Any car people out there?

[leftyladyfrommo]

Why do you have to have the radiator flushed? Is it just to clean everything out?

I just had that done this morning because it was on my list. And I needed new spark plugs.

[HopeHoops]

1. The fluid decomposes over time, as does the metal on the inside. This leads to sediment.

Flushing the system both removes most of that sediment and clears any (most) that has been deposited in the flow path. It not only results in a more efficient system, but can increase the life of the overall system.

On Edit: The transmission fluid AND FILTER should be changed at least every 60K miles for similar reasons.

[david13]

2. The fluid becomes acidic. The system starts to rust out from the

inside out. It is to clean it out and get new fluid in that does what it's supposed to do.
Transmission also. Do that too.
With good maintenance, your car will last longer.
dc

[Mopar151]

3. When the corrosion inhibiter in the coolant is expended

The dissimilar metals in the engine start to undergo electrolytic corrosion. In older radiators, the tin/lead solder "blooms" , restricting flow through the (cooling) tubes.

[old mark]

4. Great advice, especially about the trans filters-most people don't know there is one in there,

and never change the auto trans fluid. Your car will last much longer with these simple things, plus regular oil and filter changes...and, when you leave the car, make sure your heater controls are OFF-fluid inside the heater corrodes the same as that in the radiator, and those heater cores are nearly always really expensive to replace when they start leaking into the car...you have to remove most of the dashboard just to get to it.

mark

[david13]

5. Some of the guys (transmissions, i.e. trannies) do not have a filter

or one that is accessible without dis assembly of the whole transmission.
Thus not everybody can get the filter.
Hey, don't forget to change the oil, add oil to a stick shift as well.
More people what do not know about auto trans fluid, do not know that a stick also has oil in it.
dc

[old mark]

6. I changed the trans fluid on an old Ford Fairlane once myself, will never do that again...

it looked like grey cocoa...had to drop the pan to get at the filters.

Pay a good mechanic. Save the money you'd spend for a tow and a new trans. Or a new car...

mark

[david13]

8. From what I saved by being a good mechanic myself, and earned

from doing good jobs for others, I have bought new cars.
And I have dropped those large pans also. Can be a mess. You need a real big pan. But then I know it's done right.
dc

[EnviroBat]

7. Many here have extolled the virtues of flushing the system.

I will add that old, acidic radiator fluid leads to break down of the head gasket material as well as other critical engine gaskets. Once this happens, coolant and oil mix, (or attempt to). This is the point when a major engine overhaul is in the near future. Pretty much every high-tolerance internal component of an engine becomes burned, or scarred, and then, POOF!

[leftyladyfrommo]

9. Hey, thanks.

I guess I should have done it sooner. I'll try to remember and get it done every 60,000 miles.

I have 112,000 on my Toyota Yaris now. I had the spark plugs changed, too. Actually, the manufacturer says not to do that until 120,000 but what the hey.