Hello everyone. I own a 2012 Nissan Versa which was bought new. The car is 30 months owned and has around 18000 miles on it. The car has the oem Nissan green antifreeze in it. I have never owned a new car and I might be over protective of it. My goal is to help prevent issues such as corrosion rather than fix it once it has happened. The owners manual gives me the capacity and the oem fluid type but no mention about when to change it. I want to use a quality product if it should be changed. The engine has Amsoil oil and filters.
How often should I change my coolant?
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105,000 miles or seven years.
https://owners.nissanusa.com/content/techpub/common/2012/2012-nissan-service-maintenance-guide.pdf
https://owners.nissanusa.com/content/techpub/common/2012/2012-nissan-service-maintenance-guide.pdf
Thank you
I was thinking about getting a coolant filter kit. This post had me thinking about one.
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2677322
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2677322
Originally Posted By: Ramblejam
105,000 miles or seven years.
https://owners.nissanusa.com/content/techpub/common/2012/2012-nissan-service-maintenance-guide.pdf
So to make it easy, simply drain and refill the radiator every 4 years and never worry.
105,000 miles or seven years.
https://owners.nissanusa.com/content/techpub/common/2012/2012-nissan-service-maintenance-guide.pdf
So to make it easy, simply drain and refill the radiator every 4 years and never worry.
gathermewool
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Change it IAW the manual. Unless someone can provide any logical reason for changing it more frequently, stick to what the manual States. If you change it at the manufacturer-recommended interval you'll probably still be better than the majority of people who don't change it ever.
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Originally Posted By: Ramblejam
105,000 miles or seven years.
https://owners.nissanusa.com/content/techpub/common/2012/2012-nissan-service-maintenance-guide.pdf
So to make it easy, simply drain and refill the radiator every 4 years and never worry.
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Originally Posted By: Ramblejam
105,000 miles or seven years.
https://owners.nissanusa.com/content/techpub/common/2012/2012-nissan-service-maintenance-guide.pdf
So to make it easy, simply drain and refill the radiator every 4 years and never worry.
How did you come to this conclusion from that link?
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Originally Posted By: Ramblejam
105,000 miles or seven years.
https://owners.nissanusa.com/content/techpub/common/2012/2012-nissan-service-maintenance-guide.pdf
So to make it easy, simply drain and refill the radiator every 4 years and never worry.
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Originally Posted By: Ramblejam
105,000 miles or seven years.
https://owners.nissanusa.com/content/techpub/common/2012/2012-nissan-service-maintenance-guide.pdf
So to make it easy, simply drain and refill the radiator every 4 years and never worry.
How did you come to this conclusion from that link?
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Kool1
I was thinking about getting a coolant filter kit. This post had me thinking about one.
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2677322
Coolant filters are a good idea. I would get on top of a drain and fill sooner than recommended, ie 4 years as mentioned.
I was thinking about getting a coolant filter kit. This post had me thinking about one.
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2677322
Coolant filters are a good idea. I would get on top of a drain and fill sooner than recommended, ie 4 years as mentioned.
coolant is cheap.id definitely change it more often than recomended
I do mine every 2 years on the Subie. Only costs a few bucks. I'd spend more on coolant analysis than I would to change it. But... Fresh coolant and oil are key for the head gasket longevity. So they both get changed often, whether they need it or not
I would half the interval unless you can do a complete coolant system clean and flush which is impossible in some vehicles (no/inaccessible engine block drains, hose clamps in tight areas, etc.) Easier to just remove the lower rad hose or unscrew rad drain plug and drain half the coolant in half the interval than trying to completely swap out the coolant at end of life.
Originally Posted By: wirelessF
I would half the interval unless you can do a complete coolant system clean and flush which is impossible in some vehicles (no/inaccessible engine block drains, hose clamps in tight areas, etc.) Easier to just remove the lower rad hose or unscrew rad drain plug and drain half the coolant in half the interval than trying to completely swap out the coolant at end of life.
I agree with that... maybe a bit more. After two changes wouldn't you still have maybe 25% old coolant?
I would half the interval unless you can do a complete coolant system clean and flush which is impossible in some vehicles (no/inaccessible engine block drains, hose clamps in tight areas, etc.) Easier to just remove the lower rad hose or unscrew rad drain plug and drain half the coolant in half the interval than trying to completely swap out the coolant at end of life.
I agree with that... maybe a bit more. After two changes wouldn't you still have maybe 25% old coolant?
This has worked for me for the past 35+ years: On a new car, drain and refill after the first 3 years, then drain and refill every 2 after that.
Originally Posted By: gathermewool
Change it IAW the manual. Unless someone can provide any logical reason for changing it more frequently, stick to what the manual States. If you change it at the manufacturer-recommended interval you'll probably still be better than the majority of people who don't change it ever.
