[mobiuslogic]

So I flushed my coolant today. Cost me all of about 20 bucks, and that includes the cost of a gallon of antifreeze, a gallon of distilled water, 5 bucks to my mechanic for him to dump it, and 4 bucks for a 5 gallon bucket to transport it over there.

Yup, drained the coolant, filled it back up with tap, and redrained it. Took those 5 gallons to the mechanic to dump. Then I opened the tap and just ran water through the system as it all drained out. Came out fresh as a daisy except for a little bit of rust smell. Feels good doing job right and saving money doing it yourself at the sametime. That deserves a chili

-mobiuslogic

 

[Damon]

Originally posted by mobiuslogic@Jan 23 2004, 06:54 PM
So I flushed my coolant today. Cost me all of about 20 bucks, and that includes the cost of a gallon of antifreeze, a gallon of distilled water, 5 bucks to my mechanic for him to dump it, and 4 bucks for a 5 gallon bucket to transport it over there.

Yup, drained the coolant, filled it back up with tap, and redrained it. Took those 5 gallons to the mechanic to dump. Then I opened the tap and just ran water through the system as it all drained out. Came out fresh as a daisy except for a little bit of rust smell. Feels good doing job right and saving money doing it yourself at the sametime. That deserves a chili

-mobiuslogic

Sweetness. Luckily you live in Cali where its warm. I am overdue for a coolant change, but its about 8 degrees outside with a windchill of -2 right now, so its gonna have to wait till spring.

Did you use a flush product like prestone?

-Damon

 

[mikehawk]

Why did you pay somebody to take the old coolant. I thought you were supposed to dump it down a sanitary sewer. I remember reading that somewhere, but I can't remember where I read it.

I usually do a "power flush" when I flush the coolant. I take the big hose on the bottom of the resevoir, un hook it, and clamp it to a garden hose and turn on a little water. Fresh water comes spraying out of the little petcock valve at a pretty high pressure. It definitely gets all the sediment out of the radiator.

 

[Damon]

Originally posted by mikehawk@Jan 23 2004, 07:24 PM
Why did you pay somebody to take the old coolant. I thought you were supposed to dump it down a sanitary sewer. I remember reading that somewhere, but I can't remember where I read it.

LIKE WHOA!

Under no circumstances should you dispose of used coolant that way. That stuff is toxic, its bad for the environment, and I think its a federal offense to dispose of coolant that way.

Unfortunately, places like autozone and such DO NOT take used coolant. Thats why you usually have to pay a mechanic or shop to dispose of it for you. When I flushed my roomates truck, my mechanic let me dump it in his shops waste coolant tank, free of charge.

-DC

 

[mobiuslogic]

Yeah, I power flushed the Scirocco, but not the Taurus. The coolant didn't look too bad. Usually I just stick the hose into the fill cap and then run the engine with the hose undone and the water flowing. Didn't do it this time, just used the little drain valve on the radiator. No I didn't use a flushing product because the coolant looked pretty clean, just old. Heck it was so easy I'll do it every 20,000 miles. Also what's the "peacock valve." May be a better way to flush it than I was doing.

-mobiuslogic

 

[mikehawk]

I thought the petcock was that little plastic valve at the bottom of the radiator? If that's not what it's called, then what is its real name?


:Edit:
Okay, I dug out the coolant bottles in my shed. Here's what one of them says on it:

QUOTE

When disposing used antifreeze/coolant, follow local laws and regulations.  If required, dispose  at facilities licensed to accept household hazardous waste.  If permitted, dispose in sanitary sewer systems.  Do not discard into storm sewers, septic systems, or onto ground.[/b]

So that sounds like it's safe to dump it down the toilet.

 

[sundarpn]

I did the flush to.. I didnt have access to a garden hose so it was kinda pita... essp the 3 cycles where I had to put in tap water and run for 2-3 mins & drain..
I used prestone cooling system flush..

then valovline maxlife coolant & all distilled water...

 

[sundarpn]

oh forgot to mention also changed the t-stat with a motorcraft oem one.. that cost added 7 something bucks

plus 80 cents for that cheap t'stat gasket at autozone

 

[jrand53]

Heard a good one on local car show radio this weekend. For complete rad flush, drain it, run a dose of Spic'n'Span (I didn't know they still made the stuff) through it, put another in, drive it for an hour and drain, then fill normally.

Anyone heard of this one? Local guy swears by it.

 

[mobiuslogic]

Sounds logical to me. Just a good scrubing from the inside out I guess.

-mobiuslogic

 

[sabledale]

-mobiuslogic

Sweetness. Luckily you live in Cali where its warm. I am overdue for a coolant change, but its about 8 degrees outside with a windchill of -2 right now, so its gonna have to wait till spring.

Did you use a flush product like prestone?

-Damon [/quote]
wow. I only wish it was that hot here.
-32 degrees F with a windchill that reached -40!

 

[mobiuslogic]

Jeez, we got a little rain last night, but it was pretty weak. Only drizzled today. Why won't anybody listen to me!?!?! California is where it's at baby!!!

-mobiuslogic

 

[biteableniles]

Originally posted by mobiuslogic@Jan 27 2004, 09:14 PM
Jeez, we got a little rain last night, but it was pretty weak. Only drizzled today. Why won't anybody listen to me!?!?! California is where it's at baby!!!

