Cooling system flush procedure
 

Yesterday morning my tempture dial guage stopped working and the check engine light came on. When I flipped the DIC to the temp sensor it showed the - - - F flatline. From having seen this problem several times in prior threads I used the search to bring them up and found the common problem was a thermostat stuck open giving the P0128 code.

When I opened the radiator fill cap I discovered that the system was full of fluid however it was not the pinkish Dex-Cool that I was expecting but the lime greenish "normal" antifreeze. I know when and how it got in there but that's not my problem.

I picked up a new thermostat and a couple gallons of Dex-cool at NAPA to flush the green stuff out and replace it with the proper coollant in my '06 2.4 LT.

Therein lies the problem... owners manual states "Your engine has a specific cooling system drain and fill proceedure. Failure to follow this procedure could cause your engine to overheat and be severely damaged. If your engine's cooling system needs to be drained and re-filled, please see your dealer."

Does anyone have a link to or know where I could find the procedure? :confused: Seeing the dealer just ain't gonna happen.

No info on the "proper" flush procedures. But I wouldn't think it would be any differant that any other.

But, how long as the green been in there? Some nowadays do mix, but some don't. And those really don't like to be mixed.

Been "green" since the first of the year when a new radiator was put in after contact with a deer which would be about 9,500 miles ago. Prior to that it was the pink stuff.

I would agree with you that prolly just the normal flush would get 99% of it out. If nobody has a link I'll just pull the stat later this afternoon and flush it good a couple times, drain all that I can get out and refill with the proper 50-50 mix.

the green stuff might be the "universal" (mix-with-anything) coolant most shops use now

Hmmmm. Didn't know there was such a thing as "universal mix-with-anything" that was acceptable to mix with the Dex-Cool. This would be something new since the '06 Owners Manual was published?

my manual shows that there is a drain plug on the water pump as well as the radiator. it also shows a special vacume/filler cap to be used when refilling. i think the whole procedure is to large for me to up/download , even if i could figure out how. i personally don't think it is so critical do do the vacume thing. but i could be totally wrong.

Thanks catdaddy, I'll look for the water pump drain plug.

Did it indicate that the "special vacume/filler cap" was used like in place of the regular fill cap to prevent spills or overflows while refilling the system and then the regular cap goes back on?

The special vacuum tools are used to prevent air pockets in the system which 2.2L and 2.4L are prone to have after coolant exchanges. An air pocket in the system will create an overheat condition.

So the only safe way to change the fluid is to have the dealer do it?? Running the car with the cap off won't pump the air in the system through it and out the cap opening?

I'm sure it can be done by anyone or any shop, the special tool just insures that no air pockets are in the system. If an air pocket occurs it can be purged without special tools if you use persistence.