Drain/fill 1 gallon of coolant at each oil change?

[circuitsmith]

I did the first change on my Matrix at 5 years.
Coolant looked like new.
Just drained the radiator and re-filled with SLLC.
At the 10 year mark I plan to change the thermostat and rad cap too, with a gallon of Zerex Asian.

 

[PandaBear]

In theory SLLC should last 10 years 150k miles, of course in practice you probably want to change it more often.

However every oil change for 1 gallon is way too much. I'd do it every 3-5 years the most on extended life coolant for a car that uses it.

 

[B20z]

Originally Posted By: raytseng
-if you have SLLC then you wouldn't be doing 50/50, it's premixed.

But if you are over-maintaining, are you also doing your brake fluid every 2 years? How about spark plugs every 30k. Where do you draw the line on your recreational maintenance?


Good point, but as an aside I don't consider a brake fluid flush every 2 years to be excessive. Brake fluid can get nasty very quickly and there's no real way to tell it's condition until you crack a bleeder. It's also a good chance to inspect the entire brake system and relube/refurbish any problem areas.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: LubeLuke
It is not uncommon for vehicles to have drain valves. Otherwhise it is very easy to remove the plug, let 1 litre out and put the plug back in.

Please use common sense when asking questions. This is advice for all of your posts and threads that you start.......


Common sense? Drain plug? How are going to pull the drain plug and let out exactly one gallon of coolant? What are you going use to capture that one gallon of coolant with? Are you going to hold a measuring cup under the drain plug? You got room for that? Is the coolant going to go directly into the measuring cup and nowhere else? Are you going to quickly install the drain plug (as coolant is rushing out) to stop the flow at exactly one gallon?

I have a drain plug on my radiator. As soon as I pull the plug, coolant immediately rushes out and runs all over the splash guard beneath it. Before I have time to breath in twice, that coolant has done drained out!

 

[B20z]

Some vehicles have a petcock on the radiator rather than a plug. You can allow as much coolant out as you please and twist it back closed.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: B20z
Some vehicles have a petcock on the radiator rather than a plug. You can allow as much coolant out as you please and twist it back closed.


You got room to hold a gallon container under that petcock?

 

[B20z]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4

You got room to hold a gallon container under that petcock?


On jack stands? Yeah. I would probably use a coolant pan though.

 

[The_Eric]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: LubeLuke
It is not uncommon for vehicles to have drain valves. Otherwhise it is very easy to remove the plug, let 1 litre out and put the plug back in.

Please use common sense when asking questions. This is advice for all of your posts and threads that you start.......


Common sense? Drain plug? How are going to pull the drain plug and let out exactly one gallon of coolant? What are you going use to capture that one gallon of coolant with? Are you going to hold a measuring cup under the drain plug? You got room for that? Is the coolant going to go directly into the measuring cup and nowhere else? Are you going to quickly install the drain plug (as coolant is rushing out) to stop the flow at exactly one gallon?

I have a drain plug on my radiator. As soon as I pull the plug, coolant immediately rushes out and runs all over the splash guard beneath it. Before I have time to breath in twice, that coolant has done drained out!


Use your flippin brain man...

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: The_Eric
Use your flippin brain man...


Instead spitting out a one-liner, how about telling us how you would drain out one gallon. . .

Enquiring minds of the world want to know. . .

 

[raytseng]

Merkava, it sounds like you haven't worked on toyotas.

The petcocks have spigots to which you attach a drain tube to, then you can put the hose to a container. It's not unlike bleeding brakes, where you can cut it off whenever you need to.

There is so much more to disagree on about the strategy other than the 1gallon measurement part; but if we're so set on debating this point:

a) use tube to put it into a container where he's drawn the line. turn off the petcock when he hits about 1gallon.
b) just buy an extra jug of coolant
c) add water if he's just a bit short on coolant, and end up with slightly diluted coolant.
d) dump back the portion of the old coolant he wants to keep so he has only swapped 1 gallon.

We have no idea what are the goals of the OP, it's recreational maintenance and use of his free time. The plan is already ridiculous, so additional ridiculous steps can be added to the procedure. But the requirement of "I want to swap exactly 1 gallon" can be fulfilled, and is not really a problem to raise an objection over

 

[raytseng]

Here's a picture i found on tacomaworld

https://www.tacomaworld.com/p/data/91/81...3432e4a5047.jpg

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: raytseng
Merkava, it sounds like you haven't worked on toyotas.

