Coolant system flush ?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 292
Likes: 41
From: Falls Church VA
Flushing the coolant system question...
I need to flush my '72 coolant system... Couple of questions... Is the pressurized system used in most quick lube centers (e..g, Jiffy lube) ok to use or should I just have them drain and refill? Secondly, do you think having a quick lube place do the change is low risk? Anything to keep an eye on while their doing it? (besides spilling anti-freeze on the body)? 
Thanks...
"Paranoid newbee owner"
Thanks...
"Paranoid newbee owner"
Last edited by Silver72; Jan 17, 2005 at 02:10 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2,737
Likes: 836
From: Gulf of America
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I have heard enough horror stories about the Jiffy Lube type stores that I would not let them do anything on my Vette. Why not flush the system yourself?
Former Vendor
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
From: Houston Texas
I've used them a few times over the years, with no trouble (except Glycol on the fender once) They will let you stay in the bay, to keep an eye on what their doing.They use a solvent to release the scale inside, and I think the Glycol is reused, again.
I also added a water wetter equivalent product, and dropped the normal operating temperature, by ten degree's.
I also added a water wetter equivalent product, and dropped the normal operating temperature, by ten degree's.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 814
Likes: 2
From: WESTLAKE LA
Originally Posted by Mako72
I have heard enough horror stories about the Jiffy Lube type stores that I would not let them do anything on my Vette. Why not flush the system yourself?
Do it yourself
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 10,039
Likes: 668
From: FL
You can buy a Prestone flush kit from any auto parts store. As long as you did it regularly (I do mine every years or so), you won't build up any scale.
Also, make sure to use distilled water when you refill. This will also help prevent scale buildup.
Also, make sure to use distilled water when you refill. This will also help prevent scale buildup.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,191
Likes: 1
I had Jiffy Lube do my daily driver - a '96 Lumina. I suppose that they didn't follow the burp procedure correctly. Later on that winter, it got quite cold in my car. I had one place burp the coolant, and they got some air out. Still cold in winter. There wasn't any flow through the heater core. I took it to another place and they back flushed the heater core and now it works fine.
It probably didn't help to have air in the cooling system with the DexCool. Supposedly the DexCool isn't very tolerant of air in the system, and the heater core got gunked up. Lucky for me the backflush did the trick.
From now on, I'll trust Jiffy Lube to do what they do best, and leave the additional work to others. It's tough enough to top off our coolant system anyway.
For your shark, I'd recommend that you grab some heater hose and run down to the hardware store for a garden hose fitting. Drain your system, hook up your garden/heater hose arrangement and run fresh water through your system to flush it out. Or simply put the garden hose down your radiator with the cap off. Might not hurt to put in some flush stuff too.
It probably didn't help to have air in the cooling system with the DexCool. Supposedly the DexCool isn't very tolerant of air in the system, and the heater core got gunked up. Lucky for me the backflush did the trick.
From now on, I'll trust Jiffy Lube to do what they do best, and leave the additional work to others. It's tough enough to top off our coolant system anyway.
For your shark, I'd recommend that you grab some heater hose and run down to the hardware store for a garden hose fitting. Drain your system, hook up your garden/heater hose arrangement and run fresh water through your system to flush it out. Or simply put the garden hose down your radiator with the cap off. Might not hurt to put in some flush stuff too.