-mobiuslogic

What about Texas, man? We got dat hot stuff here

Actually, it's gonna be in the 20's tonight...stupid...weather...



I have to do a flush on our Explorer, the fluid looks a little brown, and also on our Spirit (don't wanna blow a headgasket.) I buy this quick-flush stuff and just let the engine idle with the heater on. Fluid's running clear after about half an hour, and on my Taurus, the antifreeze is still bright green from last year.

I just dump the stuff in our garage sink. Called the city and they said they didn't care. Hey, whatever, less work for me.

 

[mobiuslogic]

Originally posted by biteableniles@Jan 27 2004, 09:52 PM
I just dump the stuff in our garage sink. Called the city and they said they didn't care. Hey, whatever, less work for me.

That's sad man. How old are you? You realize that when all the "grown-ups" die, we "kids" are the ones left, right? So if you go trashing it NOW, it'll be all F'ed Up by the time we "kids" are "grown up." [FLAMESUIT ACTIVATE=1] But then again, your from Texas, and I think Bush's stance on the environment is all I need to say. At least try to help the environment a little. It really doesn't take very much. Cost me 5 bucks to dispose of my coolant at the mechanics after 3 years of driving it. I think you can afford to dispose of it properly. That stuff is some really nasty stuff; ecologically and biologically.

-mobiuslogic

 

[biteableniles]

QUOTE

Cost me 5 bucks to dispose of my coolant at the mechanics after 3 years of driving it. I think you can afford to dispose of it properly. That stuff is some really nasty stuff; ecologically and biologically.[/b]

Eh, I worry plenty about the environment (hence why I ride my bike to school instead of drive and never litter.) I just don't have the necessary container to take it to the mechanic, and plus, the antifreeze that I used stated a warning along these lines:

"Use proper disposal techniques, check local...(regulations?) This product has been deemed ecologically friendly, but keep out of reach of children and pets."

Or something like that. I looked it over pretty well and it seemed that, at least the type I was using would be ok to dump in the drain.

18, btw.

 

[mobiuslogic]

If it says it's "ecologically friendly" then it's not antifreeze, plain and simple man. That's also why it says "Keep out of reach of children and pets." Because it's toxic and poisonous. Just go buy a 5 gallon paint bucket for 5 bucks. It'll seal tight, and you'll still have a good bucket to use. I just stuck it behind the passenger seat and wedged it against the rear seat with the front seat. No leaks, no drips, and no worries. Doesn't take something fancy to get the job done.

And be honest. You ride your bike to school because it's free and your school is close enough that it's not a problem. I didn't even get my drivers license till after I graduated HS because my high school is 2 blocks away. Be honest man.

-mobiuslogic

 

[biteableniles]

Really?

And, I chose my college because it was close and provided me with many different advantages, one large one being I could stay at home and ride my bike to school instead of drive, not only for the exercise but also because i felt bad driving to school 20miles back and forth every day for the past two years.

I'm not a liar just because I sound like an idiot sometimes

 

[mobiuslogic]

WOW!!! WOW!! That's awesome. I've never new that stuff existed. I've never seen it before. In fact, if it really is biodegradable and I can just pour it down the sink, I'll sure as heck use it next time. Plus it's safer. WOW again. <cough>It still says it's recyclable though<cough> That really is cool though Niles. Thanks man.

-mobiuslogic

 

[biteableniles]

Originally posted by mobiuslogic@Jan 28 2004, 02:42 AM
WOW!!! WOW!! That's awesome. I've never new that stuff existed. I've never seen it before. In fact, if it really is biodegradable and I can just pour it down the sink, I'll sure as heck use it next time. Plus it's safer. WOW again. <cough>It still says it's recyclable though<cough> That really is cool though Niles. Thanks man.

-mobiuslogic

Yeah, my parents started buying stuff like that after our second cat died by antifreeze poisining (it wasn't from our cars, but you can't be too safe.)

Some of the cheap stuff at places like Autozone are also "pet safe" and what not. I have no idea if it's anywhere as good as some of the high performance antifreezes and whatever, but I like my cats more than my car

And--Ok, fine, you got me. I'll recycle the next load of antifreeze from our Explorer and Spirit. That is a lot of antifreeze, "safe" or not

 

[sixfofalcon]

Even regular anti-freeze IS SAFE to dump in the sanitary sewer. I think you people are confusing the sanitary sewer with the storm drain, and anti-freeze with some kind of complex poisonous chemical. Anti-freeze is 99.9% ethylene glycol (alcohol.) It is only poisonous if you drink it. The reason why they put the warnings on the label is b/c animals and children are tempted to drink it b/c of its sweet smell. My dad puts a pan of antifreeze in our garage attic to kill mice. Every spring, there are a dozen or so dead mice in there.

Anti-freeze won't reak havoc on the environment if you dump it in the sanitary sewer. The real danger is letting it run off into the storm drains, b/c it will dump directly into local waterways. Alcohol will kill beneficial bacteria and algae, and in larger doses, fish and amphibians . However, the sanitary sewer is a closed system. It doesn't empty into waterways until it has been purified and contaminants have been removed. If your local municipality does not allow disposal of anti-freeze or other household chemicals in the sanitary sewer, they are required by law to dispose of it for you at no charge.