Cooling System Power Flush And Refill

Old coolant can be replaced by draining it out and replacing it with fresh coolant; however, power flushing will remove all the old coolant and pull out any sediment and scale along with it. Power flushing requires special equipment and generally requires the thermostat to be removed, the lower radiator hose disconnected, and the flush machine connected in line. Water and, sometimes, a cleaning agent are pumped through the cooling system in a reverse path from the normal coolant flow. When completed, the hose is reconnected and a new thermostat is installed. The cooling system is refilled with the appropriate amount of antifreeze to bring the coolant to the proper mixture of antifreeze and water. For most vehicles and most climates, the mixture is 50 / 50. In colder climates, more antifreeze is used, but must never exceed 75 percent antifreeze. Follow the vehicle manufacturers' procedures and recommendations.