Easy way to convert?

[wn1998]

Well I usually go to a quickie lube to get my coolant changed. They usually used that machine that flushes the coolant out while it adds the new.
Could they fill it with distilled water and flush out all the old coolant and replace with water and than replace the water with somthing like zerex g05? Would that be enough to clean out the old "Green" antifreeze?

 

[Winston]

Boy I wish someone would tell me for sure. However, I think a chemical flush is required.

From what I know, all the corrosion protection technologies (sodium silicate, oat, hoat) work by coating the metals in your cooling system. If you just put in a coolant with a different corrosion protection technology it will not be able to coat the metal as well since the old coating is in the way. So, in order for the new coolant to work well you should use a chemical flush which will remove the old metal coating. This will provide a fresh surface for the new corrosion protection chemicals.

Now, some people say it doesn't matter. The coolant companies say that all coolants are "compatible" with each other. However, they also say that in order to get the maximum protection you should flush your coolant system when changing coolant.

 

[kcryan]

Doing it your self is actually quite fun. im in the process right now.

 

[Ray H]

Unless a cooling system exhibits scaling or other overt signs of corrosion, it is NOT necessary to use a chemical flush. The established silicate coating on metal parts from conventional antifreeze is such a small percentage volume-wise that it will NOT affect anything in the new coolant. (We're talking no more than one molecule's thickness - just sufficient to bond with bare metal - any excess is there to "heal" a break in the coating integrity in the event the odd, errant particle of flowing crud tears a bit of coating off.) The main thing is to remove as much of the remaining old coolant solution as possible through thorough flushing before introducing the new coolant into the system. But, the obsessed are certainly free to spend their time and money any way they choose.

[ May 19, 2005, 09:47 PM: Message edited by: Ray H ]