Routine maintenance for your car, truck, or SUV is critical in order to ensure longevity and dependability of your vehicle. Many types of routine maintenance are carried out by the car owner themselves, while other types of maintenance is usually done by a mechanic. However, with a little know how and instruction, most routine maintenance procedures can be done by yourself.
Often overlooked in terms of maintenance, is the periodic replacement of your coolant or antifreeze. Replacing your coolant on a regular basis helps protect your engine from overheating and corroding. Your coolant acts as both a coolant and a protectant of the engine’s internals. Replacing your coolant is an easy do it yourself job.
In order to accomplish the job of replacing your engine coolant, you will need a few basic tools and a couple of readily available products. First, you will need to purchase enough coolant for your specific vehicle. Refer to your owner’s manual for the system capacity and for specifics regarding which type of coolant to use. Next, you will need distilled water to mix with the coolant. You can purchase premixed antifreeze, but it is not price efficient and is a better investment to buy unmixed antifreeze and a gallon of distilled water for mixing.
Now that you have assembled the products needed, you will have to gather some tools and other items to complete the job. You will need a large drain pan for the old antifreeze, you will need a funnel for refilling, a garden hose to flush the system, and some pliers possibly to remove the drain plug if it is over tightened.
To begin flushing and replacing your antifreeze you will have to make certain that the vehicle is cool and has not been driven for several hours. Feel the cap to the radiator, if it is warm or hot to the touch; allow the vehicle to cool before beginning this project. If the cap is cool to the touch, you are ready to begin.
Begin by placing the drain pan under the front of the car. Locate the radiator drain plug which should be located at the bottom of the radiator. Slowly remove the drain plug and allow the coolant to drain from the radiator and into the drain pan. The coolant will drain quickly. Now you may remove the radiator cap. Once the coolant has finished draining, remove the drain pan. Place a garden hose into the radiator where you removed the cap from. Turn the hose on low and allow the water to flush out the system. Observe underneath the car and allow the hose to run until the water runs out clear.
Once the water is clear, you may shut off the garden hose and remove it and replace the drain plug on the bottom of the radiator. You are now ready to refill the radiator. To begin, you will need to mix an equal amount of antifreeze and water together in a jug. Once mixed, slowly pour the contents through the funnel and into the radiator. Pour very slowly to avoid air bubbles. Continue filling until the mixture reaches the tope of the radiator.
Now, with the radiator cap still removed, start the vehicle and allow it to warm up. You should notice bubbles escaping out of the radiator cap and slowly the level of the antifreeze will drop. After a few minutes, shut of the engine and add additional antifreeze as needed. Replace the radiator cap and drive the car for awhile. Next time that the car is cool, remove the radiator cap and inspect the level of the antifreeze. Adjust if necessary.
The job of replacing your coolant is now complete. With a little time and effort, routine maintenance is a simple do it yourself task. By changing your coolant yourself, you can save a significant amount of money. Your coolant should be changed in the manner every other year.
Please read my other articles on routine maintenance for your vehicle. Most types of routine maintenance can be done at your home by yourself. Doing so saves you a significant amount of money and ensure the reliability of your vehicle.
