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radiator flush
Hi all,
I was wondering if one can do perform a do-it-yourself radiator flush on a 95 civic. I like to do it myself, because, everytime a go to a shop on a saturday they make me wait for at least an hour, often they ask me to come back at the end of the day. If i have to wait that long just to pay somebody, i might as well do it myself. Can you share some of your thoughts? Thanks. Ben |
Re: radiator flush
Ben wrote:
> > Hi all, > > I was wondering if one can do perform a do-it-yourself radiator flush on a > 95 civic. I like to do it myself, because, everytime a go to a shop on a > saturday they make me wait for at least an hour, often they ask me to come > back at the end of the day. If i have to wait that long just to pay > somebody, i might as well do it myself. Can you share some of your > thoughts? Thanks. > > Ben -------------- Ben, Whatever you do, make sure to use distilled or at least R.O. water when you dilute your antifreeze. Tap water can be murder on internal parts. Search this group for the consensus on which antifreeze to use. Wrong one can wreck your water pump, then engine. 'Curly' ----------------- |
Re: radiator flush
Ben wrote:
> > Hi all, > > I was wondering if one can do perform a do-it-yourself radiator flush on a > 95 civic. I like to do it myself, because, everytime a go to a shop on a > saturday they make me wait for at least an hour, often they ask me to come > back at the end of the day. If i have to wait that long just to pay > somebody, i might as well do it myself. Can you share some of your > thoughts? Thanks. > > Ben -------------- Ben, Whatever you do, make sure to use distilled or at least R.O. water when you dilute your antifreeze. Tap water can be murder on internal parts. Search this group for the consensus on which antifreeze to use. Wrong one can wreck your water pump, then engine. 'Curly' ----------------- |
Re: radiator flush
Ben wrote:
> > Hi all, > > I was wondering if one can do perform a do-it-yourself radiator flush on a > 95 civic. I like to do it myself, because, everytime a go to a shop on a > saturday they make me wait for at least an hour, often they ask me to come > back at the end of the day. If i have to wait that long just to pay > somebody, i might as well do it myself. Can you share some of your > thoughts? Thanks. > > Ben -------------- Ben, Whatever you do, make sure to use distilled or at least R.O. water when you dilute your antifreeze. Tap water can be murder on internal parts. Search this group for the consensus on which antifreeze to use. Wrong one can wreck your water pump, then engine. 'Curly' ----------------- |
Re: radiator flush
Ben wrote:
> > Hi all, > > I was wondering if one can do perform a do-it-yourself radiator flush on a > 95 civic. I like to do it myself, because, everytime a go to a shop on a > saturday they make me wait for at least an hour, often they ask me to come > back at the end of the day. If i have to wait that long just to pay > somebody, i might as well do it myself. Can you share some of your > thoughts? Thanks. > > Ben -------------- Ben, Whatever you do, make sure to use distilled or at least R.O. water when you dilute your antifreeze. Tap water can be murder on internal parts. Search this group for the consensus on which antifreeze to use. Wrong one can wreck your water pump, then engine. 'Curly' ----------------- |
Re: radiator flush
If you're at all handy, then a radiator drain, flush, and re-fill is very
straightforward. The advantages: Don't have to wait on a shop; you know exactly what was done; you can put in the coolant you think is best; you save money; you'll probably be more careful; you're calling the shots. Disadvantages: Your hands get dirty. You have to locate someone that will take the old coolant (not a big deal; state laws tend to be supportive). You have to be careful not to leave puddles of coolant (it will kill dogs and cats). My 1991 Civic's owner's manual has instructions for this. Maybe yours does, too. I would definitely not do this without the manufacturer's instructions. I think the most common hang-up comes at the step for taking off the engine block drain bolt. A lot of people here, including myself, skip it, because the engine block drain bolt is very tight, it's hard to get to, and the bolt head isn't optimal. (I did get if off once, however. So it's worth a try.) I just drain as much as possible through the radiator drain plug orifice, instead, then fill, idle the car, drain, and refill repeatedly until the drainage runs clear. I calculate how much water remains in the engine block after the last flush and then add undiluted coolant to achieve the right ratio of undiluted coolant to water. I think the consensus here is to use Honda's own OEM coolant. It costs more but its guaranteed (by folks here, and there's a lot of experience on this) to maximize the life of your Civic's water pump. The water pump is persnickety when it comes to coolants. I myself am experimenting with the Orange Dex stuff, allegedly designed for aluminum engines and imports like Honda, as well as long-life. Thirteen months and all's well. But I have the time, money, and inclination to experiment a little. I am thinking of replacing the radiator coolant more often than recommended, like 1.5 years or 20,000 miles, whichever comes first, instead of 2 years or every 30,000 miles. "Ben" <NoSpam@NoSpam.com> wrote > I was wondering if one can do perform a do-it-yourself radiator flush on a > 95 civic. I like to do it myself, because, everytime a go to a shop on a > saturday they make me wait for at least an hour, often they ask me to come > back at the end of the day. If i have to wait that long just to pay > somebody, i might as well do it myself. Can you share some of your > thoughts? Thanks. |
