This might appear to be an unusual topic. As we go into the winter months it is ordinarily assumed that coolant is something more important in the heat of summer. However, the coolant in any automobile is very important to the overall health of the car. An unwillingness to pay attention to it can result in engine problems.
Responsibility of the coolant
Engines will generate extremely high degrees of temperature. The responsibility of the coolant is to prevent overheating in the engine. This may sound strange, but the coolant is also very important in the wintertime. It will prevent the engine from freezing over. There’s quite a bit to the cooling system in the car. It includes steam hose, radiator hoses, and heater feed hoses. Coolant will help lubricate all of those and keep water from causing corrosion in the internal parts of the entire cooling system.
Problems due to ineffectiveness of coolant
The coolant system gets a lot of activity as the car is in motion. It will happen over time that the chemicals of the coolant will begin to become increasingly less effective. Additionally, all of the use generates rust and other sludge. That can result in hoses being blocked with residue. Such blockage can result in the engine experiencing long periods of excessive heat. That will result in the engine ultimately breaking down and needing to be repaired. The maintenance can cost thousands of dollars.
Coolant maintenance
Coolant maintenance will begin with a system flush. Hoses are attached to both ends of the engine coolant system, and a power flush and clean takes place. While a person could just drain the old coolant and put in a new mixture, the flush beforehand is much more efficient. The flush process goes in and not only eliminates the existing coolant, will also flush out any grime for rust build up is occurring within the system. Once that is done, a new mixture is put in.
Criteria to follow for coolant change
The question now becomes how often should the coolant be changed. There are a few criteria that can be used to help determine the frequency. Areas of extreme cold or heat will require attention to the coolant system. The air conditioner must be taken into consideration because it will raise the heat of the engine temperature. Anyone who lives in a very warm climate, using the air conditioner daily, will probably have to change the coolant on a periodic basis.
Detect a bad coolant
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By looking inside the radiator you can determine if the coolant is starting to go bad. Healthy coolant should be green and it can be red. If there is rust floating in the liquid that is a signal the coolant is starting to go bad. A coolant tester can be purchased to ascertain whether or not the coolant needs to change at a given moment in time. Be sure if you are using a tester that the engine is neither hot nor warm but cold. That is a general safety tip whenever you’re working around your car engine. Regarding the type of coolant used, the ratio of antifreeze to water is important. Anything that is more than a 70/30 mixture is not very good for the car. A 50/50 ratio of antifreeze to water is more appropriate, although extreme cold temperatures can allow for a little bit more antifreeze.
Mileage benchmark for coolant change
A mileage benchmark for change can be every twenty thousand miles. The coolant change can be done at the same time an oil change is scheduled for automotive service. You can, of course, buy some coolant in an automotive store and do a drain and refill yourself. A coolant flush is something that requires some equipment and that is best done in automotive service center. Remember that the coolant flush cleans out the entire cooling system. In the long run, that is more efficient way of doing the job.
Give attention to the coolant
The owner of a car should not take for granted the coolant or the coolant system. Whether it is blazing hot summer or freezing cold water, the coolant needs to be able to do its job of maintaining appropriate temperature. Car owners sometimes take things for granted because the coolant system operates so effectively on a routine basis. However, when the mileage benchmark comes close or if it looks to be an extremely cold weather or a very hot summer, attention should be given to the existing coolant.
