The car's radiator is responsible for keeping your engine cool and prevents it from overheating. However, as time passes, the radiator can get quite dirty and will need to be cleaned in order to perform efficiently in keeping your engine cool. Cleaning the radiator by performing a radiator flush is inexpensive and will prevent expensive damages to your car's engine. Also, it is something that you can do yourself.
Before you perform a radiator flush, you need to make sure that you have everything that you need to perform it. There's nothing more frustrating than draining your radiator only to realize that you need something from the auto parts store that is in another part of town to completely perform the flush.
What you will need is a Phillips head screwdriver or a wrench (depending on what the radiator requires), a cloth rag, coolant, radiator flush solution, funnel, and a used coolant receptacle.
Before you perform the radiator flush, you need to make sure that your engine is completely cool. If you just used your car, let it cool for a few hours, or perform the flush the next day.
Now that you are ready to perform the radiator flush, the first step is to drain the radiator of the old coolant. Locate the drain plug, which could be anywhere along the bottom of the radiator. It will either be a screw or a bolt plug or even a petcock. Before you loosen it and let the old coolant drain out, be sure that the used coolant receptacle is placed under the drain.
After the radiator is completely drained, replace the drain plug and open the radiator cap. Add the contents of the radiator flush solution to the radiator and fill it to the top with water.
Replace the radiator cap and make sure it's tight. After that, start the car and let it run until it gets to its operating temperature or when you see that temp gauge reach the temperature level it normally stays at.
Then, turn your heater on and move the temperature control to the hottest position. Let the car and the heater run for about 10 to 15 minutes and turn the car off as well as the heater. Wait until the engine cools off. If the radiator cap is still hot to the touch, it's still hot to open.
Once the engine has cooled down, the next step is to drain the radiator again. Open the drain plug and empty the contents in the radiator. Just remember that nothing from the radiator should leak onto the ground.
Now that the radiator is cleaned, the next step is to replace the radiator drain plug or close the petcock. Then, open the radiator cap and refill the radiator with fresh coolant. It is recommended that you fill the radiator with 1:1 mixture of coolant and water. This means that 50 percent should be coolant and the remaining 50 percent should be water. After you fill the radiator, you can fill the plastic coolant reservoir with the same coolant and water mixture.
Tighten everything, including the caps and you are ready to go. With a clean radiator, you can be sure that you are keeping your car's engine properly maintained and perform efficiently.
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