Re: radiator flush
If you're at all handy, then a radiator drain, flush, and re-fill is very
straightforward. The advantages: Don't have to wait on a shop; you know exactly what was done; you can put in the coolant you think is best; you save money; you'll probably be more careful; you're calling the shots. Disadvantages: Your hands get dirty. You have to locate someone that will take the old coolant (not a big deal; state laws tend to be supportive). You have to be careful not to leave puddles of coolant (it will kill dogs and cats). My 1991 Civic's owner's manual has instructions for this. Maybe yours does, too. I would definitely not do this without the manufacturer's instructions. I think the most common hang-up comes at the step for taking off the engine block drain bolt. A lot of people here, including myself, skip it, because the engine block drain bolt is very tight, it's hard to get to, and the bolt head isn't optimal. (I did get if off once, however. So it's worth a try.) I just drain as much as possible through the radiator drain plug orifice, instead, then fill, idle the car, drain, and refill repeatedly until the drainage runs clear. I calculate how much water remains in the engine block after the last flush and then add undiluted coolant to achieve the right ratio of undiluted coolant to water. I think the consensus here is to use Honda's own OEM coolant. It costs more but its guaranteed (by folks here, and there's a lot of experience on this) to maximize the life of your Civic's water pump. The water pump is persnickety when it comes to coolants. I myself am experimenting with the Orange Dex stuff, allegedly designed for aluminum engines and imports like Honda, as well as long-life. Thirteen months and all's well. But I have the time, money, and inclination to experiment a little. I am thinking of replacing the radiator coolant more often than recommended, like 1.5 years or 20,000 miles, whichever comes first, instead of 2 years or every 30,000 miles. "Ben" <NoSpam@NoSpam.com> wrote > I was wondering if one can do perform a do-it-yourself radiator flush on a > 95 civic. I like to do it myself, because, everytime a go to a shop on a > saturday they make me wait for at least an hour, often they ask me to come > back at the end of the day. If i have to wait that long just to pay > somebody, i might as well do it myself. Can you share some of your > thoughts? Thanks. |
Re: radiator flush
If you're at all handy, then a radiator drain, flush, and re-fill is very
straightforward. The advantages: Don't have to wait on a shop; you know exactly what was done; you can put in the coolant you think is best; you save money; you'll probably be more careful; you're calling the shots. Disadvantages: Your hands get dirty. You have to locate someone that will take the old coolant (not a big deal; state laws tend to be supportive). You have to be careful not to leave puddles of coolant (it will kill dogs and cats). My 1991 Civic's owner's manual has instructions for this. Maybe yours does, too. I would definitely not do this without the manufacturer's instructions. I think the most common hang-up comes at the step for taking off the engine block drain bolt. A lot of people here, including myself, skip it, because the engine block drain bolt is very tight, it's hard to get to, and the bolt head isn't optimal. (I did get if off once, however. So it's worth a try.) I just drain as much as possible through the radiator drain plug orifice, instead, then fill, idle the car, drain, and refill repeatedly until the drainage runs clear. I calculate how much water remains in the engine block after the last flush and then add undiluted coolant to achieve the right ratio of undiluted coolant to water. I think the consensus here is to use Honda's own OEM coolant. It costs more but its guaranteed (by folks here, and there's a lot of experience on this) to maximize the life of your Civic's water pump. The water pump is persnickety when it comes to coolants. I myself am experimenting with the Orange Dex stuff, allegedly designed for aluminum engines and imports like Honda, as well as long-life. Thirteen months and all's well. But I have the time, money, and inclination to experiment a little. I am thinking of replacing the radiator coolant more often than recommended, like 1.5 years or 20,000 miles, whichever comes first, instead of 2 years or every 30,000 miles. "Ben" <NoSpam@NoSpam.com> wrote > I was wondering if one can do perform a do-it-yourself radiator flush on a > 95 civic. I like to do it myself, because, everytime a go to a shop on a > saturday they make me wait for at least an hour, often they ask me to come > back at the end of the day. If i have to wait that long just to pay > somebody, i might as well do it myself. Can you share some of your > thoughts? Thanks. |
Re: radiator flush
If you're at all handy, then a radiator drain, flush, and re-fill is very
