Flushing/changing coolant often

Status
Not open for further replies.
P

PZR2874

Joined
May 6, 2011
Messages
499
Location
San Antonio, TX
Hey guys, had this discussion the other day with a couple buddies and they thought I was crazy for doing this every year on my Speed. I do changes every year and flushes every 3 yrs.

I've been doing it for years but never really thought about "am I hurting anything". I overdo all maintainence (fluids/rotations) on my cars with no issues but this one just came up in convo the other day as I am going to be doing in the next week or so.

Discuss
 
Last edited:
Don't think you can hurt anything with fresh coolant...but I don't think it needs to be done that often...the only downside is the cost of materials and your time...
 
Just like the 3k OCI, times have changed for coolant systems also. The new HOAT/OAT coolant chemistry and the materials used in the coolant system have all but negated the necessity for a flush. A 2 year drain is more than required, more than adequate on modern cars. A 3 year flush negates the need for drains at all.

I've done nothing but 2 year drain and fills on the 02 Camry in my signature. Nothing comes out but off-color coolant. Not one single replacement part including the radiator cap.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: PZR2874
Hey guys, had this discussion the other day with a couple buddies and they thought I was crazy for doing this every year on my Speed. I do changes every year and flushes every 3 yrs.

I've been doing it for years but never really thought about "am I hurting anything". I overdo all maintainence (fluids/rotations) on my cars with no issues but this one just came up in convo the other day as I am going to be doing in the next week or so.

Discuss


Do you change your oil every month too?
The new coolants , especially Mazda , are good for 100000 miles so if you change it every year at say 12000 miles , that is 8 changes too many.
That would be like changing oil every 500 miles.
Kinda CRAZY if you ask a sane person.
 
Back when I had the green stuff, I used to drain and fill the radiator every 18 mos - 2 years; never had a corrosion or cooling issue.

Now with the new HOAT coolants, I've moved to a 3 year radiator drain and fill, with similar results.

Note it's just a radiator drain and refill.....
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: PZR2874
Hey guys, had this discussion the other day with a couple buddies and they thought I was crazy for doing this every year on my Speed. I do changes every year and flushes every 3 yrs.

I've been doing it for years but never really thought about "am I hurting anything". I overdo all maintainence (fluids/rotations) on my cars with no issues but this one just came up in convo the other day as I am going to be doing in the next week or so.

Discuss


I have no familiarity with later model Mazdas, but I can tell you that after a detailed discussion with a G team engineer (GMC Van Man) that works with my factory authorized upfitter producing our fleet vehicles we now run ALL our fleet trucks till component failure. No coolant is even touched until something breaks.

This can easily be 200k miles or even more these days. Note that our coolant volume is almost 3 times stock as we have customized heat exchangers fitted for our equipment.
 
Last edited:
Also if your into clean cooling system suggest you look into RMI-25. Its a cleaner, a pump lube, and a hose/seal conditioner. I use it on my dex sludged Grand Prix. Purges any scale or rust into the expansion tank where it floats. Clean the expansion tank, its nice and clean. Amazing stuff.
 
I change the coolant in my 91 BMW every 10 years. I was told by a chemist who worked for a major oil company that coolant only needs to be changed when it gets dirty. Its one of the most over-sold products in the automotive world.
 
I do a drain & fill of the radiator only every year or two. Minimal cost. And if I never get around to it one year no big deal.

Years ago I had a Prestone tee in my vehicle and used a garden hose for the flush. But now trying to make sure its run with only coolant and distilled water makes it harder to do a flush.
 
I read somewhere that new formulas without fast acting inhibitors like silicate or phosphorus take quite a long time to develop the protective coating on all parts. So flushing these too often may strip off the coating and take a while to develop it again, resulting in not optimal PH levels, possibly increased reactions between parts and coolant and some damage from cavitation.
 
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
I change the coolant in my 91 BMW every 10 years. I was told by a chemist who worked for a major oil company that coolant only needs to be changed when it gets dirty. Its one of the most over-sold products in the automotive world.
Assume your testing?
 
What does the owners manual say?
If it has a 5yr interval look at it occasionally. If it still looks good go for the 5 yrs.

It sound like a lot of money going down the drain and time wasted IMO.
As someone pointed out it may take some time for the internals to be properly protected.
 
Part of the "more is better" mentality that a lot of us can't seem to shed. In America it is our God-given right to be wasteful. Look around and you'll see what I mean. We eat too much, drink too much, smoke too much, buy too much, sit on our butts too much, use our phones too much, and some of us even exercise too much. This rampant consumerism reaches into nearly every aspect of our lives.

Here are a few things we do too little. Tell people how much we appreciate them, provide POSITIVE feedback about something, communicate with our significant others, think about how the things we do affect others and the world in general...
 
I haven't change or drain & fill my 08 Accord coolant. Coolant still looks good. I only have 50k miles. I may drain & fill next fall or summer.
 
I believe it states the FL22 fluid can go 100K.

Problem with this is that when I bought the car used (65K I believe). I wasn't sure it had been done or not (collant res looks like it had boiled over and the fire "mat" attached to the hood looked fubar. So I just flushed it and put my own mix in like I always have (25% coolant / 75% distilled).

50/50 is prob fine, but it gets HOT here and I run my car hard all the time.

I appreciate the responses.

BTW chad8 .... yes, I do 2800-3000 OCI's due to the DI dilution I get.
 
Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
Also if your into clean cooling system suggest you look into RMI-25. Its a cleaner, a pump lube, and a hose/seal conditioner. I use it on my dex sludged Grand Prix. Purges any scale or rust into the expansion tank where it floats. Clean the expansion tank, its nice and clean. Amazing stuff.


Thanks for the tip, although I don't run anything in my car since it's a touchy charged car.

By anything, I mean additives/lubes/waterwetter and the likes
 
Last edited:
FL22, in my car, is supposed to go 120,000 miles prior to the first change. Yeah, I know the weather in San Antonio, been there quite a few times, live in DFW, and have lived in Corpus Christi. If you are not sure of what you have in there it is probably OK to just go ahead and change it out however you want. I am personally planning to use the FL22 coolant when the time comes. It is sold as a premix (55% coolant/45% water), believe it or not. It can't break the bank when you only need two jugs.
 
Originally Posted By: PZR2874
So I just flushed it and put my own mix in like I always have (25% coolant / 75% distilled).

50/50 is prob fine, but it gets HOT here and I run my car hard all the time.
Ahhh that explains the frequency. Your running a diluted inhibitor pack.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

S
Thinking of Changing coolant- 2003 Ford Windstar
Replies
12
Views
372
sarity945
newoilguy1
2001 RAV4 coolant top off
Replies
4
Views
211
JMJNet
FTTSHO
Best coolant type for cast iron block engines?
Replies
3
Views
817
JHZR2
O
AC Delco Universal Coolant not suited for older GM vehicles?
Replies
7
Views
461
Sumboodie
4
How often to change coolant in 1997 Ford Ranger
Replies
2
Views
353
johnmyster
Back
Top Bottom