Cooling System Flush & Coolant Replacement – Getting in Gear with Car Maintenance

In this post in our series on Getting in Gear with Car Maintenance, we are going to take a look at the one of the best ways to help your car keep its cool – the cooling system flush. The best way to understand the importance of a cooling system flush is to start by looking at the role of coolant.

The main job of coolant, or antifreeze, is to transfer excess heat from the vehicle engine to the radiator. The coolant absorbs the heat and redirects it to the radiator where it is evacuated into the air. It may also be directed through the heat exchanger to heat the passenger area. Coolant is comprised of a 50/50 ratio mixture of ethylene or propylene glycol and water. Though water alone could do the job of transferring heat, it is not used alone because it would be too corrosive to the engine.

What a cooling system flush does for your vehicle

The beneficial elements found in coolant breakdown over time, which leaves the engine and radiator vulnerable to corrosion.  Eventually rust deposits can accumulate and clog the cooling system and radiator. The clogs lead to overheating, which is the most common cause of engine damage and breakdowns. A coolant flush and fill will prevent these deposits and overheating.  Ultimately, getting a coolant flush and keeping the coolant fresh is much less trouble and expensive than repairing a heater core or radiator, or head gasket.

What happens during cooling system flush service?

Your auto service professional will:

• Thoroughly inspect the coolant/antifreeze system
• Repair and/or replace any components as necessary
• Replace old coolant/antifreeze with new fluid 

Why are coolant flushes important to your vehicle?

Because it functions in a hot and hostile environment, coolant is subject to rapid break down. Once the coolant’s rust inhibitors become depleted, corrosion may occur in the confined passages in the engine and radiator. Ultimately some corrosion will take place, even with rust inhibitors. The engine block is the main source of rust in a car’s cooling system. Particles of rust will clog radiator and heater passages, causing your engine to overheat. If coolant is not regularly monitored, the rust inhibitors stop working, and the cooling system rusts from the inside out. 

How often are coolant flushes necessary?

The typical time frame for having a coolant flush is two years or 30,000 miles. See your owner’s manual for your vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations.

A few weeks ago we talked about National Car Care Month, and the importance of making good car maintenance a habit. So, how are you doing with that? Just in case you haven’t quite gotten in gear, we have a five-part series ahead to inspire you.

First, let’s take a look at some eye-opening stats from AAA :

Among U.S. adults who drive, one third (35 percent) have skipped or delayed maintenance or a repair that was recommended by their mechanic or specified in the factory maintenance schedule

And a survey of AAA approved auto repair facilities revealed:

Six in ten (62%) repair shops say more than half of the vehicles they service are behind schedule for routine maintenance services.

Three‐quarters (77%) of repair shops estimate customers who forget or ignore manufacturers’ recommended maintenance could save, on average, $100 or more per visit if they properly maintained their vehicles.

The more you know about car maintenance, the better equipped you’ll be to get in gear. Not only will you understand what needs to be done, you will have a clearer picture of why car maintenance services are so important. Some of the maintenance services we’ll be looking at that need to be done regularly include:

• Oil Changes
• Rotate Tires & Inspect for Proper Wear
• Flush Cooling System & Replace Coolant
• Drain & Refill Transmission
• Tune-up & Spark Plug Replacement

The goal of this series is not to make you an expert, but to help you understand these services and why they are important, so you can get in gear car maintenance. Up first: Oil Changes

Poor engine performance can mean serious and expensive problems for your vehicle. It is essential to catch and address engine issues early, before they result in devastating consequences. Fortunately, today’s vehicles are equipped with warning lights, including a check engine light, to let you know if there is a problem. When the check engine light illuminates, you should schedule diagnostic services to identify the problem. If the light flashes, this indicates a more serious issue that should get immediate attention.

Aside from your check engine light, here are some additional signs that your engine performance might be in trouble:

1. Power loss

Internal combustion engines convert fuel into the power required to move a vehicle. The combustion engine operation involves a four stroke cycle – intake stroke, compression stroke, combustion stroke, and exhaust stroke. Failure during any one of these strokes could result in a lack of power to the engine and compromised engine performance.

2. Unusual or excessive noise

Problems in the combustion flow can result in a wide variety of strange sounds such as knocking, hissing, popping or backfiring. Any time you hear weird noises when you start up your vehicle, consider it a warning sign and schedule a service call.

3. Poor gas mileage

Having to fill your gas tank more often than usual, could mean more than a hit to your budget. It might mean there is a problem with the compression stroke of your engine. Fixing it may be as simple as having the fuel system cleaned or getting a tune-up.  Your best course of action is to have a diagnostic performed to make sure it is not a more serious issue.

4. Engine Stalling

When it comes to automatic transmission vehicles, engine stalling is highly unusual, and probably means there is a problem with the engine. Most commonly the problem is that the intake stroke is not getting the spark or air/fuel mixture it needs. Here, too, the problem may be fixed by a tune up, but it could also be more serious, and should not go unchecked.

5. Odd smells

Like sounds, anything persistent and unusual should not be ignored with odors. Problems with the exhaust stroke could lead to strange exhaust smells to be noticeable in the vehicle.

6. Engine run-on

If your car continues to run after you turn it off, you should have it checked out. This sign of troubled engine performance is most common in high-performance vehicles. Causes of the problem might include incorrect octane gas for the vehicle, a failing solenoid, or carburetor issues.

7. Engine runs rough

Clogs in the system or old spark plugs can cause a rough running engine, as can improper octane in the gasoline or a low battery. Like the other issues mentioned, a simple tune up could be all it takes to remedy a rough running engine.

As with any vehicle problems you may encounter, the important thing is to have engine performance problems or signs addressed as soon as possible to avoid more expense and complications.