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Need info on coolant replacement

exec

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Guys when changing the coolant is it necessary to flush it with water? Also do you need to drain it from the cylinder head aswell? As there seems to be a bolt at the back of the engine near the oil filter which is listed as a drain plug.

I was just going to drain it from the radiator where you have that white plug. I also ***ume a washer isn't needed for this white plug? Although I bought a washer but I think its for the bolt on the engine.

Cheers
 
I would drain from the rad as you said.
Also it's worth running a hose on low pressure to flush out.
When you refill run your car with the heater set to high and the expansion cap off to bleed the air out.
Once the fan kicks in this should be the amount if time needed for the bleeding process.
Top up then if required.
 
don't flush cooling system with water as part of water will stay in engine.
Do not mix cooling fluid types as it may result in increased engine corrosion, use the same as it was.
 
don't flush cooling system with water as part of water will stay in engine.
Do not mix cooling fluid types as it may result in increased engine corrosion, use the same as it was.
Iv always flushed with water and nether had any problems.
What do you use to flush
 
I'm another who doesn't flush the system - I'm not saying this is good practice or not, just what I do. Just empty the radiator and overflow tank and refill specifically with Honda Type2. I did replace the rubber o-ring at the rad drain plug, its not very expensive tbh, although the one I took off looked in as good condition as the new one. There was no cracking or brittleness evident but the potential hassle of that wee bit of rubber failing and leaking all your coolant out made it a simple decision.

The Lisle Non Spill funnel (as mention on Eric The Car Guy's vids) does make refilling and bleeding breeze. I got it from Amazon.com for about $22 but its gone up a fair bit ($37) in the last few years.

http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-24610-Spill-Free-Funnel/dp/B001A4EAV0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1385138851&sr=8-1&

Even at the cheaper price its a bit expensive for the occasional use. It comes with multiple caps, just fit it on the radiator and just keep pouring in the coolant until it stops and starts to fill up a bit. The funnel then acts like a reservoir so as the air comes up and out, the fluid remaining in the funnel flows back down into the radiator. Once the fans have come on a couple of times and the air bubbles have stopped you should be good to go.


I think, (but don't know for sure) the issue with putting water into system is that tap water contains minerals that react with aluminum. Although tap water is fine for us to drink, if you drank sea water with salt as the mineral that would react with you and neither outcome would be pretty lol
 
You can drain from the cylinder head too but you'll only get a small amount extra out. I saw a (7th gen) DIY on here where someone did it but said next time they'd just drain off the rad as its a lot of hassle to go the cylinder head route. The manual seems to suggest that either way is acceptable.
 
I'm actually do what Brett says, never had an issue but not to say that's the best method. I'm sure I was at Honda and they did the same by filling car with water to clean it out.
However understand the point that it can reduce the life of coolant but I off set that with regular coolant changes
 
Thanks for all the advice and info, appreciate it. I will leave the water flush out then, it would be very difficult to do as I live in a flat, so running a hose down all the way to the street might cause a few complaints :lol: I bought Honda coolant and I think current one is Honda as well. Will leave the cylinder head as it will be a massive ball ache, its in such an awkward place and torqued to 81lbs!

Andy where did you buy your O-ring from? I actually ordered one from Holdcroft but they just sent me a metal 12mm washer! They don't seem to be very good with small items like that. Do you know what size the O-ring is? I'm thinking of just buying this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-METRIC-NITRILE-70-RUBBER-O-RINGS-3MM-DIAMETER-C-S-SIZES-3MM-ID-TO-27MM-ID-/221104513042?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&var=&hash=item337adb2012

However its probably not needed as it doesn't mention it in the manual to replace it and you don't have to take out the drain plug, just unscrew it a little until fluid pours out, kinda like a tap.

Also I bought that Lisle kit as well, paid $37 for it, which is excessive for what it is! But hopefully it should make the process quicker and cleaner.
 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blue-Spot-40074-***orted-O-Ring/dp/B004MT6GNA%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q%26tag%3Dduc08-21%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB004MT6GNA

I have a couple of those , at the price it would seem foolish to be buying one Oring and as I tend to use a few of them it's worth it .
 
Andy where did you buy your O-ring from? I actually ordered one from Holdcroft but they just sent me a metal 12mm washer! They don't seem to be very good with small items like that. Do you know what size the O-ring is? I'm thinking of just buying this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-METRIC-NITRILE-70-RUBBER-O-RINGS-3MM-DIAMETER-C-S-SIZES-3MM-ID-TO-27MM-ID-/221104513042?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&var=&hash=item337adb2012

I got mine from HH. Its definately a rubber o-ring as opposed to a metal washer.

