Tips From the Service Lane - Coolant Exchange
January 18th, 2010 in News
The coolant, or antifreeze, in your radiator circulates throughout your engine block keeping it cool. Like all engine fluids, such as oil, your coolant needs to be checked regularly. While having your coolant checked we are looking for two things: the amount of fluid and the overall quality of the fluid.
The radiator allows hot coolant to expand into the overflow tank as the engine’s temperature rises. As the engine cools it then creates a slight vacuum that draws the fluid back from the overflow tank and into the vehicle’s radiator. Insuring that the radiator cap remains sealed allows the coolant to expand and contract without the loss of the fluid itself. You can check the levels of the coolant by looking at two indicators on the side of the overflow tank. One of these indicators shows the safe operating level for when the engine is hot, the other for when it is cold. If the levels are slightly lower than the indicator it is safe to add a small amount of water bringing the coolant back to a normal level. As always you should exercise caution when maintaining your own vehicle. Some vehicles’ overflow tanks are pressurized when hot and cause the removal of the radiator caps to be hazardous. These types of tanks should normally be marked with a warning decal.
If the overflow tank is close to or completely empty you will need to add a mixture of antifreeze and water to the radiator. Before attempting to do so make sure your vehicle has had adequate time to cool and the radiator hose is no longer hot. While checking the levels of the coolant be sure to check the quality of the coolant as well. If the coolant is brownish or appears dirty, it may be time to have your coolant flushed. We recommend that you have your coolant flushed every 15k to 30k miles or every one to two years. If your vehicle is in need of a coolant exchange stop by your local Carl Black Service Department and bring the available 10% coupon. Hurry This offer ends 01/31/10.