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Auto Repair in Santee, CA | The Dyno Shop

(619) 562-3933

Why you should have cooling system maintenance performed

11/9/2016

12 Comments

 
Whenever a fluid is in contact with metal, an electrochemical degradation takes place, which results in a higher than normal level of acid present in any given fluid.  This higher acid level, if left unchanged, can result in very costly repairs.  As a result, it is recommended to flush your cooling system, and most importantly pH balance your antifreeze at least once every 2 years or 30,000 miles.  This will help reduce the acid level and extend the life of your radiator, heater core, water pump, head gaskets, freeze plugs, radiator and heater hoses.
 
Why is it important to have your cooling system flushed by a knowledgeable repair shop with all the right equipment?  Why can’t you do it yourself? 
​You have probably heard many times that your cooling system should be -35 degrees, and you wonder why, when it never gets that cold.  The reason for this is due to many different factors.  The first factor has to deal with water and why water is an important part of the cooling system.  Water is the best conductor of heat because the molecules are spaced far apart letting the heat from the engine to move into the water very easily.  The problem with water is that it is very corrosive when in contact with metal and can freeze.  Ethylene glycol silicone based antifreeze is added to the water to protect the metal, to keep the water from freezing, and to lubricate only the moving parts in the cooling system (i.e water pump, thermostat).
So why not just use 100% antifreeze?  If you use 100% antifreeze, the engine may overheat in hot weather with or without the air conditioner on.  The molecules in the antifreeze are packed tightly together and are unable to remove the heat from the engine as efficiently as water.  The condenser for your car’s air conditioning operates much hotter than the radiator; that’s why it is placed in front of the radiator.  The radiator dissipates the heat from your air conditioning condenser, thus making the coolant even hotter! 
With today’s new computer controlled engines the coolant temperature is most important.  The temperature sensor tells the computer, along with other sensors, how to adjust the fuel mixture and ignition timing.  This may affect engine performance and efficiency.  For the best heat removal and metal protection, 50% water and 50% antifreeze is desired.  The proper mix is determined by checking the coolant level: -35 degrees equals 50/50.  The problem comes when the pH of the water is 7.0 to 7.2 and antifreeze pH is 10.5 right out of the gallon.  A 50/50 mix of water and antifreeze would have a pH factor of 8.75.  This level is too acidic for today’s cooling systems.  The recommended pH level should be between 9.0 and 10.5; this level greatly reduces the acid content that together with electrochemical reaction of dissimilar materials causes electrochemical degradation.
 
To correct the above condition, you need to power flush your cooling system by continuously forcing the coolant under pressure through the engine, radiator, and heater core in both directions at different times.  While the coolant is being forced through the system it is also going through a 25 and 5 micron filters to remove all contaminates from the coolant.  Once this is done, antifreeze or water is added to the system while circulating to bring it to the desired -35 degrees throughout the system evenly.  We then add a pH concentrate while still circulating the coolant to evenly reach a pH level of 10.5 throughout the system.  We stop at 10.5 pH because over time, as the hot coolant flows through the system, it will slowly become more acidic as described above.  The coolant should stay within the safe range of 9.8 to 10.5 pH level about 2 years or 30,000 miles.  We also pressure test the system for leaks, clean the recovery bottle and test the radiator cap to see if it holds the proper pressure.
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12 Comments
Get Parts link
12/16/2016 01:34:22 am

Thanks for sharing.

Reply
Elena page link
6/7/2018 04:14:05 am

I agree that coolant flush is really necessary to ensure effective performance of the cooling system. Cooling system protects the engine against the extreme temperature of the surrounding. The condition of different components associated with the cooling system of the vehicle needs to be inspected properly and faulty components should be replaced with suitable substitutes to prevent the overheating of engine due to the faulty cooling system.

Reply
Lucy Butler link
7/31/2018 05:21:35 am

Cooling system is vital for the performance of the vehicle. So, different components of the cooling system should be inspected at a regular interval and abnormal components should be replaced with suitable substitutes. Deposition of debris reduces the ability of the coolant. So, coolant flush after certain time interval is really essential to enhance the effectiveness of the cooling system.

Reply
Emma Megan link
8/10/2018 06:18:49 am

Cooling system is an important part in a vehicle. It cools the engine of the vehicle and prevents the vehicle from overheating during hot summer. Parts of the engine cooling system are coolant or antifreeze, cooling fan, cooling reservoir, heater core, hoses, radiator, thermostat, water pump etc. Getting a coolant flush is absolutely necessary for regular maintenance of a car. You should have your coolant system flushed every 30,000 miles or 2-5 years. By doing coolant flush, we can improve the efficiency of our car.

Reply
Jenny Parker
3/5/2019 04:11:59 am

The cooling system of the vehicle plays a crucial role in the performance of the vehicle and any sign which indicates that the cooling system is not working efficiently shouldn't be ignored. An abnormal cooling system couldn't effectively optimize the temperature of the engine and could jeopardize its performance. So, the cooling system of the vehicle needs special attention to work efficiently. The coolant used in the vehicle should be inspected regularly and if necessary should be replaced. For more assistance, visit
https://www.grouponemotorwerks.com/german-auto-car-care/

Reply
Shemekia Bailey link
3/6/2019 03:21:10 am

Whenever a fluid gets contact with a metal, an electromagnetic degradation takes place and it results in higher than the normal level of acid present in the given fluid. Higher the acid level, the more harmful it is for the system if left unchanged. Therefore it is necessary to flush the cooling system. The components of the cooling system should be regularly checked and any sign of abnormality shouldn't be ignored. The cooling system of the car needs to be flushed every 30,000 miles and flushed cooling system improves the performance of the car.

Reply
Maria link
4/16/2019 09:34:03 pm

How often should this testing be done?

Reply
Randal Mclaughlin link
5/26/2021 11:17:38 pm

Regular use of the vehicle can change the course of the vehicle so it is good if it has maintenance at least once in a while. Thanks to this blog which is a huge help to those who have concerns with their car.

Reply
Owens Furnace link
6/11/2022 10:46:51 am

I believe the regular Oily is good, until the system starts showing issue with the start-up.

Reply
Victoria Addington link
6/16/2022 04:36:28 am

I was captured when you discussed that water is a vital component of the cooling system. My friend told me that her cooling system is not giving the cold she needs. I think she should look for a contractor to take care of the maintenance of her cooling system.

Reply
Braden Bills link
9/14/2022 07:57:04 am

My car hasn't been cooling properly, and I'm not sure what to do about it. It makes sense that I would want to get my radiator looked at. I'll be sure to get a professional who can do that for me.

Reply
Eli Richardson link
1/3/2023 08:36:22 am

It's great that you talked about a car's cooling system and the importance of having it flushed with a professional's help. Recently, my brother bought a used car for a very low price, and it just started giving him trouble, so I think your article could be helpful for him. Thank you for the insight on flushing our cooling system to avoid costly repairs.

Reply



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