Our Cincinnati car mechanics hear it all. And we’ve found out over our years of import car maintenance and repair that many car owners are very ill-informed when it comes to both radiator flushes and their heating and cooling systems. Myths abound, and many of them can be highly destructive if believed. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest falsehoods when it comes to radiators. Remember, knowing is half the battle. The other half is getting a radiator flush every 40,000 miles.
Radiator Myth #1: Cooling Systems are Maintenance Free
Many people mistakenly believe that radiators are pretty much maintenance free. It’s true that you will need a radiator flush less frequently than something like an oil change, but like motor oil, coolant will get contaminated over time. Coolant breaks down over time and use, becoming more corrosive and contaminated over time. When it comes to a radiator flush, don’t just drain the old antifreeze and put new in. Your auto repair shop should also flush all of the old coolant and debris out of the system with water before replacing it with new. Periodic radiator flushes can prevent a bigger headache down the road.
Radiator Myth #2: All Types of Coolants are Created Equal
We all know what happens if you buy the wrong brand of your favorite snacks at the store, they just don’t taste as good. And though you definitely should not be drinking your antifreeze, different brands of antifreeze are the same way. If you get the cheap stuff, it can vary greatly in quality and effectiveness. Car manufacturers are so aware of this that some will even void your warranty if you don’t use the coolant specified in the owner’s manual when you do a radiator flush. Antifreeze is an essential fluid that needs to meet the proper specification for your vehicle’s needs.
It’s also a bad idea to mix different types of coolant when you do a radiator flush. You shouldn’t mix different chemical types with one another in general, and there are a few different varieties of coolant out there. Though it may be fun to mix chemicals in science class to see what happens, you don’t want to accidentally mix something inside of your radiator whose chemical reaction will becomes thick and viscous inside of your car. A radiator flush with liquid coolant is fairly straightforward. A radiator flush with coolant that has gelled inside your radiator? Not so much. If you are in a pinch and you need to top off your radiator, but don’t know the type of coolant you need, your safest option is just to use plain water.
Myth #3: All You Need to Do is Top Coolant Off
Most people think coolant is like gas: As long as the tank’s full, you’re good to go. If you add a little bit of new coolant to a radiator that’s already filled with contaminants, it doesn’t do very much good in the long run. It’s the overall quality of the coolant itself that affects your car’s performance and lifespan. Since the coolant breaks down over time as it is used you do need to do periodic radiator flushes with new coolant to keep the system clean and in top shape. A flush doesn’t only remove the old coolant. It also flushes out the old contaminants before new antifreeze is added. Your body has a liver and kidneys to flush your system and keep you healthy. Your vehicle needs to visit the car mechanic for periodic oil changes, radiator flushes, and maybe the occasional brake flush service to do the same thing.
