How to Flush a Car Radiator

Got a car you desire to keep running for a long time? Then a salubrious cooling organization is a must. Learn how to perform a radiator affluent in five simple steps.

Introduction

Vehicles need regular maintenance to keep working. While many of these maintenance tasks are small and simple, they can lead to big, expensive repairs if left undone for as well long.

Flushing your machine radiator is one of these tasks. The radiator is the heart of your vehicle's cooling system, sending liquid coolant (antifreeze) to diverse parts of the engine to keep information technology from overheating. Experts recommend draining and replacing the antifreeze in your radiator every five years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes outset.

This process, forth with running distilled water through the radiator earlier adding fresh antifreeze, is collectively called "flushing" the radiator. Flushing gets rid of rust and gunk that naturally builds up in your car's cooling system. Skipping this process could pb to a cooling arrangement blockage and, ultimately, an overheated engine.

Follow this step-by-step guide and acquire how to perform a radiator affluent the right mode.

Tools Required

Materials Required

  • 4 gal. ready-to-use antifreeze
  • Two gal. full-bodied antifreeze
  • 2 gal. distilled h2o

Projection step-by-step (5)

Step ane

Locate the Radiator

  • Lift the hood of your vehicle and look for a flat, finned metal expanse almost the front. This is the radiator.
  • Wait for a round cap, often metal, leading to the radiator. Information technology might say "radiator coolant" or something similar on it.
    • Note the cap's location, considering you'll be adding fluids to it later.

Locate the Radiator

Footstep 2

Drain the Radiator

  • Crawl under the vehicle and look for a valve or a big-diameter rubber hose connected to the radiator with a removable clamp holding information technology in place.
  • Motion your drain pan direct under the valve or hose clamp, then open the valve or loosen the clamp.
    • Pro Tip: If it's a hose system, pull the hose away from its fitting. Antifreeze (typically yellowish-green or pinkish) will apace pour out.
  • Go out the radiator draining for at least x minutes or until only a slow drip of antifreeze remains.

Drain the Radiator

Step 3

Flush the Radiator

  • Replace the hose and re-tighten the clamp holding it in place or close the radiator drain valve, if your vehicle has i.
  • Remove the radiator cap and pour distilled water into the radiator until full.
  • Supersede the cap, then start up the vehicle and let information technology run for ten to 15 minutes.
    • This volition piece of work the distilled h2o into the engine, flushing out whatever loose debris or corrosion along with the last of the erstwhile antifreeze.
  • Shut off the vehicle, then open the valve or loosen the hose once more, draining all the distilled h2o and filth from inside the radiator into your bleed pan.
  • Retighten the clamp or close the valve, then slide the full drain pan out of the style.
    • Pro Tip: Make certain kids and pets aren't able to become near the antifreeze. Automotive antifreeze tastes sugariness but information technology'due south highly toxic. You'll need to bring the quondam antifreeze to a hazardous waste material facility, auto garage or an auto parts store that volition accept information technology for safe disposal. Transport the erstwhile antifreeze in the plastic containers that the new antifreeze came in.

Flush the Radiator with Water

Step four

Add Fresh Coolant

  • Refer to your owner's transmission to see how much coolant (antifreeze) your radiator needs.
  • Open the radiator cap you located earlier, place your funnel in the inlet and cascade a 50/50 blend of concentrated antifreeze and distilled water into the radiator.
    • You could also apply premixed engine coolant without dilution, simply this usually costs more than antifreeze concentrate.
  • Examine the overflow tank and add together coolant if necessary until the level reaches the service line. The overflow tank is plastic and connected to the radiator with a modest flexible hose.
  • Start and run the vehicle for several minutes and check for leaks. If everything looks good, you lot shouldn't have to repeat this procedure over again for 100,000 miles.

Add Fresh Coolant

Step 5

Top Off Coolant

  • Shut off the vehicle, then add a little more antifreeze and water until yous see information technology starting to appear in the bottom of the overflow tank.
  • Open up the overflow tank cap, then top information technology off with a niggling more than antifreeze and distilled water, aiming to finish a couple inches below the service line, and y'all're done!

Top Off Coolant