The petcocks have spigots to which you attach a drain tube to, then you can put the hose to a container. It's not unlike bleeding brakes, where you can cut it off whenever you need to.


That's what I was gonna get to next. The only way to drain off one gallon would be a Fumoto valve type thing with a hose attached to it. Get the car up on ramps and THEN you could drain off one gallon.

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: LubeLuke
It is not uncommon for vehicles to have drain valves. Otherwhise it is very easy to remove the plug, let 1 litre out and put the plug back in.

Please use common sense when asking questions. This is advice for all of your posts and threads that you start.......


Common sense? Drain plug? How are going to pull the drain plug and let out exactly one gallon of coolant? What are you going use to capture that one gallon of coolant with? Are you going to hold a measuring cup under the drain plug? You got room for that? Is the coolant going to go directly into the measuring cup and nowhere else? Are you going to quickly install the drain plug (as coolant is rushing out) to stop the flow at exactly one gallon?

I have a drain plug on my radiator. As soon as I pull the plug, coolant immediately rushes out and runs all over the splash guard beneath it. Before I have time to breath in twice, that coolant has done drained out!
Merk, you must have an aftermarket radiator in your Buick. My mom's Buick's petcock has a lever that turns about 90 degrees and let's it flow out, a drain pan can be placed underneath. My drain pan from O'Reilly Auto Parts has marks inside that say "1 quart" or "2 quart" so it would be easy to stop at 4 quarts. Then turn the lever and it stops.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Merk, you must have an aftermarket radiator in your Buick. My mom's Buick's petcock has a lever that turns about 90 degrees and let's it flow out, a drain pan can be placed underneath.


It's the factory original radiator and it has a plastic drain plug with a 3/4'' hex on it. It's actually very easy to change the coolant in that car because the drain plug is easily accessible from a large hole that goes through the bottom of the front bumper. All I use use a 3/4 inch deep socket and a 3/8 inch drive spin handle routed through that hole in the bumper. I don't even have to put the car up on ramps to drain the coolant. Easy peezy, but the coolant does run all over the splash guard which requires me do do some rinsing when the coolant change is done.

 

[LubeLuke]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: LubeLuke
It is not uncommon for vehicles to have drain valves. Otherwhise it is very easy to remove the plug, let 1 litre out and put the plug back in.

Please use common sense when asking questions. This is advice for all of your posts and threads that you start.......


Common sense? Drain plug? How are going to pull the drain plug and let out exactly one gallon of coolant? What are you going use to capture that one gallon of coolant with? Are you going to hold a measuring cup under the drain plug? You got room for that? Is the coolant going to go directly into the measuring cup and nowhere else? Are you going to quickly install the drain plug (as coolant is rushing out) to stop the flow at exactly one gallon?

I have a drain plug on my radiator. As soon as I pull the plug, coolant immediately rushes out and runs all over the splash guard beneath it. Before I have time to breath in twice, that coolant has done drained out!

Next you will be asking how someone is going to change their oil, because there is not enough room under most cars and the splash/wind guard are in the way.
But I will humour your questions anyway.
Common Sense? Google it.
Drain plug? They are just bolts used to block a threaded hole. The bolt can be removed to unblock the hole.
I could not remove the drain plug and let out exactly one gallon of coolant. Even using a measuring cup I doubt you will be able to accurately measure exactly one gallon.
I would use a bucket personally. Others may use a bottle, an oil pan, or coolant pan as has been mentioned.
I wasn't aware that it was essential to measure exactly one gallon in this scenario.
I would not hold a measuring cup under the drain plug.
I would use a lift. Others would likely use a jack and chassis stands.
The coolant is going to go directly into the bucket or pan. Splashes are inevitable, but of no concern on my floor.
On one of my vehicles I would quickly install the drain plug after approximately one gallon has been emptied. I would know the size of the bucket I am using and have a guess when it has been filled to one gallon. On the other vehicle I would use the drain valve. This valve is a much more simple way of doing. The valve releases the liquid much slower and can be shut with ease.

Would you like instructions on how to top up your coolant fluid?

I forgot to mention that I would remove the splash guards on both of my vehicles. These are usually held on with between 2 and 7 nuts and/or bolts. Sometimes there is also plastic body clips.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: LubeLuke
I wasn't aware that it was essential to measure exactly one gallon in this scenario.


Oh yes it is!! That's the main purpose of this exercise.

You must drain out exactly one gallon and if you can't, you might as well drain the whole radiator and reservoir out.