Help with Engine coolant change

[ELEmental59437]

How would I change out my engine coolant? I havent ever done this on a car, but I was reading the manual on what to do and I get everything up until after flushing the radiator with water. Once I am ready to put the coolant in I know you have to mix it with water. Whats the best way to mix this? and about how much coolant will I need to buy? I guess I am just asking for tips from someone that has already had to do this on their car. Thanks.

 

[ELEmental59437]

BAH!!! anyone?

 

[changedman]

just let it drip out, u can use water, let it drip at least 30mins, put in coolant, run car 10 minutes, refill/topoff.

 

[Matthew]

why are you draining your coolant ahmad?

 

[PaulMP3]

use distilled water also. (mineral free). I did mine, might wanna search i made a thread on it. Might want to go with the same color you got in there now, because you will only drain the radiator not the whole engine. I flushed mine like 4 times to get all the red out of the system.

 

[PaulMP3]

thanks to linuxracr

check this thread out.
http://www.mazdamp3.com/vbb230/showthread.php?s=&threadid=28018&highlight=engine+coolant

 

[changedman]

good directions, paul

 

[ELEmental59437]

Thanks for all the replies.. finally..

My main question is where to mix the coolant and water together? and how much coolant am I going to need to purchase. I have the shop manual so I have seen that page already.

RazorP5, I had to drain some to put the braided sleeves on.. and I refilled it with coolant only because I didnt know there was a differance. I now want to take the radiator braided sleeve off because it looks like crap IMO and I will need to refil about a 1/2 gallon anyways.

paulmp3, I did a search but couldnt find one .. im off to search again.. if you find it before me can u post a link? thanks

 

[ELEmental59437]

n/m... I found the link in you post above.

 

[ELEmental59437]

So I do need a vaccum pump to do all of this? I hope LinuxRacr has one.. I think I will go ahead and put in redline tranny fluid while I am at it then.

 

[PaulMP3]

the redline fluid is nice, and extreamly easy to do. I would be careful drainig your whole engine, it is vary dangerous if you get air in the lines with the water. 1 galon is plenty. the whole system holds 2 gallons and you should be about 60% water/ 40% antifreeze.

 

[CRDMS1]

My main question is where to mix the coolant and water together? and how much coolant am I going to need to purchase. I have the shop manual so I have seen that page already.

You can mix it yourself in a plastic bucket, or you can buy the 50/50 premix available everywhere. In any case, you won't need more than a gallon of coolant only. Your manual lists the coolant capacity as 7.9 US QTS (If I recall correctly), and you won't be able to drain anywhere near that much just out of the radiator only. I also added approximately a half bottle of WaterWetter to my radiator before filling.

Since you're also in DFW and it doesn't get that cold here, you can run a higher percentage of water if you wish. If your current cooling concentration is mostly coolant, you can probably get away with draining the radiator and simply adding distilled water.

Peace...(hippy)

 

[ELEmental59437]

Thanks for all the great replies.. Hopefully I will have this all done tonight or at least by tomarrow night. You guys rock.