Thread: Coolant flush... Shop or diy?

Originally Posted by Jaredthefail

My dex cool looks like s**t and I heard it's better to switch to universal/green coolant. Would I benefit from getting a shop to do it or should I do it at home?

Sent from my Moto G (5S) Plus using Tapatalk

A vote here for DIY. Prestone & Peak sell a cheap flush kit, you splice a tee into a heater hose and leave it there. Swapping in a new T-stat is smart too. Run for a while without one helps flush stuff better, I think. While you're in there, it's a good time to do hoses (rad & htr), easy and short money for peace of mind..... my 0.02...

Originally Posted by markpa

My guess is a shop is only going to do it once. DIY


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The 'quick lube' places sucker people with a "radiator flush & fill". Makes it sound good, still less than half the job.

Do it yourself. Not too hard. If you are switching, I would dump it, fill up with water and some flush chemicals. Drive it for a day or so and dump again. Fill again with just water and drive for another day. See if it comes out clean when you dump it. If so, change hoses and fill with fresh coolant/water. If not keep repeating until the water comes out clean.

You could do the "Bill" method.

Drain it out and using your hose clamp tool (honestly go buy one) pull the heater hoses off, one at firewall the other at alternator bracket, top and bottom radiator hoses at radiator. Now take out your garden hose and prep to get wet. Put hose right into the open cap area of the radiator and fill it up. Move over to one of the heater hoses. Flush the core and engine, hook up to top hose or if you pulled t-stat the open LIM. Basically flush each and every orifice until it's running clean everywhere. Now hook back up, fill it back up and fire it up. Keep in mind you might have an air pocket in the LIM so watch the temp gauge and feel your top hose it should get warm quick enough. 3800's make good heat.

Repeat.. drain and flush. Up to you how many times. You are going to get soaked and you'll get it clean. The block of a 3800 holds approximately a gallon after you've pulled then engine out etc.