jwblue Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 (edited) I have a 94 SE. The owners manual suggests replacing the engine coolant every 60K miles initially (or 4 years), then 30K. My vehicle is way past 60K, but doesn't waiting 60K miles (4 years) seem alike a long time? Can't that cause problems with the water pump and or radiator? It doesn't mention flushing the engine coolant. It is my understanding that flushing the coolant every two years is important. What is the difference between flushing and replacing engine coolant. How often should I do a flush? I have seen a lot of different information about this. Some say replacing the coolant should be done every year, which actually makes sense to me. Some two years. Edited April 8, 2011 by jwblue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nunya Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 as far as Im concerned, flushing is just one of the steps of replacement. You really want to put back in what yo ujust took the time to get out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2milehi Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 (edited) Wait for the water pump to go or a hose to split then drain the radiator and block. Then add a 50-50 mix of anti-freeze and distilled water. Coolant doesn't really deteriorate so if your coolant tests good leave it alone. As for flushing the system don't do it. Tap water is used which has minerals in it and that can cause problem later. Edited April 8, 2011 by 2milehi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 Yeah if you're due for a timing belt you could just do it then. I just drained the rad and when I took the water pump off a crapload of coolant came out like waterfall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwblue Posted April 8, 2011 Author Share Posted April 8, 2011 (edited) Wait for the water pump to go or a hose to split then drain the radiator and block. Then add a 50-50 mix of anti-freeze and distilled water. Coolant doesn't really deteriorate so if your coolant tests good leave it alone. As for flushing the system don't do it. Tap water is used which has minerals in it and that can cause problem later. Yeah if you're due for a timing belt you could just do it then. I just drained the rad and when I took the water pump off a crapload of coolant came out like waterfall. Am I reading this correctly? It is not necessary to change the coolant at intervals? A fried of mine just had the radiator and water pump replaced on her vehicle and she was told it was because the coolant was not replaced enough. Edited April 8, 2011 by jwblue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewebster Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 Well, if your coolant is bad, you need to replace it. Often you end up doing something like the water pump or needing to drain the coolant often enough that it makes a good excuse to change the coolant anyway and you don't need to bother doing extra work just to change it. I would not find it odd for coolant to last 4 years... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2milehi Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 (edited) Am I reading this correctly? It is not necessary to change the coolant at intervals? A fried of mine just had the radiator and water pump replaced on her vehicle and she was told it was because the coolant was not replaced enough. Yeah...Like mechanics have never made stories up before. What was wrong with the radiator and water pump? If the radiator was corroded, then tap water is to blame. Edited April 8, 2011 by 2milehi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejin4499 Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 Wait for the water pump to go or a hose to split then drain the radiator and block. Then add a 50-50 mix of anti-freeze and distilled water. Coolant doesn't really deteriorate so if your coolant tests good leave it alone. As for flushing the system don't do it. Tap water is used which has minerals in it and that can cause problem later. wouldn't using distilled water solve the mineral problem? Also if you notice sediment in your drained fluid I've heard of running distilled vinegar through the system to disolve it then change out the fluid again? Any thoughts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 Just buy the store brand 50/50 mix that is what I did haven't had a problem with getting to hot in the summer and have a lot of heat in the winter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewebster Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 I put tap water in mine. Isn't the coolant full of anti-corrosion additives? I could imagine some small amount of mineral deposits. I think 2milehi was pointing out that no one bothers to use distilled water for a flush, they just hook up a hose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2milehi Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 (edited) I put tap water in mine. Isn't the coolant full of anti-corrosion additives? I could imagine some small amount of mineral deposits. I think 2milehi was pointing out that no one bothers to use distilled water for a flush, they just hook up a hose. To me it is better to drain the radiator, block, and heater core then add 50/50 mix. No pockets of tap water. I tried the vinegar thing with the engine running. It just ate the water pump seal. A gallon of antifreeze is about $10, a gallon of distilled water is $0.50. So two gallons of 50/50 is ~$11 Two gallons of 50/50 premix will run you $19. I'll gladly save $8 by mixing it myself. Edited April 9, 2011 by 2milehi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madhornet Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 antifreeze is acidic like battery acid and the longer it is in there this gets worse an alkaline battery has 2 diff metals inside and eats its self internally to give u power once the 2 different metals inside the battery get eaten up or corroded the battery dies out, well thats what antifreeze does to your radiator and water pump and HEADGASKETS the head is aluminum and the block is steel (2 diff metals) and also the fire rings in your headgasket are steel well the antifreeze is the alkaline and so the more acidic the more the metals get eaten up because they are so close together only the thickness of a gasket between the 2 different metals so the more acidic the more chemical reaction with the 2 metals less acidic less reaction so yeah FLUSH IT get a multimeter put it on DC then AC and stick one lead in the rad cap in the liquid and put the other lead on different metals of the engine block and heads and u will get electricity the older the coolant more current and compare it after a flush Voltage of zero to .3 is normal in a coolant of cast iron engine. Such an engine will be destroyed with time by .5 volts, and engine manufactures are reporting .15 volts will destroy an aluminum engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madhornet Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 http://www.completeradiators.com/articles/34.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewebster Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 http://www.completeradiators.com/articles/34.htm I think electrolysis problems are caused by faulty electrical systems sending current through the coolant. If this happens then damage to the metal parts (engine, rad, etc.) and the coolant can result. I don't think old coolant specifically causes this problem... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MY1PATH Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 Isn't one of the purposes of coolant to avoid corrosion? Isn't that ONE of the reasons we don't use straight water on daily drivers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 If you use store-brand (generally a Dexcool clone) antifreeze, make sure your cooling system does not have leaks, or your cooling system will be brown and rusty, because air + Dexcool = cavitation which leads to rust, and it doesn't help that Dexcool doesn't spec either silicates (Nissan coolant is non-silicated) or phosphates (good for protection). More info at BITOG. I just stick with Nissan OEM + distilled water to avoid confusion and headaches. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 Dexcool is for GM vehicles. Do not put it in a pathfinder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2milehi Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 This item will definitely determine the pH of your coolant. Test Strips There seems to be some subjectivity with a volt meter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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