Coolant Flush

[Fish]

My 05 still has the original coolant so I think its due for a changing. I have never dealt with this and dont plan on doing it myself. Jiffy Lube offers the service and they say they vacuum out the old and put new coolant in so it gets about 90% of the old coolant out, not really a flush but more of an exchange. Are there better ways to do it, what should I look for and more importantly what should I avoid. The GM mechanic I usually go to is closed for a week while he's on vacation so I cant get his opinion right now.

 

[JPaul]

I don't understand how you can "vacuum out" coolant, since most of where it lives is solid metal. You do have to do a vacuum fill, where you create a vacuum after you've drained the fluid so that when you fill it back up it doesn't end up with a bunch of air in the system. But you still just open up the drain spigot in the radiator and let it drain out, then hook up the vacuum fill device, suck all the air out, flip a lever and it sucks in the new coolant, then you remove the vacuum fill device and probably top it off.

Now maybe if you hooked up a very high volume air source and after draining out the coolant you blew a ton of air through the cooling passages to blow as much of the old stuff out as possible, that might be nice. But I doubt any quick lube place is going to do that.

 

[Fish]

I have no idea how its done but that is what they told me on the phone...and this is why I'm asking you all. I've seen the machines tucked away in the corner at the quick lube places but I don't know anything about them.

 

[alrock]

Good idea to swap out the coolant, I'm sure it is worn out even if it looks fine. As J Paul said vacuum fillis the best way to go. I usually trust the local shops more than I trust places like Jiffy Lube. Yelp can be a good resource for finding a good shop.

 

[twinmill28]

I've done the coolant change on an actual H2, mine. There was no drain cock like regular radiators should have. We pulled the lower rad hose loose and drained it that way--then ran a hose through it for awhile, I don't remember if we ran it while flushing but we took out what we believed to be all the old coolant, which by the way still looked great at 85K miles of heavy towing. I mean it looked new.
After we finished flushing it well we put it back together and filled it first with water wetter then coolant. We didn't worry much about burping it, ran it with the cap off and filled as needed once it was warm. Been towing for another 10K miles and all is well.
If a shade tree mechanic like me can do it, pretty much anyone can. I did have help from my buddy who was an equipment mechanic but it was still no more work than a standard fluid change on any old school car.

 

[Woodtick]

:corn: Very interesting Twin. How the hell have you been?

 

[Fish]

I could probably do it myself but I'd rather not. Dealer quoted me $160, Jiffylube is $110 and they claim they will get 90% of the old coolant out. I want to talk to my mechanic who specailizes in GM vehicles when he gets back from vacation and see what he charges then I'll get it done.