3 PFKL398088 PACKING, DRAIN (DENSO) £1.85 (€2.11) ($2.96) 001
B__0500.jpg


As suggested, you could likely obtain the o-ring from a multipack but I don't know the dimensions to say what pack to buy. You need to consider the inner diameter, outer diameter and also the thickness or depth of the rubber.
 
There ain't to much to consider with Orings they are either the metric size or the imperial size .. Honda .. it's gonna be metric .
 
I tried to replace an o-ring on my Nilfisk Pressure Washer and it was the thickness of the rubber that was incorrect from a multipack, it was too thick and the mating surface between the trigger and lance (male/female bayonet) kept rolling it over.
 
Thats why I have more than one multipack , they are the scatter gun approach but get it right waay more often than not . For the odds and unusuals from manufacturers who like to charge big bucks for Orings by using the odder sizes I have this ...


Match up , get number , find the cheaper alternative supplier . (((((For actual size click image to enlarge . ))))))
 
Iv always flushed with water and nether had any problems.
What do you use to flush
I never flush cooling system. I change cooling fluid every year and i think i don't need to flush.
In my country there is -25 -30 degrees in Celsius in winter. if there will be more water in fluid than it can be, it can freeze and damage engine block.
 
i know this is a bit off topic but it would much appreciated if more of our colleagues (6th/7th/8th gen) from here can do this:

please let us know if you have changed the coolant or not and when! PETROL OR DIESEL

please have with you an voltmeter when you go to the car and set to DC scale 20V...

DO NOT START THE ENGINE IN THE NEXT STEPS! STOP ALL IT MEANS ELECTRIC ON YOUR CAR TO NOT HAVE DIFFERENT RESULTS!

1. with engine cold-cold not warm, open the cap (where you refill with coolant) from radiator and put the positive lead inside...then the negative lead on the negative terminal of battery or where you can find negative near the battery!
2. now, please write here your readings and do not forgot to tell when was the last time coolant changed or not!

i will begin first... i have 2 accords both auto-petrol and both with the coolant never changed and the readings for both were the same...
so, i have at start of the measurement the climb of (after put the positive lead in coolant and the negative to negative) 0.18V or 0.16V max and then dropping to 0.00V after a while let's say between 1-2-3min...i didn't measure the dropping time !

please if can post your results here!
this helps to tell how much your coolant it have conductivity so that means it's time to change it;
also what i have found on others readings is that they are saying that the value should be stable 0.03V-0.05V and not to be 0.05V or upper cos is needs changed! or dropping as mine!
the problem how you see above is that ii don't have a stable reading, so please post your readings after the steps above!
thanks!
 
The coolant needs changing periodically because the corrosion inhibitor mixed into it degrades and then stops working.

For the 7th gen Euro schedule Honda specify 10 years for a change but in the worldwide schedule and for the US Acura TSX they specify 5 years. I'm doing mine every 4 years with Honda Type 2 coolant. It costs less than £20 from Honda for the fluid to do the change so it's not a big deal.

For the 6th gen I think Honda specify 4 years initially then every 2 years if memory serves.
 
cliff i know everything you said above, thanks for bring it up, but i just want to know if they are the same readings as mine...if they have the same readings even if they have changed the coolant!
also is very very easy to check this and make the steps in my above post!
just very curios on this matter!
 
I know you do Cris, I just posted it for general info for others reading the thread. I do think though that it's easier and better just to change it than messing about with voltmeters looking for reasons not to change it!
 
I will try to measure voltage tomorrow after job. Hope cooling fluid will cool down in 8 hours, since morning drive.
 
he will sure do!
thanks, also, i wait more to post here, very curios to see if is the same or different readings !
cheers :rolleyes:
 
So. Ive checked voltage.
There were 0.18V when started measuring. Outside temp +6C. Antifreeze was changed 16 month ago. Was using 3L - 25C(freezing temperature) and -40C(concentrate) till full.Voltage was droping over time. didn't wait till it will drop til zero
 
till what dropping voltage you have waited?
i see no difference then if yours still dropping and it was changed and mine no!
 
Chris is multimeter same as voltmeter?

Rob is that definetly a like for like scaled image? If so the o ring size is #2209 roughly 10-11mm wide and 0.2m thick

By the way does anyone open the thermostat when draining? Looks like quite a lot of it is in there and drains out when dismantled.
 
multimeter contains voltmeter, amper-meter,ohmeter, multi...many different measuring scales
 
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