straightforward. The advantages: Don't have to wait on a shop; you know exactly what was done; you can put in the coolant you think is best; you save money; you'll probably be more careful; you're calling the shots. Disadvantages: Your hands get dirty. You have to locate someone that will take the old coolant (not a big deal; state laws tend to be supportive). You have to be careful not to leave puddles of coolant (it will kill dogs and cats). My 1991 Civic's owner's manual has instructions for this. Maybe yours does, too. I would definitely not do this without the manufacturer's instructions. I think the most common hang-up comes at the step for taking off the engine block drain bolt. A lot of people here, including myself, skip it, because the engine block drain bolt is very tight, it's hard to get to, and the bolt head isn't optimal. (I did get if off once, however. So it's worth a try.) I just drain as much as possible through the radiator drain plug orifice, instead, then fill, idle the car, drain, and refill repeatedly until the drainage runs clear. I calculate how much water remains in the engine block after the last flush and then add undiluted coolant to achieve the right ratio of undiluted coolant to water. I think the consensus here is to use Honda's own OEM coolant. It costs more but its guaranteed (by folks here, and there's a lot of experience on this) to maximize the life of your Civic's water pump. The water pump is persnickety when it comes to coolants. I myself am experimenting with the Orange Dex stuff, allegedly designed for aluminum engines and imports like Honda, as well as long-life. Thirteen months and all's well. But I have the time, money, and inclination to experiment a little. I am thinking of replacing the radiator coolant more often than recommended, like 1.5 years or 20,000 miles, whichever comes first, instead of 2 years or every 30,000 miles. "Ben" <NoSpam@NoSpam.com> wrote > I was wondering if one can do perform a do-it-yourself radiator flush on a > 95 civic. I like to do it myself, because, everytime a go to a shop on a > saturday they make me wait for at least an hour, often they ask me to come > back at the end of the day. If i have to wait that long just to pay > somebody, i might as well do it myself. Can you share some of your > thoughts? Thanks. |
Re: radiator flush
http://pw1.netcom.com/~gentile/Vigor/Timely0102.htm
"Ben" <NoSpam@NoSpam.com> wrote in message news:PvtAb.4323$0U4.1047844@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.ne t... > Hi all, > > I was wondering if one can do perform a do-it-yourself radiator flush on a > 95 civic. I like to do it myself, because, everytime a go to a shop on a > saturday they make me wait for at least an hour, often they ask me to come > back at the end of the day. If i have to wait that long just to pay > somebody, i might as well do it myself. Can you share some of your > thoughts? Thanks. > > Ben > > > |
Re: radiator flush
http://pw1.netcom.com/~gentile/Vigor/Timely0102.htm
"Ben" <NoSpam@NoSpam.com> wrote in message news:PvtAb.4323$0U4.1047844@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.ne t... > Hi all, > > I was wondering if one can do perform a do-it-yourself radiator flush on a > 95 civic. I like to do it myself, because, everytime a go to a shop on a > saturday they make me wait for at least an hour, often they ask me to come > back at the end of the day. If i have to wait that long just to pay > somebody, i might as well do it myself. Can you share some of your > thoughts? Thanks. > > Ben > > > |
Re: radiator flush
http://pw1.netcom.com/~gentile/Vigor/Timely0102.htm
"Ben" <NoSpam@NoSpam.com> wrote in message news:PvtAb.4323$0U4.1047844@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.ne t... > Hi all, > > I was wondering if one can do perform a do-it-yourself radiator flush on a > 95 civic. I like to do it myself, because, everytime a go to a shop on a > saturday they make me wait for at least an hour, often they ask me to come > back at the end of the day. If i have to wait that long just to pay > somebody, i might as well do it myself. Can you share some of your > thoughts? Thanks. > > Ben > > > |
Re: radiator flush
http://pw1.netcom.com/~gentile/Vigor/Timely0102.htm
"Ben" <NoSpam@NoSpam.com> wrote in message news:PvtAb.4323$0U4.1047844@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.ne t... > Hi all, > > I was wondering if one can do perform a do-it-yourself radiator flush on a > 95 civic. I like to do it myself, because, everytime a go to a shop on a > saturday they make me wait for at least an hour, often they ask me to come > back at the end of the day. If i have to wait that long just to pay > somebody, i might as well do it myself. Can you share some of your > thoughts? Thanks. > > Ben > > > |
Re: radiator flush
I basically do what you've recommended but slightly different. In the
summer--drain using the radiator drain plug. Measure the amount (volume) that comes out. Fill with water. Drive for a day and then repeat the process. Do this until the water that comes out of the radiator is relatively clear. Remember to open the heater a few times during one of the daily rides to ensure getting the mixed solution out of the heater too. Knowing the capacity of your cooling system and the volume that drains out you can calculate how much anti-freeze to put in to ensure the 50-50 mix. MLD "Caroline" <caroline10027remove@earthlink.net> wrote in message news:jyuAb.2893$rP6.835@newsread2.news.pas.earthli nk.net... > If you're at all handy, then a radiator drain, flush, and re-fill is very > straightforward. > > The advantages: Don't have to wait on a shop; you know exactly what was done; > you can put in the coolant you think is best; you save money; you'll