Coolant Flush - Any Thoughts

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Thu Jun 14, 2007 7:56 am

It's been almost 5 years of ownership for me so I've been thinking about my coolant more and more. Is it good for the life of the Liberty or should I be switching it out for some new stuff?

I've checked on a couple bottles at the local parts store and they all say 5 years / 60,000 miles for the DCX blend of orange stuff. It just so happens that I have 5 years and 60,193 miles on my Liberty so I'd like to hear what everyone has done or thinks I should do

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Thu Jun 14, 2007 8:10 am

sleeve84028 wrote:

It's been almost 5 years of ownership for me so I've been thinking about my coolant more and more. Is it good for the life of the Liberty or should I be switching it out for some new stuff?

I've checked on a couple bottles at the local parts store and they all say 5 years / 60,000 miles for the DCX blend of orange stuff. It just so happens that I have 5 years and 60,193 miles on my Liberty so I'd like to hear what everyone has done or thinks I should do

I have 53,000 miles on my '02 KJ and flushed the coolant twice already,I never trust anything that says extended or lifetime.It would be a good idea to flush the system,change the t-stat,and replace the upper/lower raditor hoses just to be safe in my opinion.Oh don't forget the raditor(overflow) cap,the rubber gasket does take a beating over time.

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Thu Jun 14, 2007 9:03 am

Yeah, that is what I've been thinking since winter 2006... It'll go on my to-do list for this summer.

For the T-stat: did you just get a stock replacement?

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Thu Jun 14, 2007 5:09 pm

Ill probably do all of that at 60k. Rad hoses, coolant, maybe the stat, belt, spark plugs(done at 30k also). Idk though, at the rate Im going right now, Ill be 10 years getting to 60k.. :lol:

myjeepwalks · **Posted:** Thu Jun 14, 2007 10:13 pm

I changed the coolant when i bough my kj. It had that junk orange coolant in it. I completely flushed the system and replaced it with the regular green coolant. Ive had nothing but problems with the orange coolant in other vehicles i've owned. I can think of 2 where it "gelled" up and clogged the radiators.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Thu Jun 14, 2007 10:27 pm

myjeepwalks wrote:

I changed the coolant when i bough my kj. It had that junk orange coolant in it. I completely flushed the system and replaced it with the regular green coolant. Ive had nothing but problems with the orange coolant in other vehicles i've owned. I can think of 2 where it "gelled" up and clogged the radiators.

Fairly sure the libertys cooling system is not made for that type of coolant. The green stuff is highly corrosive.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Thu Jun 14, 2007 10:33 pm

The coolant in the KJ's is a HOAT coolant not Dexacool like found in GM vehicles.Where your other vehicles '01+ DCX vehicles? Jeepjeepster is right,regular ethlene glycol antifreese is very bad in a vehicle not made to run with it in,and the KJ is not made for it,bye,bye cylinder heads(electrolisis).

myjeepwalks · **Posted:** Thu Jun 14, 2007 10:43 pm

Jeepjeepster wrote:

myjeepwalks wrote:

I changed the coolant when i bough my kj. It had that junk orange coolant in it. I completely flushed the system and replaced it with the regular green coolant. Ive had nothing but problems with the orange coolant in other vehicles i've owned. I can think of 2 where it "gelled" up and clogged the radiators.

Fairly sure the libertys cooling system is not made for that type of coolant. The green stuff is highly corrosive.

I dont know about that for sure but it's been in there about 25K and absolutely no problems. 88k on my kj and all originals hoses, t/stat, radiator and water pump still on there. Never heard of the green stuff being corrosive. Not to be a smart booty but i'm pretty sure the kj motor and cooling system is made out of the same materials as every other car built. The impression i was under is the orange coolant was designed to be extended life where as the green isn't. I'll let you guys know if any problems arise but i don't forsee any. Never had any problems on any of my other vehicles.

One thing you can NOT do is mix the green and orange together, unless you get that multi coolant that prestone makes.

myjeepwalks · **Posted:** Thu Jun 14, 2007 10:51 pm

tjkj2002 wrote:

The coolant in the KJ's is a HOAT coolant not Dexacool like found in GM vehicles.Where your other vehicles '01+ DCX vehicles? Jeepjeepster is right,regular ethlene glycol antifreese is very bad in a vehicle not made to run with it in,and the KJ is not made for it,bye,bye cylinder heads(electrolisis).

No they were japanese vehicles. This is my first chrysler. I'm due for a coolant flush maybe i'll put the proper coolant back in it. Never heard of a head being eaten due to electrolosis. The older ford tarus' used to get the water pump impellers eatten. The coolant was usually rust brown when it would happen in those though.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Thu Jun 14, 2007 11:22 pm

Quote:

The older ford tarus' used to get the water pump impellers eatten. The coolant was usually rust brown when it would happen in those though.

What do you think turned the coolant brown,the water pump impeller(I know I had a '96 Tarus that the WP impeller was eaten).Ethlene Glycol eats metal that are 2 different materials like the aluminum heads and cast iron block,even will interact with head gaskets and cast iron to make the coolant acitic.It does take some time and can be averted if you change the "green" coolant every 12 months.That's why Dexacool and HOAT coolants came out,they don't sucome to electrolisis.

myjeepwalks · **Posted:** Thu Jun 14, 2007 11:47 pm

tjkj2002 wrote:

Quote:

The older ford tarus' used to get the water pump impellers eatten. The coolant was usually rust brown when it would happen in those though.

