Advice needed - Coolant flush

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

I've seen cabs run for 800,000klms that have:
* never had a coolant flush
* used the cheapest coolant
* had it mixed pretty thin
* run at operating temperature 23 hours a day
* only have a coolant change when they bust a hose

So anyone who pays $195 for a coolant flush is someone with SUCKER written on their forehead - especially if you've got a car that's over a decade old!

Originally Posted by XYLINC

Thanks mate and yes, all in one go.

So those cars have never had a water pump changed as well?

[Mainlube]

This product is an ex Mainlube product,

Does not effect any metals (apart from removing all oxides) designed for vintage cars with 1cm of scale

239, 2 packs flush removes all scale and chemical build up (back to shiny metal)

Before .......



After .........



************************************************** ***********

Clean the system with 239, then apply Liquid Intelligence 115 anti boil coolant, fill for 1,000,000 klms (just don't put water in it)

************Fill for life ****************

Has the BEST corrosion test results of any coolant ever made performed by UNSW.

See the test results .........

http://www.liquidintelligence115.com...est-Report.pdf

Liquid Intelligence 239 is $75 + gst (does 2-3 vehicles cleaned from 1 kit)

I know you can do this job cheaper, but you can't do it better, the results are staggering.

When you have a non-replaceable vintage car, it's great to find a product that will return the internals back to a "as new" standard.

Cheers

Steve

[mik]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

So those cars have never had a water pump changed as well?

i want one of those water pumps!

[FTe342]

Originally Posted by Rodge

Interesting point of view and not entirely unsupported by other manufacturers.
According to my M Benz manual they use a long life coolant good for 15 years or 250,000 km's, I phoned Honda about my wife's Civic and their long life coolant is good for 10 years, yet the coolant in my GT-P is good for 2 years. Now call me a cynic but there appears to be an obvious reason why Ford stick with standard life green coolant !! Why not get some of the cool stuff M Benz use in their vehicles and run that in my GT-P, they're both all alloy engines, thoughts anyone ??

Here is my thoughts. Ford are probably being more realistic about how long their water pumps and radiator/heater hoses last, so they use the cheaper coolant.

Be interesting to know the price of the MB & Honda coolant V the green stuff.
No doubt it will be better quality, and you generally only get what you pay for, but do really expect it to be in there 10-15 yrs?

[xr8cam]

Originally Posted by Silver Ghia

The fact that the mechanic said to fill with distilled water indicates that he used coolant concentrate of the correct quantity, then topped up with distilled water. The reservoir normally gets stained by the old coolant so wont clean up unless the mechanic takes it out and cleans the inside of the reservoir by some means (can be difficult). Flushing wont clean it.

Accurate coolant level checks are done when cold, with the car on a level surface. When filling with the new coolant after a flush, some cars are notorious for air pockets remaining, others are not. Some have bleeder screws to enable air pockets to be bled out (eg. VL Commodore I6). The Falcons I have had haven't needed to be bled, but small pockets do normally remain so I check the next day or so and top up until it stabilised.

When the coolant warms up, the coolant level in the reservoir is normally higher because of expansion of the coolant as it heats up. So the mechanic cannot accurately recheck the level until its cooled down again (also that the reservoir pressure cap needs to be depressurized if hot). Sometimes it takes a few heat-cool cycles before the level stabilises.

Thats why a good mechanic makes the owner aware to check the level after the service.

Looking at eb2montys last post where it was mentioned that the service sheet stated the coolant was "drained and refilled", somehow I doubt they actually did a flush, only opened the draincock to drain out the old coolant, then refilled. Thats why I do that job myself so I know its done properly. I would query what they actually did.

Cheers.

Sorry to drag you back to an old subject. I was reading your advice on draining a cooling system properly & was hoping you could advise me on best way to completely drain engine to prepare for new batch & perhaps a different colour. Currently green and car is AUII XR8 220kw motor. I have looked at so many conflicting how to do sites I was not sure what to do. Hope you can settle this one for me, thanks Cameron