Changing coolant the hard way

JimNH

JimNH

JK Enthusiast
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Nashua, NH
I just changed the coolant that came in my jeep (orange, that is all I know) and replaced with Zerex G-05. I drained, filled with distilled water, run engine, drain, repeat - five times. I was only able to add about 7/8 gallon of water each time, and the fluid that drained got lighter and lighter orange colored, but in the end I was not able to get it to be clear before my patience ran out. I filled with full strength Zerex (just over a gallon in the radiator and make up tank (50:50 with water there). I think now that the coolant ratio might be a little light - since there are 3 ish gallons in the system. I plan to run for a while, then test with a meter which I will have to buy. If not to spec for colder climates, I will drain some and add more straight coolant.

this is one job I might have better left to a shop with a flush and fill machine...Glad it only has to be done every 5 years or 50,000 miles (100,000 according to the label, but that seems excessive?)
 
made a radiator key...

IMG_3891.jpg
 
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You know what? To be honest with you, even with as mechanical and DIY as I am, when it comes to dealing with draining coolant, I prefer to let shops deal with it as well.

It's not that I can't do it (it's rather easy actually), it's just that no matter how hard you try, there is always a big mess to clean up.
 
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Yeah, I've got a radiator in the garage that needs to be put in. There's a local mechanic that is decent, and I use him when I don't have the tools/time to do stuff. I may farm it out to him. Always, always a mess. And now that I'm older and hopefully wiser, I try to be more careful about what gets left on the ground.
 
JimNH said:
I just changed the coolant that came in my jeep (orange, that is all I know) and replaced with Zerex G-05. I drained, filled with distilled water, run engine, drain, repeat - five times. I was only able to add about 7/8 gallon of water each time, and the fluid that drained got lighter and lighter orange colored, but in the end I was not able to get it to be clear before my patience ran out. I filled with full strength Zerex (just over a gallon in the radiator and make up tank (50:50 with water there). I think now that the coolant ratio might be a little light - since there are 3 ish gallons in the system. I plan to run for a while, then test with a meter which I will have to buy. If not to spec for colder climates, I will drain some and add more straight coolant.

this is one job I might have better left to a shop with a flush and fill machine...Glad it only has to be done every 5 years or 50,000 miles (100,000 according to the label, but that seems excessive?)
Click to expand...
Castrol make test strips for coolant. They will tell you two things 1 the corrosion protection level, and 2 the anitfreese temperature.
 
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