# have you done a RAD flush on your XTrail?



## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

has anybody performed a radiator flush with new coolant on their XTrail lately? I bought my 2006 XTrail used in late 2016 with about 223,000 klms from a used car lot....the fluid looks greenish and clean, but to be honest, the used car lot guys were a bunch of A-holes (by not servicing fluids and filters like they promised they would Before handing the vehicle over to be as agreed)...so i dont trust if they changed the rad fluid (highly unlikely) and i figured be best to just get her done. Here is a link on changing the rad fluid / coolant. How to Flush Your Radiator and Cooling System


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## chadn (Jan 28, 2010)

I've had it done around 100,000km, 150k, 190k and the last time was 230k. I have never done it myself. I pay to get it done since it is really messy and just not worth doing yourself. I pay about $150 including new coolant. 

Green coolant is only good for 2-4 years depending on the age of the vehicle. It's mostly the corrosion inhibitors weaking and the pH changing that necessitate changing it.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

hi Chadn, i will be paying my mechanic to flush my rad too. He said he'd do it for $75. I just dont want the hassle and mess/smell of rad fluid on my driveway, looking for a place to dispose of it properly and wandering if i screwed up something and got air bubbles/vapor lock etc.. I dont know if the previous owner had had the coolant flushed before i bought my XTrail so i figure just get it done and have a clean running vehicle. Thanks for your reply.


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## chadn (Jan 28, 2010)

No problem. Another good one to do that is often neglected is brake fluid. It gets pretty gross past 5 or 6 years if not changed. I usually do that and coolant every 2-3 years in one service.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

ohhhh....i never even thought about flushing out the old brake fluid...i normally just add /top up when it gets low. Hmmm...i will research it a bit more and ask the mechanic how much $$$ . I have oxygen sensors coming in the mail by april 26th and im paying to have those installed & most likely pay him to flush the rad....so i can only drain my wallet so much. Brake fluid flush might have to take a backseat for a few months.


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Coolant change is easier to do than changing brake fluid. My take is that unless you know the coolant is particularly old and dirty dont use a chemical flush cleaner. Just keep draining and filling with clean water until it comes out clean. Takes about 5 or 6 times. You drain then put plug back in, fill up, start the car with heater on high setting, let it run until thermostat opens, then after a couple of minutes, turn off, drain and repeat. Full instructions can be googled or found on youtube.

Ideally you use distilled water. Then based upon the total system capacity you add the proper amount of pure coolant (not the pre-mix) so that your system has a 50% mix. Can be higher in a cold climate, less in a hot climate, but 50% is pretty standard. It helps if you have a bunch of empty water jugs or windshield washer jugs to dispose of it, at an approved spot such as Canadian Tire. You do have to make sure you are using appropriate fluid. Prestone long life for all makes is fine to use. If you dont want to do a full change, you can just drain the rad, and then fill up with pre mix to partially restore the corrosion inhibitors. Its in the service manual.


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## MikeHJ (Mar 7, 2017)

quadraria10 said:


> Ideally you use distilled water. Then based upon the total system capacity you add the proper amount of pure coolant (not the pre-mix) so that your system has a 50% mix.


I usually go to the dollar store and buy a couple of big, deep aluminium roasting pans. They hold a lot and they're big enough to catch the splashes and splatters. Shopper's Drugmart sells distilled water in 4 litre jugs. Grab a pile of empty windshield washer jugs from the gas station to put all the flush liquid into and then return it all to Cdn Tire.

If you want to go the drain and refill route with water, then Cdn tire does sell a $9 hydrometer that takes some of the guesswork out of adding the correct amount of coolant to a achieve a 50/50 mix.

MotoMaster Antifreeze/Coolant Tester | Canadian Tire

Do everyone a favour, though: clean up any spills with towels. Antifreeze tastes sweet and animals will have a curious lap at any puddles. A tablespoon will kill a cat or dog. Hosing it into the storm sewer drains isn't good either.


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

''Grab a pile of empty windshield washer jugs from the gas station''

Thanks for that tip. I will grab some next time I plan on doing a coolant change.

Info on the coolant capacity for calculation purposes is to be found in the owner's manual. Measure the water you drain out, subtract that from total capacity, pour in 100% coolant to match what you took out, and then top off with 50/50 mix for the rad and reservoir.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

thanks, all good advice. As Mike mentioned about safely disposing the old fluids and especially about keeping the old and new containers of coolant /windshield fluid away from pets who might drink it....majority if not all of these fluid companies had changed the sweet tasting part to a more un appealing disgusting to animals and humans a number of years ago. But still a good idea to keep the fluids under locked up cabinet in secure containers till you have a chance to drop it off at a automotive garage. Some automotive garages, big and small, may refuse outside customers old containers of fluid (for whatever reason....paying a company to haul away the old fluids i guess. ) What i do occasionally is if some shop refuses or expects me to pay to drop off these old fluids....i just return after store closing hours or on a long weekend when shut down and quietly leave the secure bottles next to their hazardous waste bin or gated /fenced disposal area. They have no choice but to gather up the old containers and include with the rest of the stuff that gets picked up for safe enviromental disposal. Been doing that at cnd. tire for years and no issues or complaints.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

deadspin-quote-carrot-aligned-w-bgr-2 ''Here's How All Of The Fluids In Your Car Can Kill You''....a good safety read.


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## MikeHJ (Mar 7, 2017)

tonyvancity said:


> majority if not all of these fluid companies had changed the sweet tasting part to a more un appealing disgusting to animals and humans a number of years ago.


Yeah, but you don't know what's still in your car. I had to put down two cats within a week of each other because they got into something in the neighborhood, likely antifreeze according to the Vet.



tonyvancity said:


> Some automotive garages, big and small, may refuse outside customers old containers of fluid (for whatever reason....paying a company to haul away the old fluids i guess. )


Living in Ottawa, I've grown used to the City's "Take it back" program that most chain stores partner with. Basically, if you sell a product that should be specially recycled, you take back the old ones. Cdn Tire takes back all the fluid types they sell, electronics stores take back TV's, computers, etc., chain Battery stores (like The Source) take back used batteries.... Does Vancouver have hazardous waste Depots?


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

hi Mike , sorry about you pets. I dont have a dog anymore (one was a Beagle..the always curious dog breed..) and i was very, very careful to clean up any spills on my driveway and/or securely contain old automotive fluids , lock them up or place high up on a shelf till i found a disposal site that took them. I just looked up ''recycle oils/fluids'' in B.C. and we do have a decent program here with a list of automotive centers participating in the recycling. Regardless, i remember even from age 17-18 being careful with my old engine oil and coolants, never dumping them in the drain or sewer grates....would either take to a canadian tire or my father would ask a local garage if they could dispose of while his vehicle was being serviced.


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