Preventative Maintenance - Cooling System

Prevention is the best cure for several problems that can occur within the cooling system. Below are some preventative maintenance measures that can be taken to extend the life of an engine.

• Use a good quality coolant. For newer vehicles use the coolant specified by the vehicles manufacturer. On older vehicles use a coolant that meets or exceeds the manufacturers specifications

• The entire cooling system should be flushed and the coolant replaced, at the specified intervals even if the coolant looks to have maintained its color and is clean. The chemicals in coolant deteriorate over time and their protection against corrosion becomes greatly reduced.

• When premixing coolant, rain water or distilled water is best. Ordinary tap water contains trace elements that can accelerate corrosion. Do not top up coolant level with plain water as this will dilute the coolant and reduce its protection level.

• When adding new coolant to a system or topping up the existing coolant, always use a solution that is premixed to the correct concentration as specified by the coolant manufacturer. Do not exceed the recommended concentration as this may change the coolants properties. Premixing the coolant will eliminate the guess work in estimating the cooling systems capacity and ensures that the correct concentration level is maintained.

• When refilling a cooling system, ensure that the air is purged from the system and that no air pockets are trapped in the cooling system.

• Never mix different makes or brands of coolant additives. The chemicals in one brand may not be compatible with those of another brand, resulting in a chemical reaction which could damage your cooling system. If the coolant in the system is unknown, drain, flush thoroughly and refill with fresh coolant.