Any Auto Experts Out There?

[Ghost of BiB]

To clarify what I was getting at -

 

I realize the money isn't excessive & therefore isn't the issue.

Also, draining & replacing coolant is REALLY simple, so I assume you really want to flush it.  (I'd recommend doing it BTW, I had a radiator clog up after < 20k miles likely 'cuz I didn't flush it.  Granted it was more than 10 years.)

The main reason why I'd suggest having it done is that although  here in NYS any place that does radiator work is required to take your old coolant (for free AFAIK), as I mentioned, is it really worth toting maybe 15 gals of stuff to a garage.  Whaddaya going to put it in?

504257[/snapback]

 

As an old car guy, though it's been a while, I subscribe to the theory of don't mess with it, unless you have already obvious trouble. "Power Flush" to me is a gimmick. Change the hoses, excellent idea, and just put in new anti-freeze, mixed for your locale. Throw the old crap in the back yard. What is this, friggen Green Peace? I have to ask how many "car experts" here really search out anti-freeze disposal nodes. Ever get out of the City? Or vote Republican?

[The Dean]

The cooling system in my car (2000 Pontiac Grand Am GT) needs to be flushed and filled. I got quoted $40 which is a great price but since I will be buying a new car in the near future, I would like to learn how to do some of this auto stuff on my own. Here's what I gathered on what I need to do. Let me know if I'm missing anything.

Seems pretty simple I hope.

503965[/snapback]

 

 

I can't believe nobody's pointed this out, yet. You are asking for simple car servicing advice and your TSW handle is "Mr. Clutch", fer Christsake. I figured you were a grease monkey

[RkFast]

I changed all my own hoses and did the stat, too last Fall. Emptied it all out, took the thermostat out, let the car cool, started it, ran the garden hose through the radiator and through the thermostat housing to flush it all out, emptied all the water, refilled with 50/50 Honda fluid (for an Integra) and was on my way.

 

Check your Chiltons, Haynes or similar manual, which should have a specific flushing procedure for your car. Its not a bad (or as messy) as it seems. Takes 2-3 hours of time.

 

And regarding the waste fluid, youre NOT going to have to get rid of 15 gals of fluid. When you pop all the drain plugs and take off the hoses, you should be able to remove (and colelct) at least 80% of the "bad" fluid which your car holds. The water youre flushing with isnt terribly contaminated. Mine ran clear after about five seconds of "flush" time.

[plenzmd1]

I changed all my own hoses and did the stat, too last Fall. Emptied it all out, took the thermostat out, let the car cool, started it, ran the garden hose through the radiator and through the thermostat housing to flush it all out, emptied all the water, refilled with 50/50 Honda fluid (for an Integra) and was on my way.

 

Check your Chiltons, Haynes or similar manual, which should have a specific flushing procedure for your car. Its not a bad (or as messy) as it seems. Takes 2-3 hours of time.

 

And regarding the waste fluid, youre NOT going to have to get rid of 15 gals of fluid. When you pop all the drain plugs and take off the hoses, you should be able to remove (and colelct) at least 80% of the "bad" fluid which your car holds. The water youre flushing with isnt terribly contaminated. Mine ran clear after about five seconds of "flush" time.

504596[/snapback]

 

You people are friggen nuts

 

. $40 bucks, or two to three hrs of work? Lord, thats why i spent those five years drinking in western PA, so i could get a degree and not have to do chit like this

[Crap Throwing Monkey]

I changed all my own hoses and did the stat, too last Fall. Emptied it all out, took the thermostat out, let the car cool, started it, ran the garden hose through the radiator and through the thermostat housing to flush it all out, emptied all the water, refilled with 50/50 Honda fluid (for an Integra) and was on my way.

 

Check your Chiltons, Haynes or similar manual, which should have a specific flushing procedure for your car. Its not a bad (or as messy) as it seems. Takes 2-3 hours of time.

 

And regarding the waste fluid, youre NOT going to have to get rid of 15 gals of fluid. When you pop all the drain plugs and take off the hoses, you should be able to remove (and colelct) at least 80% of the "bad" fluid which your car holds. The water youre flushing with isnt terribly contaminated. Mine ran clear after about five seconds of "flush" time.

504596[/snapback]

 

I'll bet that was all a piece of cake, too, after someone pointed out the radiator cap for you.

[ExiledInIllinois]

As an old car guy, though it's been a while, I subscribe to the theory of don't mess with it, unless you have already obvious trouble. "Power Flush" to me is a gimmick. Change the hoses, excellent idea, and just put in new anti-freeze, mixed for your locale. Throw the old crap in the back yard. What is this, friggen Green Peace? I have to ask how many "car experts" here really search out anti-freeze disposal nodes. Ever get out of the City? Or vote Republican?