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Originally Posted By: Ramblejam
105,000 miles or seven years.
https://owners.nissanusa.com/content/techpub/common/2012/2012-nissan-service-maintenance-guide.pdf
So to make it easy, simply drain and refill the radiator every 4 years and never worry.
How did you come to this conclusion from that link?
I never said I came to the conclusion from the link. You did.
However, Nissan says 7 years or 105k. 4 years is roughly 1/2 the interval, and if my research is correct, the radiator is more than 1/2 the capacity of the system if you include the expansion tank. Refreshing the additives at 1/2 the interval will keep the coolant operating well, much like when you have an oil burner and don't do an oil change since you are adding a quart of oil every 1k.
My experience also tells me this will work great. During the 80s and 90s I drove cars that all used the green coolant, some were almost 20 years old and over 150k. On all these cars, the radiator was drained and refilled at a 2-3 year interval. Never once did I have a corrosion or scaling problem, nor did I have to do any work on heater cores or radiators due to leakage.
Originally Posted By: Silverado12
This has worked for me for the past 35+ years: On a new car, drain and refill after the first 3 years, then drain and refill every 2 after that.
Exactly; although you're a bit more aggressive than I am.
Change it IAW the manual. Unless someone can provide any logical reason for changing it more frequently, stick to what the manual States. If you change it at the manufacturer-recommended interval you'll probably still be better than the majority of people who don't change it ever.
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Originally Posted By: Ramblejam
105,000 miles or seven years.
https://owners.nissanusa.com/content/techpub/common/2012/2012-nissan-service-maintenance-guide.pdf
So to make it easy, simply drain and refill the radiator every 4 years and never worry.
How did you come to this conclusion from that link?
I never said I came to the conclusion from the link. You did.
However, Nissan says 7 years or 105k. 4 years is roughly 1/2 the interval, and if my research is correct, the radiator is more than 1/2 the capacity of the system if you include the expansion tank. Refreshing the additives at 1/2 the interval will keep the coolant operating well, much like when you have an oil burner and don't do an oil change since you are adding a quart of oil every 1k.
My experience also tells me this will work great. During the 80s and 90s I drove cars that all used the green coolant, some were almost 20 years old and over 150k. On all these cars, the radiator was drained and refilled at a 2-3 year interval. Never once did I have a corrosion or scaling problem, nor did I have to do any work on heater cores or radiators due to leakage.
Originally Posted By: Silverado12
This has worked for me for the past 35+ years: On a new car, drain and refill after the first 3 years, then drain and refill every 2 after that.
Exactly; although you're a bit more aggressive than I am.
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Silverado12
This has worked for me for the past 35+ years: On a new car, drain and refill after the first 3 years, then drain and refill every 2 after that.
I agree...
This has worked for me for the past 35+ years: On a new car, drain and refill after the first 3 years, then drain and refill every 2 after that.
I agree...
You change based on owners manual which is conservative for the most part.
I wouldn't touch it until it hits 100K, the question is will this Nissan Versa hold up to 100K, they make shoddy vehicles
I wouldn't touch it until it hits 100K, the question is will this Nissan Versa hold up to 100K, they make shoddy vehicles
I usually change mine every 3 years. Drain from lower rad hose and fill with fresh 50/50. Cheap insurance.
I'd say change it after 100k or 5 years whatever comes first. Make sure you're using distilled water and the proper ratio of water to antifreeze, usually 50/50 mix. A complete flush will also help you maintain it longer.
Originally Posted By: Bgallagher
I usually change mine every 3 years. Drain from lower rad hose and fill with fresh 50/50. Cheap insurance.
My brother had a 97 Civic and he ran with original coolant until 165K. He took his car to Sears and those uneducated nutheds put in Dexcool, within a yr his car was on flames on 101 south with his wife behind the wheel. If those coolants could go for 165K there is no reason to not run LLCs for 120K/5yrs.
May be the junk GM vehicles would need quick replacement, that shouldn't be the case with imports
I usually change mine every 3 years. Drain from lower rad hose and fill with fresh 50/50. Cheap insurance.
My brother had a 97 Civic and he ran with original coolant until 165K. He took his car to Sears and those uneducated nutheds put in Dexcool, within a yr his car was on flames on 101 south with his wife behind the wheel. If those coolants could go for 165K there is no reason to not run LLCs for 120K/5yrs.
May be the junk GM vehicles would need quick replacement, that shouldn't be the case with imports
Originally Posted By: MaximaGuy
May be the junk GM vehicles would need quick replacement, that shouldn't be the case with imports
Any evidence to back this up or is this just a bash on GM?
May be the junk GM vehicles would need quick replacement, that shouldn't be the case with imports
Any evidence to back this up or is this just a bash on GM?
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