COOLING SYSTEM POWER FLUSH

According to AAA, the number one reason most automobiles have breakdowns is cooling system related. Burst hoses, broken belts, leaking radiators or overheating caused by a clogged cooling system can leave you stranded and do some major damage to your vehicle or even kill it. We check hoses and belts each oil change and recommend doing a Cooling System Power Flush every 2 years -3 years.

Why??? Most folks worry about the freeze protection of their coolant. They don't need to. The freeze protection of coolant never wears out/ 10 yr old coolant is still good to -40F. What does wear out are the corrosion inhibitors. As it ages, anti-freeze become acidic and eats away at vital engine parts. It may still be that good green color, but be so old that it is corroding your engine and cooling system components. And to make things even more complicated, modern engines are made from many different metals (iron, aluminum, and brass). You mix this with acidic coolant and it accelerates the corrosion process due to electrolysis.

Make sure you get a "Cooling System Power Flush" not just a Cooling System Service. These inexpensive services are what is know in the business as a "drain & fill". The radiator drain plug is opened to let out the old coolant. When it stops dripping the drain is closed and the radiator is refilled with 1/2 to 1 gallon of coolant. The problem is that most vehicles hold 2-3 gallons of coolant. The old stuff is hiding in the engine, heater core and hoses. The small amount of new coolant mixing with the old coolant isn't enough to bring the Ph (acidity) back to normal.

In a Cooling System Power Flush, there is a 3 step process.

  1. First we add a strong cleaning solution to dissolve built up corrosion in the small internal coolant passages. The engine is left running for 20-30 minutes to allow the cleaner to circulate to all parts of the cooling system.
  2. Secondly we hook up the Power Flush Machine. Our unit connects inline and pumps new coolant backwards through the radiator, engine head & block, heater core and all of the hoses. This "Reverse Flush" dislodges any contaminants and assures a Complete and thorough Transfusion. 100% of the old fluid is replaced with new coolant.
  3. Lastly we add a coolant conditioner that extends the life of the coolant and reduces corrosion.

At each 15,000 mile maintenance we will check the PH level of your coolant and advise when a Power Flush is needed again.

With this kind of diligent maintenance it is not uncommon for us to see vehicles close to 200,000 mile with no major cooling system repairs or breakdowns.

If you have any further questions or just want to know if your coolant is O.K. or needs a Power Flush, just swing in & I'll check it out. No Charge!

Happy Motoring,

Amy