Anyone have a coolant flush write up? I know I have to use a HOAT coolant such as Zerex G05, Mopar orange, Ford Gold, or Mercedes light yellow, but I have never done it.

Couple of things I am wondering:

What is the proper way to bleed the air out of the cooling system?

How to I drain all of the coolant out of the engine block; i.e. do I have to remove a freeze plug or is there an easier way? (…is it really necessary?)


Thanks for any help you may be able to provide.

 

I do not recommend messing with ANY freeze plugs. I am not familiar with the block drainage on the 3.8L, but likely there are threaded plugs you can remove. It's not extremely necessary, but if you are taking the time..you have another 40% of your coolant in the block. Remember to use distilled water and mix the coolant properly (dont waste your $$ on "mixed" coolant, they charge more and half of it is WATER!)

This is just how I would do it...

As far as bleeding goes, if you drain everything, it will take time to bled completely. Refill the system at a steady pace until the radiator is full. With the cap off, start the engine and turn the heat to full and blower motor on. Keep the level topped off for a couple minutes and put the cap back on the radiator. Fill the overflow reservoir to the middle of the high/low and drive it. The overflow will allow it to burp and suck coolant as its needed. After you drive it I would let it cool off a couple mins and remove the radiator cap, if all is full. I'd carry on like all was good.

Personally I have a fancy snapon vacuum coolant filler that places the whole system in a vacuum and uses it to fill, no bleeding necessary.

Thats just my opinion, everyone has their own way..

 

If you havent had a leal or ever added water, why would you flush your cooling system? I put well over 100000 miles on all my personal vehicles and the only time I have ever messed the cooling system is when the water pump goes out. I have never had coolant related issues. Your Jerp ce with "permanent antifreeze". You should never have to mess with it. Your service manual that came with you Jeep doesn't even have a service interval for antifreeze.

 

Being a tech for a living, coolant can cause issues over time. There is nothing wrong with over maintaining a vehicle.

 

I know HOAT is different stuff than Dexcool, but anything that a manufacture calls "lifetime fluid, filter, fill, sealed, etc," I consider to be guaranteed future parts sales.

VW's "sealed" transmissions and GM's "lifetime" Dexcool have caused me lots of heartache in the past.

It seems crazy, to me at least, that Chrysler doesn't even recommend flushing the brake fluid every two years. Brake fluid's boiling point exponentially decreases for every miniscule bit of moisture that enters the system.

HOAT may be different, but a head gasket later is worth a Saturday and $30 at NAPA now.