Download Article
Download Article
It's important to flush out your coolant system every few years. Over time, particles in your antifreeze can clog up your cooling system, leading to overheating and engine damage. Luckily, flushing your radiator and changing your coolant is easy with a flush and fill kit. We'll walk you through the process of doing a coolant flush so you can keep your ride running smoothly.
Steps
Get Car Support Solve Any Problem
Try Asking:
We’re sorry we don’t support the car you are looking for. Please enter its make, model, and year below so that we can add support for it.
Thank you! We’ll review your request and add support for this product as soon as possible. In the meantime, you can ask more questions about the products we currently support.
-
Check the engine to make sure it is no longer hot. Loosen the radiator cap to release any pressure still left, and then re-tighten.
- Many newer cars have the cap on the coolant reservoir instead of the radiator itself, but, on certain cars, there may be no radiator cap at all. In this case, emit the pressure by loosening the thermostat cap.
-
Place a pan or bucket under the radiator plug beneath the car to catch the old antifreeze. Elevating the car on ramps may help the process. [1] X Research sourceAdvertisement
-
Splice the "Flush Tee" to the heater inlet hose. The heater inlet hose usually runs between the firewall and the top of the radiator. This may be done using a clamp and a couple of screws. [2] X Research source
Advertisement
-
Remove the cap covering the tee as well as the radiator cap. Attach a coupler to the flushing tee to prevent backwash.
- The black part should attach to the tee and the yellow part should attach to a garden hose. On cars with no radiator cap (or reservoir cap), flush by disconnecting the upper radiator hose.
-
Flush with tap water until it runs clear. A cleaning solution may have also been provided in the antifreeze flush kit. [3] X Research source
Advertisement
-
Mix antifreeze according to what your climate needs, somewhere between a 50% and 70% mix.
-
Pour the amount you measured into your radiator, reservoir or thermostat opening. Some leakage of water and diluted antifreeze will come out of the tee. [4] X Research source
-
Recap the tee and tighten the clamp by hand. Replace your radiator cap and run your car for 10 minutes after it reaches its running temperature.
-
Allow your engine to cool again and check antifreeze levels. Add more as needed. [5] X Research source
Advertisement
Community Q&A
Search
-
QuestionHow do I flush the engine block?RawfoodbreederCommunity AnswerFirst, open the thermostat housing. There is a bolt attached to the engine block, you're going to have to look for it, where the block meets the oil pan. Look around on the block below the exhausts. When refilling, make sure to flush all the air out of the system.
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
Advertisement
Tips
Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Name
Please provide your name and last initial
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
Warnings
- Do not open the radiator cap while engine is hot. A spray of hot antifreeze can severely burn you.Thanks
- Dispose of old antifreeze properly. Anti-freeze tastes sweet and can cause severe poisoning or even death if swallowed. [6] X Research sourceThanks
Advertisement
Things You'll Need
- Coolant Flush Kit
- Dump pan or bucket
- Clamp and screws
- Garden hose
References
- ↑ https://www.dummies.com/home-garden/car-repair/how-to-safely-jack-up-your-vehicle/
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jcjwQXUiiM
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8YZF5cW7-A
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrD5VIBj1wk
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEdtHZwLKZ8
- ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-dispose-of-antifreeze/
About This Article
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 82,503 times.
Reader Success Stories
- "This article was very helpful, and gave me good ideas on what needs to be done and where to start. Very helpful."
Advertisement
84%
of readers found this article helpful
.
Click a star to add your vote
% of people told us that this article helped them.
"This article was very helpful, and gave me good ideas on what needs to be done and where to start. Very helpful."
