Rad flush

[Downbound]

Hello.

2002 outback ltd. 208,000 km's. Bought it 2 years ago with 180,000 km's. Had timing belt/water pump/tensioners/pulleys/cam seals done right away as I didn't have any proof that it had been done.

I am taking it in for it's 5,000 km oil change, e-test (gov't rip off), put on the winter toyo's and since I didn't know if the rad had ever been flushed and refilled asked if this would be recomended. My mechanic said if I wasn't having any heating issues and I don't know if it has ever been done it might be best to not flush it as if it is the first time it has been flushed you could stir up alot crud that might end up causing problems down the road. He said he would check all the hoses to make sure they were in good shape and test the coolant.

I trust him but figured I would ask on here to see if anyone agrees or disagrees with this advice.

 

Thanks

[porcupine73]

The coolant life really varies a lot depending on what got put in it. I think in that era the normal change interval was maybe 3-5 years. If the previous owner replaced it with Dexcool that supposedly has a longer life but Subaru said to never use that type of coolant in a Subaru (though I suspect that is what the new 'supercoolant' actually is).

 

Subaru didn't like flushing machines because it might cross contaminant your cooling system with brass and other metals from other vehicles. Usually I just drain it, refill with distilled water, run for a bit, let cool, drain, repeat that a few times, then refill with new coolant mixed with distilled water. I've been using Zerex G-05 (an HOAT), it seems to be working ok, but it's kind of hard to see what the coolant jackets look like inside, etc to say for sure. Zerex has a newer Asian formula out too but it came out after I started using G-05 so I never switched.

[Rooster2]

Best to change the anti-freeze, since you don't know when it was last changed. Porcupine did a good job of how to do the work yourself. I, too, don't recommend the pressure flushing machines.

[later_Peter]

the "alleged" big cause of head gasket failure is air being left in the line some place... so, I'd be rather careful about that... but didn't they change your coolant when they put in the water pump?

[Downbound]

Thanks for the replies. You are right later_peter I overlooked that the coolant was changed when they did the waterpump. I will just get them to check the the levels and what temp protection I have and make sure all the hoses are in good shape.

 

Thanks