Oil & Fuel Change coolant every 2 years

[WinterDeere]

I follow the recommended schedule, which with my hours, works out to a yearly oil and filter change, and coolant flush and change every second year. Most cars have traditionally recommended coolant change every 30k miles, which is actually every 2 years for many who average 15k miles per year. Although as mentioned, some cars now have longer intervals.

I had given this some thought previously, I'm actually much more diligent in maintaining my tractor than my cars. The cars get their oil and transmission fluid changes on schedule, but I actually never bother to change the other fluids in the cars. Of course, I've owned a lot of 30 - 50 year old tractors, and I rarely keep a car beyond 10 years of age.

I guess the question is how much you're really saving by not doing the recommended maintenance? I see it a few dollars, and something to do on a day when the weather is too ugly to play outside. I even try to get one of the kids to help, a good chance to show them how things work.

 

[fried1765]

I NEVER change equipment coolant. Surely, one would think if something becomes absent, you should just be able to add a little something.

I mentioned it elsewhere, how amazed I was, when I wanted to use "Genuine" Kubota Coolant in one of my generators, my Kubota Parts guy tells me they don't have their own coolant. What! Unbelievable!

It can't be true!
I am sure that somewhere I must have seen photos of the big Kubota coolant manufacturing facility.
I just can't remember!

 

[chriswheeler]

My memories on coolant changes differ from most here working on tractor engines. We would test, and re-cycle large volumes of coolant at each coolant change on stationary engines. Due to the disposal issues, and costs or that and the purchase of new product, we found it best to hire a contractor to come to our site locations and recycle coolant in place and after properly treating the coolant for the things that were missing, put it right back into the same engines and back into service. When you have 3 coolant systems in one place that use up to 3 drums of antifreeze in each, it begins to make economic since very quickly. Quite a few were double this size. 400 gallons in one place X 100 places can add up to a big expense. I have been retired for many years now, and I understand that a crew was justified and paid for just doing routine maintenance of this sort, oil changes as another example. As I remember the cycle time was about every 3 years with the coolant being tested yearly. And that is just the stationary engine and generator end, nothing that goes on the road. Can you imagine what this re-cycling coolant could save for someone, or some agency that who operated a fleet with more than 1500 engines on the road ?? Just like re-cycling waste oil, we need more disposal sites for coolant and outlets to buy reconditioned product.
Chris

 

[sixdogs]

After reading up on anti freeze changing a few years ago I went from never changing then to now changing on schedule. I read lots of comments that old anti freeze could degrade and plug up cooling passages in the block or radiator. That, in turn could cause the engine to heat and cool unevenly and that led to greater problems. In addition is the problem with cavitation in sleeved diesel engines. I came away with the belief that old anti-freeze could easily cause as many problems as old oil and filters.

 

[LouNY]

Many large diesels have a spin on filter,
that filter also dispenses the anti-cavitation additive slowly to the coolant.
If you run the old standard green coolant too long on a diesel your first indication of trouble could well be an internal engine leak,
if it shows visible color changes and contamination it is well over do.

A couple of gallons of coolant and some distilled water is cheaper then any repair would be...

 

[Industrial Toys]

I am unconvinced. How does coolant "plug" up the passages? Unless maybe, one used mineral water in the mix. I use distilled. But then, I didn't fill most of my machines. I wonder what the manufacturers use?

Some guys insist on flushing. I have cleaned enough stuff in my lifetime to know that unless you use a high pressure jet, ultrasonic vibration, heat or chemicals, "flushing something does jack $#%T.

 

[paulfun9]

I have seen many cars with corrosion, rust build up in the system. Seems to me it’s mostly with cars that don’t see extended run time or vehicles that sit for extended periods like the second car some just keep around for in case. Most of my stuff is run hard and kept at temperature for extended periods and I find as long as I use good quality antifreeze and stay away from using hard water or regular tap water for that matter I haven’t had issues.
Only cars trucks that I had to flush and change fluids in have been purchased used and there has only been 3 of them as far as I can remember. All 3 had heaters that didn’t blow warm air or as warm as I thought they should going into the first winter. All 3 got a heater core and the rest of the system flushed, new freeze out plugs and never posed any other problems. They also started blowing good heat.
All cars/trucks purchased new went to thier demise sale when I was done with them with the original fluid in them unless they took a repair like a water pump that required more fluid added or replaced. Many times I just put the old fluid back in and still had no problems.
So as others I am also not convinced we need to change it every 2 years.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Maybe for space and weight considerations, heater cores may have very fine passages. I do recall that you can rejuvinate some by backwashing them.

 

[WinterDeere]

Some guys insist on flushing. I have cleaned enough stuff in my lifetime to know that unless you use a high pressure jet, ultrasonic vibration, heat or chemicals, "flushing something does jack $#%T.

When I bought my 1986 machine ca.2013, I did a flush and you wouldn’t believe the crap that came out. I’ve done subsequent flushes in 2015 and 2017, and each time it comes out cleaner than the time before.

It is done under heat and pressure, you run the engine awhile with the flush fluid in there. The way I do it is to fill it with the flush fluid and use the tractor for a day with it in there. Then I dump, fill with fresh water, and run it another day on clean water. Then I dump that and fill with coolant. Only takes about 2 minutes to do a dump and fill, and it costs me less than $10, so I don’t see much point in not doing it.

I also keep my house, cars, and yard clean. To each his/her own.

 

[Industrial Toys]

What kind of crap? Did you reverse flush it?