What do you think turned the coolant brown,the water pump impeller(I know I had a '96 Tarus that the WP impeller was eaten).Ethlene Glycol eats metal that are 2 different materials like the aluminum heads and cast iron block,even will interact with head gaskets and cast iron to make the coolant acitic.It does take some time and can be averted if you change the "green" coolant every 12 months.That's why Dexacool and HOAT coolants came out,they don't sucome to electrolisis.

Exactly electrolosis ate the water pump impeller due to the coolant system not being maintained. The coolant turned brown because it was never flushed. You guys got me all nervous about this so i've been doing some googling the past hour. What i found is ethelyne glycol is fine as long as you change it. If you dont change it the silicates become abrasive and the coolant becomes acidic leading to electrolosis. The dexcool and hoat coolants were desinged to last longer and be more environmental friendly. I can't remeber but i dont think they contain the silicates that ethelyne glycol contains. I'm sure electrolosis can still happen but it just takes longer. It has to loose it's corrosion protection at some point. The main reason for antifreeze is corrosion and freeze protection. Cars have been out for decades with cast iron blocks and aluminum heads using ethylene glycol with no problems as long as the coolant is changed. I dont care if the coolant says it's good for 100years or 10 million miles. I still change mine every year.

hooperswish · **Posted:** Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:59 am

I have heard horror stories about the orange stuff as well. It just jells up and hardens. Terrible stuff. I would change it every three years, and change the green stuff every year.
Now my question:
What is the best way to actually flush it? Just hose all the old stuff through the radiator cap on top? Do you fill it from the cap or the overflow container? Any good sites with detailed instructions?

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Tue Jun 19, 2007 12:18 pm

The only orange stuff that was bad was DEXCOOL. It did a lot of damage to vehicles that were operated with owners believing in the 100K mile service interval. I'm at 60,000 on my original coolant and that is why I'm asking the question. My mind is telling me it's time to change it but I wanted to get a second opinion first.

Changing it every 3 years sounds about right. And I know I need a new T-stat before winter because my poor Liberty doesn't heat up like it once did.

For flushing - I'd use a quick oil change machine that hooks up to the upper radiator hose and removes all the old stuff and at the same time replaces the new stuff. It's fast and only around $50.00 (you don't get dirty this way.) I haven't performed a coolant flush manually on a vehicle with this type of setup.

hooperswish · **Posted:** Tue Jun 19, 2007 12:35 pm

sleeve84028 wrote:

The only orange stuff that was bad was DEXCOOL. It did a lot of damage to vehicles that were operated with owners believing in the 100K mile service interval. I'm at 60,000 on my original coolant and that is why I'm asking the question. My mind is telling me it's time to change it but I wanted to get a second opinion first.

Changing it every 3 years sounds about right. And I know I need a new T-stat before winter because my poor Liberty doesn't heat up like it once did.

For flushing - I'd use a quick oil change machine that hooks up to the upper radiator hose and removes all the old stuff and at the same time replaces the new stuff. It's fast and only around $50.00 (you don't get dirty this way.) I haven't performed a coolant flush manually on a vehicle with this type of setup.

That machine sounds pretty cool...where can I get one? Can you use it on the auto tranny for a flush of atf+4 like the shops do?

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Tue Jun 19, 2007 12:44 pm

Sorry - a Quick Oil change shop has a machine that will....

Blue KJ in PA · **Posted:** Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:00 pm

DEXCOOL itself wasn't bad...it was the fact that the normal gasket and DEXCOOL did not react well together.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:03 pm

hooperswish wrote:

sleeve84028 wrote:

The only orange stuff that was bad was DEXCOOL. It did a lot of damage to vehicles that were operated with owners believing in the 100K mile service interval. I'm at 60,000 on my original coolant and that is why I'm asking the question. My mind is telling me it's time to change it but I wanted to get a second opinion first.

Changing it every 3 years sounds about right. And I know I need a new T-stat before winter because my poor Liberty doesn't heat up like it once did.

For flushing - I'd use a quick oil change machine that hooks up to the upper radiator hose and removes all the old stuff and at the same time replaces the new stuff. It's fast and only around $50.00 (you don't get dirty this way.) I haven't performed a coolant flush manually on a vehicle with this type of setup.

That machine sounds pretty cool...where can I get one? Can you use it on the auto tranny for a flush of atf+4 like the shops do?

Those machines start at $2000 for the cheap one's(need seperate one for the tranny and coolant),that's why tranny and coolant flushes are a little more $$$ then the manual way.

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:07 pm

Another note on the quick oil change shops: Make sure you get one that uses the proper HOAT coolant and not something like DEX or the regular green stuff. Zerek has a specific coolant bottle labled "FOR THE FOLLOWING CHRYSLER PRODUCTS."

I think it's very important that the correct fluid goes back in (even though I have yet to change mine)

Edit: Here are a couple of links to the coolant - Valvoline

Great explaination of coolant types

Edit: Prestone replaced with Zerex

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:21 pm

sleeve84028 wrote:

Another note on the quick oil change shops: Make sure you get one that uses the proper HOAT coolant and not something like DEX or the regular green stuff. Companies like Prestone have a specific coolant bottle labled "FOR THE FOLLOWING CHRYSLER PRODUCTS."

I think it's very important that the correct fluid goes back in (even though I have yet to change mine)

Edit: Here are a couple of links to the coolant - Valvoline

Great explaination of coolant types

Zerex(valvoline) makes HOAT coolant now for our KJ's.Bought it at PepBoy's for $11 a gallon.Here is a pic.

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:29 pm

Yup that is the stuff! (after reading) I believe that they are the only company to make the G-05 grade coolant.

Coolant Flush - Any Thoughts

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