504272[/snapback]

 

Exactly Bib.

 

I usually buy a new car and it will last 15 years or so. By the time you put about 150K on it it will need a new radiator anyway. Same with the hoses at their intervals.

 

I just make sure my coolant is in the adequate mix range for climate it will be used in and add as needed.

 

I never had coolant denegrate in quality.

 

Someone I know mentioned the freeze plugs in the engine. Will not changing the coolant harm them? Even after a 1/4 million miles on some cars, I never had problems with them. Why would you want to flush around the seals... Same thing with these tranmission "Power Flush"... Pure gimmick.

[Crap Throwing Monkey]

Exactly Bib.

 

I usually buy a new car and it will last 15 years or so.  By the time you put about 150K on it it will need a new radiator anyway.  Same with the hoses at their intervals.

 

I just make sure my coolant is in the adequate mix range for climate it will be used in and add as needed.

 

I never had coolant denegrate in quality.

 

Someone I know mentioned the freeze plugs in the engine.  Will not changing the coolant harm them?  Even after a 1/4 million miles on some cars, I never had problems with them.  Why would you want to flush around the seals... Same thing with these tranmission "Power Flush"... Pure gimmick.

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I have, however, flushed cooling systems that were old and poorly maintained for the purpose of improving coolant flow and cooling efficiency. So it's not pure gimmick.

 

However, whenever I've done that, I've nearly always had to replace the radiator and hoses anyway, since when a car gets that neglected those items are usually shot (and sometimes it turns out the crud you flushed was the only thing plugging the holes in the radiator. ) So while it's not pure gimmick, it's not the most useful thing in the world, either.

[Johnny Coli]

You people are friggen nuts

 

. $40 bucks, or two to three hrs of work? Lord, thats why i spent those five years drinking in western PA, so i could get a degree and not have to do chit like this

504689[/snapback]

Bingo, my man!

 

I'll be damned if I'm going to spend my valuable time outside of work doing work. That's why I went to school, and that's why the guy that was dropped on his head as a kid fixes my car.

 

Time for a cold one.....pfffssssttttt. Aahhhh!

[The Dean]

Bingo, my man!

 

I'll be damned if I'm going to spend my valuable time outside of work doing work. That's why I went to school, and that's why the guy that was dropped on his head as a kid fixes my car.

 

Time for a cold one.....pfffssssttttt.  Aahhhh!

504868[/snapback]

 

 

I know trained auto mechanics who don't change their own fluids (CAR fluids ya weirdos!). It ain't worth it when it's so cheap to have someone else do it, they say.

[ExiledInIllinois]

I have, however, flushed cooling systems that were old and poorly maintained for the purpose of improving coolant flow and cooling efficiency.  So it's not pure gimmick.

 

However, whenever I've done that, I've nearly always had to replace the radiator and hoses anyway, since when a car gets that neglected those items are usually shot (and sometimes it turns out the crud you flushed was the only thing plugging the holes in the radiator.  )  So while it's not pure gimmick, it's not the most useful thing in the world, either.

504834[/snapback]

 

Good points you bring up.

 

I hear you. I probably should have phrased it differnently like you did about usefulness.

 

I like the three lines on the temperature gauge before the Hot/red zone. It starts getting up in that range and everything like the radiator, hoses, and thermostat has been maintained in the past... I start thinking about a new ride... It would usually have a lot of miles and very old by then.

 

It is all about how much you want to revive an old car and how much you like that ride.

 

I guess general design of the car and style (especially around the engine) has a lot to do with some of these troubles... Maybe I am lucky, I just never expierienced cooling efficiancy problems that weren't resolved by maintaining a proper mix with good surrounding parts (hoses, radiator, thermostat).

 

On a side-note... I have noticed I get longer life on radiators that have A/C in the car... Could this be because the condenser sits in front of the radiator and protects it a little?

[stuckincincy]

On a side-note... I have noticed I get longer life on radiators that have A/C in the car... Could this be because the condenser sits in front of the radiator and protects it a little?

505727[/snapback]

 

Most vehicles have A/C these days.

 

But with the widespread adaptation of front-wheel drive (and transversely-mounted powerplants), came the thermostacally-controlled electric fan. It is an excellent thing - unlike an rpm-mediated solid or viscous mount fan, it provides maximum cooling when it is needed most - at low speeds or stuck in traffic. It has no mechanical draw-down of engine power, either - good for performance and fuel economy. It does increase electric load, however - and alternators these days typically provide more amperage to accomodate.

 

However, the heavy electrical demands of today's vehicle is driving the industry to 42-volt systems. There will be problems in terms of reliability and safety with such, however.