Vehicle maintenance - the most important thing to do to keep your vehicle running for a long time. Oil changes, transmission service, brake pads, chassis lube, tires, etc; all things that you probably think about when maintaining their vehicle. But do ever think about the cooling system? I'm not talking about pulling off the cap and checking the coolant level, that's elementary stuff. Is your coolant clean? Is your coolant flowing? Have you checked for stains on the radiator or water pump? These are questions to ask yourself about your car, and if the answer is "no" to any of these, you should probably do some checking!
Muddy-freeze
Most vehicles over-time without routine flushes will build up dirt and grime inside the cooling system resulting in brown, mud filled anti-freeze. Once you get a dirty system, it can start to cause loads of problems from clogging to breaking down gaskets and seals creating leaks. Systems with orange anti-freeze such as GM's Dex-Cool are especially vulnerable. We actually recommend having the orange flushed out and replaced with a universal antifreeze.
The dirty system needs to be avoided altogether. This can done by routine annual flushes to your cooling system. Taking it to a mechanic to flush usually doesn't cost a whole lot and is well worth it as it gets rid of all dirt and grime and your old coolant is replaced with brand new coolant. Also if you have any clogging or restriction, this can free up the passageways.
The dirty system needs to be avoided altogether. This can done by routine annual flushes to your cooling system. Taking it to a mechanic to flush usually doesn't cost a whole lot and is well worth it as it gets rid of all dirt and grime and your old coolant is replaced with brand new coolant. Also if you have any clogging or restriction, this can free up the passageways.
Feeling Clogged?
| When your system isn't flowing, problems develop. The main problem is that you will start getting hot, causing the radiator to break, water pump to break, or even head gaskets to go out. Usually the first part to get clogged is the radiator, as it has the smallest channels. A flush typically wont help a clogged radiator and the radiator will have to be "rodded." This is actually taking the radiator out of the vehicle and pushing a rod through all tubes. You can have this done at almost any radiator shop, but can be avoided by simply checking your cooling system regularly. Basically, if you keep up with your cooling system, adding coolant when needed, and having routine flushes done, you can avoid all the problems that come with having a dirty system, and it costs much less than having your heads replaced. |  "Rodding" a Radiator |
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