probably be > more careful; you're calling the shots. > > Disadvantages: Your hands get dirty. You have to locate someone that will take > the old coolant (not a big deal; state laws tend to be supportive). You have to > be careful not to leave puddles of coolant (it will kill dogs and cats). > > My 1991 Civic's owner's manual has instructions for this. Maybe yours does, too. > I would definitely not do this without the manufacturer's instructions. > > I think the most common hang-up comes at the step for taking off the engine > block drain bolt. A lot of people here, including myself, skip it, because the > engine block drain bolt is very tight, it's hard to get to, and the bolt head > isn't optimal. (I did get if off once, however. So it's worth a try.) I just > drain as much as possible through the radiator drain plug orifice, instead, then > fill, idle the car, drain, and refill repeatedly until the drainage runs clear. > I calculate how much water remains in the engine block after the last flush and > then add undiluted coolant to achieve the right ratio of undiluted coolant to > water. > > I think the consensus here is to use Honda's own OEM coolant. It costs more but > its guaranteed (by folks here, and there's a lot of experience on this) to > maximize the life of your Civic's water pump. The water pump is persnickety when > it comes to coolants. > > I myself am experimenting with the Orange Dex stuff, allegedly designed for > aluminum engines and imports like Honda, as well as long-life. Thirteen months > and all's well. But I have the time, money, and inclination to experiment a > little. > > I am thinking of replacing the radiator coolant more often than recommended, > like 1.5 years or 20,000 miles, whichever comes first, instead of 2 years or > every 30,000 miles. > > "Ben" <NoSpam@NoSpam.com> wrote > > I was wondering if one can do perform a do-it-yourself radiator flush on a > > 95 civic. I like to do it myself, because, everytime a go to a shop on a > > saturday they make me wait for at least an hour, often they ask me to come > > back at the end of the day. If i have to wait that long just to pay > > somebody, i might as well do it myself. Can you share some of your > > thoughts? Thanks. > > |
Re: radiator flush
I basically do what you've recommended but slightly different. In the
summer--drain using the radiator drain plug. Measure the amount (volume) that comes out. Fill with water. Drive for a day and then repeat the process. Do this until the water that comes out of the radiator is relatively clear. Remember to open the heater a few times during one of the daily rides to ensure getting the mixed solution out of the heater too. Knowing the capacity of your cooling system and the volume that drains out you can calculate how much anti-freeze to put in to ensure the 50-50 mix. MLD "Caroline" <caroline10027remove@earthlink.net> wrote in message news:jyuAb.2893$rP6.835@newsread2.news.pas.earthli nk.net... > If you're at all handy, then a radiator drain, flush, and re-fill is very > straightforward. > > The advantages: Don't have to wait on a shop; you know exactly what was done; > you can put in the coolant you think is best; you save money; you'll probably be > more careful; you're calling the shots. > > Disadvantages: Your hands get dirty. You have to locate someone that will take > the old coolant (not a big deal; state laws tend to be supportive). You have to > be careful not to leave puddles of coolant (it will kill dogs and cats). > > My 1991 Civic's owner's manual has instructions for this. Maybe yours does, too. > I would definitely not do this without the manufacturer's instructions. > > I think the most common hang-up comes at the step for taking off the engine > block drain bolt. A lot of people here, including myself, skip it, because the > engine block drain bolt is very tight, it's hard to get to, and the bolt head > isn't optimal. (I did get if off once, however. So it's worth a try.) I just > drain as much as possible through the radiator drain plug orifice, instead, then > fill, idle the car, drain, and refill repeatedly until the drainage runs clear. > I calculate how much water remains in the engine block after the last flush and > then add undiluted coolant to achieve the right ratio of undiluted coolant to > water. > > I think the consensus here is to use Honda's own OEM coolant. It costs more but > its guaranteed (by folks here, and there's a lot of experience on this) to > maximize the life of your Civic's water pump. The water pump is persnickety when > it comes to coolants. > > I myself am experimenting with the Orange Dex stuff, allegedly designed for > aluminum engines and imports like Honda, as well as long-life. Thirteen months > and all's well. But I have the time, money, and inclination to experiment a > little. > > I am thinking of replacing the radiator coolant more often than recommended, > like 1.5 years or 20,000 miles, whichever comes first, instead of 2 years or > every 30,000 miles. > > "Ben" <NoSpam@NoSpam.com> wrote > > I was wondering if one can do perform a do-it-yourself radiator flush on a > > 95 civic. I like to do it myself, because, everytime a go to a shop on a > > saturday they make me wait for at least an hour, often they ask me to come > > back at the end of the day. If i have to wait that long just to pay > > somebody, i might as well do it myself. Can you share some of your > > thoughts? Thanks. > > |
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