How Often Do You Change Your Coolant?

[Pat Germain]

The discussion on motor oil made me realize my Jetta is now five years old and I've never changed the coolant. :eek:

So, how often is coolant supposed to be changed these days? I'm a pretty knowledgable gearhead in some areas. Yet, I admit I haven't been keeping up with coolant technology. I know there's a big effort to "go green" and eliminate waste. I get the impression this is encouraging coolant to last longer.

My Jetta came from the factory with some kind of environmentally friendly coolant. I'm wondering if this stuff has a working life that's longer or shorter than the old toxic stuff.

I do know it's high time I get the cooling system in my Jetta flushed.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Pat,

The first thing I'd do is check the owners manual and see what the auto manufacturer recommends.

Myself, I like to change mine every 3-4 years.

I work on some equipment that uses similar coolants and it recommends changing the coolant annually.

[Joe Pelonio]

It can be tested and changed when no longer doing it's job, which may be 60,000 miles or more. Still, I prefer to do it after about 30,000 just to flush out the system and help keep contamination, rust and other particles from clogging it up.

In case someone is planning to ask:D, a customer of mine that has a transmission shop suggests that an automatic will last a lot longer if the fluid is changed at least every 30k miles, and finds that most people never change it then wonder why it fails at 90k miles costing over $2,000 to rebuild. (I've had him do 3 of them over the years.

[Sonny Edmonds]

But a Friend of mine who was a mechanic used to test the coolant by putting a probe in the coolant, and the other to ground.
It the read any voltage, the coolant was becoming acidic, and he would recommend changing it.
Other than that, change it "by the book."
(Maybe it is permant and never needs changing. Some are.)

[Jim O'Dell]

If you have green coolant, probably pre 2001, you need to change every 3 years or 45k. If you have the orange or gold coolant, 100k or 6 to 7 years, based on 15k driving per year. I believe the GM with the Dex cool say 150k, but I'm not sure. Test with a hydrometer. You can pick one up at your local parts store, and they are pretty cheap. It will show what your coverage is down to in temp. If the coolant gets dark or rusty, change it.
Transmissions. If you go 90k and haven't changed it, DON'T. The damage is already done. Changing it at that point will only cause the seals to start leaking according to a friend and really good trans man. Let it go. It may never have a problem, it may go out at 120k. Jim.

[Jim Becker]

Whenever the dealer does it as a regular maintenance schedule item at some mileage milestone...

[Pat Germain]

Thanks for the input.

I haven't seen any recommendations in my owner's manual for flushing the coolant. Maybe it is good for 80-150k miles.

I can see why newer cars wouldn't require a coolant flush very often. There's a big difference between an older engine with an iron block and newer engine with an aluminum block. Modern radiators are also aluminum and plastic. There's a lot less opportunity for rust in newer cooling systems.

[randall rosenthal]

i never changed it in my toyota pick up...........ran 100% for twenty years and was running fine when i sold it......rusted to the point of absurdity...but running fine. did add a little from time to time.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

don't feel bad.
I bought a 1990 Toyota truck brand new and in the last umpteen years it's been tuned once and oil changed maybe twice. I did have to do ball joints though.

[randall rosenthal]

cliff...i did need a tire once so i went to the local gas station. the guy says i really need to sell you four........i said "take a good look and see if you can grasp the concept".....never not started on the first turn of the key in 20 years.......wife bought me a new (to me ,2005) one for my sixtieth b'day or id still be driving it.

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n186/randallro/toyota2.jpg

[Denny Rice]

If you have green coolant, probably pre 2001, you need to change every 3 years or 45k. If you have the orange or gold coolant, 100k or 6 to 7 years, based on 15k driving per year. I believe the GM with the Dex cool say 150k, but I'm not sure. Test with a hydrometer. You can pick one up at your local parts store, and they are pretty cheap. It will show what your coverage is down to in temp. If the coolant gets dark or rusty, change it.
Transmissions. If you go 90k and haven't changed it, DON'T. The damage is already done. Changing it at that point will only cause the seals to start leaking according to a friend and really good trans man. Let it go. It may never have a problem, it may go out at 120k. Jim.

Jim,
Thats was true at one time about GM's Dexacool (orange) coolant but no longer. I will tell everyone, if your GM vechile has dexacool in it- flush it out and replace it with a Prestone style Dexacool replacement (green antifreeeze) GM has been sued over the last 5 years by making claims about Dexacool that were not true. Jim is right GM made claims that the antifreeze would last 100,000 miles plus before neeeding changed and people started having real cooling issues with this anti-freeze within 50,000 miles. Head gaskets started blowing, antifreeze leaks, premature engine failure due to excessive heat build-up in engines due to coolant that was run too long without being changed. I own a 2003 Impala and have found out first hand that this antifreeze is junk, after I replaced both head gaskets, had the heads redone and junked the factory radiator with a new one from NAPA I replaced the coolant with Prestones green anti-freeze that is compatible with dexicool. Dexicool is JUNK!:mad:

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

HA HA looks like you are driving the hell outta that little "OY".

As an aside where in NY state does one go surfing?

[Rod Sheridan]

I replace the coolant every 3 years.

The issue is the corrosion inhibitors being depleted. You can have a sample analyzed, it's what we do on large engines.

For my car however, belts, hoses, coolant and thermostat's every 3 years.

Regards, Rod.