Flushing your car’s cooling system and replacing the coolant is essential. As time progresses, the coolant inside the car starts to degrade. This means that it loses its capacity to safely and efficiently absorb heat from the internal combustion engine. This leads to the car having overheating problems.
Another sign of degradation takes shape in the form of heavy metal deposits in the coolant, which causes the fluid to change its lighter color into a darker shade. These deposits will often damage the internal walls of the cooling system tubes and the radiator.
This is why it is important that you flush out the coolant and replace it with a high quality coolant at regular intervals. Fortunately for you, flushing the coolant and filling it is an easy and accessible procedure. Below are steps that you should follow when performing a coolant flush.
Drain the Fluid
Most vehicles will have drain plug at the bottom corner of their car’s radiator. To spot the drain plug you will have to get underneath your vehicle and then look under and behind the front bumper of your car. In some cars, you can simply remove the plug with your hand. However, in most cases, you will need large screw driver and a socket to remove the plug.
Once you open the socket under your car, you will need some kind of a bucket or container to catch the fluid so that it does not spill on the floor. With everything in position, you can slowly move forwards and open the drain.
Start Flushing Process
After entirely draining out the cooling system, you can go ahead and start the flushing process by first closing the drain. Check your service manual to see if your car requires special requirements when flushing the coolant.
Once you insert the cleaner into the radiator, you can move forth and start the car and wait for a while. You will also benefit from turning on the heater so that the cleaner circulates all around the system and scrubs out all the dirt deposits.
You will not have to repeat the flushing process and open the drain to let the cleaner out, along with all the contaminants. Depending on how dirty the water is that comes out after you insert the cleaner, you can repeat this process until you find that the water is clear.
Add Coolant
Once you completely clean the cooling system, you can now begin inserting the new coolant into the radiator. To do this, you may have to make a coolant solution of your own by simply mixing the anti-freeze with the distilled water. Proportions can vary depending on the region you live in, and also on what the manufacturer recommends on the manual.
