Re-using good coolant?

My MAZDA has long life coolant that is good for 10 years/110,000 miles. I am NOT going to waste it if it has 40,000+ miles of life remaining. Ed
 
Originally Posted by Eddie
My MAZDA has long life coolant that is good for 10 years/110,000 miles. I am NOT going to waste it if it has 40,000+ miles of life remaining. Ed


Better check that. Some are 10/110k for the initial fill, then 2 years or something like that after...
 
I sometimes save some of the old stuff for top offs and such. If I get a car I automatically assume all the fluids are overdue unless I know otherwise. Antifreeze is one of those things that you just can't tell how used up it is in the anticorrosives and additives department . Replace it and note the mileage with a paint marker ect someplace where it will be seen easily a few years from now..
 
Originally Posted by Driz
I sometimes save some of the old stuff for top offs and such.


Good thinking!!
thumbsup2.gif
 
Originally Posted by JHZR2
Originally Posted by Jarpin
Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
For the timing belt, I hope you got the Aisin kit (or went to the dealer, NOT eBay!)

It's a Continental Contitech Pro series kit. OEM supplier parts:

MITSUBOSHI belt, KOYO idler pulleys, AISIN Water pump + gasket, and NTN hydraulic tensioner pin.

I'm pretty confident about the quality of it.

So no continental parts in it?!?

Seems like you did good with the kit.



Best of all: around $86.00. It was on closeout. I'll hunt to the ends of the earth for OEM parts as long as I can avoid the stealerships.
 
Timing belt change is when I change coolant. 100k seems to work just fine on Type2 and the aftermarket replacements. Radiator in the Accord is pristine at 230k and 2 coolant changes in that time.
 
If it's been a few years since the coolant was changed, I'd refill it with fresh coolant. But I have re-used coolant before. For example, if I'm doing a repair on a car where I have to drain the coolant and disconnect a coolant hose to get access to another part, and the coolant was recently replaced within the last few months. I'm not going to waste fresh coolant. I stick a length of rubber hose onto the drain port of the radiator and stick the other end of the hose into a clean coolant jug or distilled water jug and drain the coolant into that. Then I just pour it right back into the radiator when I'm done.
 
I changed the coolant on my 07 Toyota last year as it was officially due at 12 years. If my water pump springs a leak tomorrow I would certainly catch, filter, and reuse the coolant when replacing the pump.
 
I recently had to change the water pump on my SIL 2015 Sienna. Replaced it with Aisin water pump and new coolant, It is cheap insurance. (by the way very disturbing to see an original water pump to go at 86k miles).
 
$25 shipped I stock 4 gal.of the Toyota pink, converted J.Deere mower, Honda atvs old Toyotas all to pink.
 
Originally Posted by Kestas
Isn't pH another thing that can change with age in the coolant?


Absolutely! That's why you check it. Alkaline pH means your coolant is still good. Neutral means time to change. Acid means it is bad.

Coolant starts out alkaline and pH goes down from there.
 
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I always keep 1-2 gallons of my old coolant depending on the empty jugs available. There's some life left in it, and many times I've helped friends and neighbors that were having cooling troubles. Didn't even need to stop at the parts store, just grab the jug(s), a roll of duct tape and my tool box and go save the day for someone. They can replace with fresh coolant at a later date if they want.
 
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