Flushing is only necessary if the coolant is contaminated. Here’s the drain and refill procedure.
Drain:
1. Remove the pressure relief cap
2. Connect a hose to drain the coolant. Open the radiator drain valve and drain the engine coolant in a suitable, clean container.
Use the General Equipment: Fluid Container
Refill:
1. Install the vacuum cooling system filler and follow the manufacturer's instructions to fill and bleed the system.
Use the General Equipment: Cooling System Vacuum Tester and Refiller
2. Recommended coolant concentration is 48/52 to 50/50 engine coolant to distilled water (freeze protection -34˚C to -37˚C [-30˚F to -34˚F]).
For extremely cold climates (less than -37˚C [-34˚F]):
- It may be necessary to increase the coolant concentration above 50%.
- NEVER increase the coolant concentration above 60%.
- Maximum coolant concentration is 60/40 for cold weather areas.
- A coolant concentration of 60% provides freeze protection down to -50˚C (-58˚F)
- Engine coolant concentrations above 60% will decrease the overheat protection characteristics of the engine coolant and may damage the engine.
For extremely hot climates:
- It is still necessary to maintain the coolant concentration above 40%.
- NEVER decrease the coolant concentration below 40%.
- Minimum coolant concentration is 40/60 for warm weather areas.
- Engine coolant concentrations below 40% will decrease the freeze and corrosion protection characteristics of the engine coolant and may damage the engine.
3. Vehicles driven year-round in non-extreme climates should use a 48/52 to 50/50 (freeze protection -34˚C to -37˚C [-30˚F to -34˚F]) mixture of engine coolant and distilled water for optimum cooling system and engine protection.
4. Fill the degas bottle to the MAX FILL line.
5. Install the degas bottle cap until it contacts the hard stop.
6. Turn the climate control system off.
7. Start the engine and increase the engine speed to 3,500 rpm and hold for 30 seconds.
8.Turn the engine off and wait for 1 minute to purge any large air pockets from the cooling system.
9. Check the engine coolant level in the degas bottle and, if necessary, fill to the top of the MAX FILL line.
10. Start the engine and let it idle until the engine reaches normal operating temperature and the thermostat is fully open. A fully open thermostat is verified by the cooling fan cycling on at least once.
11. Increase the engine speed to 3,500 rpm and hold for 30 seconds.
12. Allow the engine to idle for 30 seconds.
13. Turn the engine off for 1 minute.
14. Repeat steps 15 through 17 a total of 10 times to remove any remaining air trapped in the system.
15. Check the engine coolant level in the degas bottle and, if necessary, fill to the top of the MAX FILL line on the degas bottle.
16. Install the pressure relief cap until it contacts the hard stop.
