How to Replace Coolant
By Marc Howe on May 17, 2010 with Comments 0
Cooling system sometimes cause severe damage to your car engine in the form of over heating, leakage and malfunctioning of different parts, just because of the improper maintenance. So, it is important for you to understand that when and how to service your cooling system and replace the coolant for better performance. Here are some steps to follow:
You will need
- A piece of cloth (rag)
- Drain pan
- Hose
- New pack of antifreeze (coolant)
Procedure:
- Prepare the car. Open the engine hood (bonnet) and make sure that engine is not hot enough to perform this task.
- Carefully remove the radiator cap, and figure out if there is any sign of rust, oil or any other matter in the coolant. Use your finger to check for.
- Look out that all the clamps and hoses are intact, that there is no leakage. If so, repair or replace them.
- Place the drain pan under the radiator and try to figure out where the drain valve is located. Remove the valve and wait for coolant to drain out from the radiator.
- Remove the drain pan once all the coolant released (flowed out). Now you need to clean the radiator with the help of hose.
- Once the cooling system decontaminated, replace the drain valve and tighten it carefully to avoid leakage.
- Get some clean water and new coolant; refill the cooling system up to the required mark. Replace the radiator cap carefully.
- In the end, start the engine and leave the engine operate for some time until thermostat turns on.
It is recommended that for long life and better performance of engine; replace coolant once in a year. Keeping these few points in your mind you can enhance the performance of your cooling system for longer period of time.
Filed Under: Guides/DIY