How often do you need a coolant flush? A lot of Car manufacturers recommend 100,000-mile coolant flushes these days… But Is coolant capable of lasting that long?
Let’s cut to the chase.
In my humble opinion, no coolant can stay PH stable and protect for 100,000 miles effectively. Car manufacturers make cars to SELL cars. They stretch maintenance schedules, using the “it needs less upkeep” pitch to increase sales.
Here’s the truth …
From a mechanic with close to 30 years of experence… If you want to avoid costly repairs don’t follow any 100 thousand mile interval.
The statement above is what I follow and recommend.
All of the mechanics on my crew will say the same thing too. No fluid is the same fluid it was 100,000 miles ago. It breaks down, and it wears, just like a metal component.
A coolant flush is a way to get all of the crap out of the cooling system BEFORE it becomes a bigger issue.
What’s a Coolant Flush?
Flushing engine coolant consists of draining your car’s cooling system and flushing out any contaminates before refilling with a fresh antifreeze/water mixture.
A 50/50 water and antifreeze mixture (or coolant) keeps the system from developing rust and corrosion, along with preventing freezing in very cold temperatures.
A cooling system flush is a key part of routine car maintenance. Helping with maintaining internal system components, like the radiator and water pump.
This simple maintenance task keeps the internal components of your cooling system in good shape and helps prevent overheating, freezing, and potential damage to your car’s engine.
Why Does Coolant Need to Be Replaced?
Antifreeze protects internal cooling jackets, hoses, and other components within your engine from rust, corrosion, and wear.
Like anything else, coolant will deteriorate over time as small contaminants and crap from the internal workings of your engine’s cooling system build up. Eventually, the mixture degrades as the PH changes. This changes the coolant mixture into an acidic and corrosive mixture.
At this point, the coolant needs to be flushed to remove all of these contaminants and correct the PH level, plus bring the protection level back.
This is what a cooling system flush does.
The difference between water and antifreeze
Antifreeze acts as a lubricant and freeze preventer.
Consisting of ethylene glycol and other additives, antifreeze is necessary to keep your cooling system operating properly.
Ethylene is what provides the “antifreeze” benefit for your car. It’s also toxic as hell, be sure to always store antifreeze properly and never leave it out in a drain pan. Antifreeze has a very sweet taste that animals love, they will drink it and die as a result.
You have been warned.
Water is better than antifreeze when it comes to keeping an engine cool. The problem is it does not lubricate, or prevent corrosion and rust. Antifreeze is needed to lubricate components, mainly the water pump.
Water by itself will freeze in cold weather and allow rust to form inside of the system. This can destroy components and cause major engine damage.
That is why antifreeze/coolant needs to be added. Water can get you out of a jam, but isn’t something to leave in the system for extended use.
coolant loses it’s Cool
Coolant degrades over time, it can get surprisingly nasty over time. This can cause a multitude of issues, including affecting the coolant level and potentially causing leaks.
This is caused by an accumulation of rust and nasty crap in your cooling system as parts rust and wear over time.
Oxidation, debris, and contaminants build up in the cooling circuit, ie the coolant, potentially clogging the radiator, hoses, and heater core.
How does the heat work in your car?
If your car has lukewarm heat… You may have a clogged heater core due to deposit build-up blocking the flow through the core.
This is why a coolant flush, including checking for leaks and testing the coolant protection level, is an important maintenance item.
Another key consideration is freeze protection strength. Old, worn-down antifreeze/coolant cannot resist freezing. A system flush replenishes the much-needed freeze protection.
How Often Do You Need a Coolant Flush?
2 years or 30,000 miles, whichever comes first.
There are two types of antifreeze/coolants. The type of coolant your car takes depends on the manufacturer’s recommendation.
Many manufacturers have implemented coolants that “last” 100,000 miles, though checking the coolant level and condition is still necessary. I don’t buy into it, and you shouldn’t either.
Sediment and corrosion build-up make their way through the unmaintained system where it eventually clogs heater cores and causes many other issues.
How much does a coolant flush cost?
A well-done cooling system flush will set you back anywhere from 60 to 130 bucks or so depending on the shop, and the quality of the work.
The savings of NOT flushing your cooling system are quickly lost when you need to pay to get your heat working or fix a leak.
I recommend flushing your vehicle’s cooling system at 30,000 miles, or every two years, whichever comes first.
How To Flush Coolant
Wrapping Up
Flushing coolant is a straightforward way to keep the entire cooling system of your car operating at peak efficiency. Having this service done every 30k or two years will help you avoid the pitfalls of a neglected cooling system.
