How important is coolant flush/change?

SupremePossum

SupremePossum

Joined
Sep 4, 2023
Messages
230
Location
Houston, TX
My wifes 2017 Escape is just over 6 years now, and the book says to change it out at 100,000 miles or 6 years. I'm at 30,000 miles but since 6 years, I guess I should swap it out.

Meanwhile, my generator wants the coolant swapped every 2 years. If the coolant can last 6 years in the car, why not the generator?

Just how important is it I stick to these intervals?
 
Very important. Changing coolant is cheaper and less aggravating than changing the heater core, radiator, water pump, core plugs, etc.

The coolant turns acidic and eats away at the components internally.

There are test strips and ways to see if you are ready to change the coolant. 6yr/100,000 is a blanket average guide.
 
Last edited:
I should be doing this soon on two cars. 9 and 10 year old Scions with 72k and 78k miles. I'll have to check again, but I believe Toyota claims that their Super long life pink ( HOAT?) is good for the life of the vehicle. I'm not a true believer in that but it likely is a long life coolant. My Scions are Japan built. I've read claims that manufacturers there get some points for not recommending replacement on things like coolant. Any other vehicles that I've had lifetime usually got coolant changes at 3 years and hoses at 60k.

I suppose it was the types of coolant available then, but I recall most manufacturers some years back, making a big deal for 3 year max coolant changes. I believe it was related to the dissimilar metals situation when alloy cylinder heads on iron blocks started becoming common. Also, the aluminum radiators becoming standard.
 
SupremePossum said:
My wifes 2017 Escape is just over 6 years now, and the book says to change it out at 100,000 miles or 6 years. I'm at 30,000 miles but since 6 years, I guess I should swap it out.

Meanwhile, my generator wants the coolant swapped every 2 years. If the coolant can last 6 years in the car, why not the generator?

Just how important is it I stick to these intervals?
Click to expand...
I change coolant based on time not mileage. You are due for a coolant change. Intervals for different systems are dependent on the coolant type used and materials in the cooling system..
 
Coolant additives actually deplete as they do their job. You’ve heard that rust never sleeps? Same thing in your cooling system…

older style coolants had additives that depleted/destabilized faster than modern ones…
 
I did a simple drain radiator and refilled with Honda 50/50 in my 2017 accord around the 5 year mark, only around 50K miles on car just because I wanted to. I figured fresh fluid, fresh additives. Probably overkill but I’m ok with that. Will do again when hit 100K miles.

Did same thing in her 2015 Altima last year
 
A coolant change interval is cut in half if you do not use distilled water. The additives get used up attacking the minerals in the water.

To answer your question: Time is an important as mileage. Try and buy it pre-diluted.
Also, Ford switched from the orange to a gold color coolant. I have no idea what is compatible but the orange Motorcraft stuff is no longer available. Ford was saying a complete flush is recommended to use it. Allegedly.
 
Guilty here too. 2014 Corvette purchased 3 months ago with 22,000 miles. I am positive it hasn't been changed by the previous owner. I will do a drain and fill or two very soon.
 
SupremePossum said:
My wifes 2017 Escape is just over 6 years now, and the book says to change it out at 100,000 miles or 6 years. I'm at 30,000 miles but since 6 years, I guess I should swap it out.

Meanwhile, my generator wants the coolant swapped every 2 years. If the coolant can last 6 years in the car, why not the generator?

Just how important is it I stick to these intervals?
Click to expand...
A lot of cars I would imagine go to the junkyard with all original fluids in them. I changed mine out way to early, looking back at my log book I keep it was maybe 4 years old. I should have waited longer.

But like I said, fresh fluid, fresh additives. Nothing wrong with being pro-active in your maintenance
 
My fiancé's 2017 F150 with 50,000 miles is due for a coolant change. Her truck has the original old orange coolant which is no longer available so I will be using the new yellow coolant.

The Ford dealer said that the new yellow and orange is compatible so I haven't decided if I'm going to try and flush all of the old orange out or just get as much as I can out of the radiator and install the yellow. A radiator drop only gets out about 1/ 3/4 gallons out of the four gallons the system holds. Not sure if I want to drop and refill with distilled water until everything runs clean but if I do that, my mixture will be off unless I find a way to drain out more of the engine block.
 
hank2 said:
I should be doing this soon on two cars. 9 and 10 year old Scions with 72k and 78k miles. I'll have to check again, but I believe Toyota claims that their Super long life pink ( HOAT?) is good for the life of the vehicle. I'm not a true believer in that but it likely is a long life coolant. My Scions are Japan built. I've read claims that manufacturers there get some points for not recommending replacement on things like coolant. Any other vehicles that I've had lifetime usually got coolant changes at 3 years and hoses at 60k.

I suppose it was the types of coolant available then, but I recall most manufacturers some years back, making a big deal for 3 year max coolant changes. I believe it was related to the dissimilar metals situation when alloy cylinder heads on iron blocks started becoming common. Also, the aluminum radiators becoming standard.
Click to expand...
hey @hank2 just saw this thread.. thought I'd give you my experience. I have a scion too and people have changed it out early 3-5 years and later, like 10 years.. When they stuck an inspection camera into the cooling passages it was pristine! I have noticed after about 3-4 years the cooling ability loses a little bit of performance (talking the pink coolant from Toyota). But it's nothing terrible.. just you can tell it's getting older. When compared to brand new coolant..They really did nail that perfect recipe!

I do agree with you that dissimilar metals don't help the coolant either. And doing that every 3 years is probably smart. I know on my older Honda it was every 3 years, and I still stick to that.. Because Honda is not Toyota! I have seen the differences..
 
researcher said:
hey @hank2 just saw this thread.. thought I'd give you my experience. I have a scion too and people have changed it out early 3-5 years and later, like 10 years.. When they stuck an inspection camera into the cooling passages it was pristine! I have noticed after about 3-4 years the cooling ability loses a little bit of performance (talking the pink coolant from Toyota). But it's nothing terrible.. just you can tell it's getting older. When compared to brand new coolant..They really did nail that perfect recipe!

I do agree with you that dissimilar metals don't help the coolant either. And doing that every 3 years is probably smart. I know on my older Honda it was every 3 years, and I still stick to that.. Because Honda is not Toyota! I have seen the differences..
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

J
Honda coolant. Car vs motorcycle???
Replies
6
Views
1K
KrisZ
F
2002 Ford with original green coolant.
Replies
13
Views
390
redhat
M
Should I use pink or red coolant?
Replies
9
Views
1K
willbur
B
2015 Kia Sedona Coolant Type
Replies
5
Views
1K
Vitamin Yoda
M
4 Vehicles Swapped to MC Yellow, 3 of Them Developed Problems
Replies
6
Views
2K
CKN
Back
Top