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How to Change Your Antifreeze/Coolant
 Changing antifreeze regularly is a vital part of preventative maintenance and keeps vehicles performing at optimal levels. To avoid engine problems, including freeze-ups and overheating, the experts at Prestone Products offer these easy steps to help make the annual antifreeze flush and fill a safe, uncomplicated do-it-yourself project.
- Park your car in a safe area. Make sure pets are secured safely and no children are in the
area. Be sure to check your owner's manual for any special cooling system service instructions. Begin with the engine cold and the ignition off. If you change coolant when the engine is hot, you risk burns from the hot coolant and engine.
- Drain your radiator to remove loose rust and sediment. Open the radiator drain valve and drain the used antifreeze/coolant into a bucket large enough to catch the flow (typically, a two-gallon bucket is sufficient). Close the drain valve.
- Dispose of the used antifreeze/coolant according to local laws and regulations. Be sure to
label the disposed container clearly as "used antifreeze" and secure with a childproof cap. Don't use containers from beverages to store
used antifreeze. Keep the container stored securely away from children and animals until
you can dispose of or recycle the used coolant safely.
- Flush the radiator system to clean the engine block before refilling
with new antifreeze/coolant. Experts recommend using a cooling system
flush like Prestone Super Flush to remove stubborn rust and grease. After filliing the cooling system with clean water and the flush/cleaner, replace the radiator cap and run the engine at normal operating temperature with the heater on high for the time recommended on the flush product label (about ten minutes). Turn off the vehicle and let the engine cool off. Drain the system again, close the drain and refill with water alone. Run the
engine again for fifteen minutes at normal operating temperature, allow it to cool, then redrain the engine and close the drain valve. Dispose of the cooling system flush the same way as you would the used engine coolant. It, as well as an all-water flush, may contain toxic residues picked up from the cooling system metals.
- Check your owner's manual for actual cooling system capacity. If you have flushed the engine with water, add the new antifreeze -- either 100%
Prestone antifreeze/coolant or Prestone LowTox antifreeze concentrate - to a level equal to half
the cooling system capacity. Then top off the recovery bottle with water
as needed. The goal is to have installed 50% antifreeze/coolant. Up to
70% is permissible when freezing protection below -34°F is desired.
Once
the radiator is filled, start the vehicle and run the engine to normal operating temperature with the heater on
high to disperse it fully throughout the system. Your owner's manual may suggest using air bleed valves on your engine or removing the heater hose to help purge any air that got into the engine during draining. Do as instructed. If the temperature warning light comes on or there is no heat, turn off the vehicle and seek professional assistance. Shut off the engine and allow it to cool.
- Tighten the child resistant cap on the container of any unused coolant and store securely away from the reach of children and animals. Check for any spills or leaks and clean them up immediately. Never allow the used antifreeze to drain onto the ground or into storm drains and be careful of spills.
- Check coolant level and concentration after about a week of driving to allow the antifreeze
and water to mix. If it has dropped, top of with 50% antifreeze/coolant. Make sure your testing
method is appropriate for the coolant you used (use a hydrometer or test strips for EG or
test strips for PG antifreeze). Special test strips are available that change color according to
the concentration of coolant. Adjust concentration levels, if needed, by adding water or
antifreeze/coolant.
Information about Prestone products is available at www.prestone.com
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