Coolant System Servicing

On Tuesday, we went over how often to service your car’s coolant. But how does that service work?

Can I just drain it and refill it?

Draining and filling the cooling system is only going to drain the radiator in most cases, which only contains approximately 50% of the system's fluid. The best way to change your engine coolant is to use a machine that will hook directly into the vehicle’s cooling system line and allow you to operate the vehicle with the system hooked up. When you follow this, it gives you the ability to add a ‘cooling system cleaner’ such as ‘BG Cooling System Cleaner Kit’ into the system. Then, get the vehicle up to operating temperature so the thermostat opens and the cleaner gets throughout the system to do its job. Now you’ll be able to transfer the old coolant from the system and replace it with new coolant using the machine. You’ll want to flush double the capacity through it to ensure that you are getting the system completely cleared out of deposits. Once completed, it's best to add in a cooling system additive package to give the coolant extra protection. This equipment might not be something you have at home, or you might not know your way around the system, which is totally understandable! At Honest Wrenches, we’re happy to help. 

When was the last time you changed your engine coolant? If it’s been a few years, you may want to bring it into Honest Wrenches to get it taken care of, just in case. It may not be a service that will give you instant gratification, because it doesn't really change the way the vehicle drives, or its appearance. However, you can certainly rest assured that it's making a big impact on the life of the cooling system and your vehicle overall.