toyotas not changing every 5 years eats the head gaskets. Some kind of reaction?
I change mine every 5 years. Better for everything.

 

[johnmyster]

Ford Flex, Edge and a couple of others I think. Oh Taurus, and bunch of Lincolns.

Ah yes, drop the subframe. Some Toyota 2GR FWD cars were that way unless you got creative.

 

[Rust_Belt_Pete]

Subrame stays on but take the front of the engine off pretty much. While you are in there probably timing kit and phaser change. Front cover and everything comes off and you do some crazy kama sutra to get it all back in.
This is essentially wedged in the engine bay so take everything off the top and the side.

 

[Urshurak776]

I used to do a coolant drain and DI Water flush every 5 years or so. Last few vehicles, I do a drain of radiator, then refill with the proper 50/50 at around 60K-75K, then do it again every 30K or so. Seems to work fine for me in South Carolina. Coolant still looks clean as a whistle and tests well below zero when I check it every fall. YMMV, but haven't seen the need for a full flush in my use.