Added Universal ANtifreeze from Shell to 2010 ForesterX

[Arctic Forester Mike]

Hi,

 

I need some advice.  I bought a 2010 Forester (excellent condition, 60,000km) in Toronto, drove it to Montreal to put it on a boat to ship up to Nunavut, Canada.

 

Here's the thing, I thought the blue radiator light meant low coolant so I added ~1L ShellZone Premixed Extended Life Coolant.  The label said it's safe for ATSM D3306 & JIS K2234 coolant systems.  I later learend that the light was an engine warming light. 

 

I also learned that Subarus are very particular about antifreeze coolants so do I need to do a flush? 

I live in a remote community with a local garage whose radiator flush pump works on every vehicle.  Should I let it be?  Drain the rad and add the Subaru Long Life Super Coolant?  

 

I need some advice.  Thanks. 

[Sapper 157]

Personally, I wouldn't worry about it. unless your coolant was old when you added the new coolant. Besides you can save $80 and just buy a flush kit and do  it yourself If you really need/want to. . http://www.amazon.com/Prestone-AF-KIT-Flush-Fill-Kit/dp/B000CCFY5W/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1438658845&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=prestone+antiefreeze+flush+kit

Edited August 4, 2015 by Sapper 157

[Fairtax4me]

I wouldn't worry about it too much.

How many miles on the car?

Good chance it has the original coolant which is supposed to be good for about 100,000 miles. (although I personally think it should still be changed every 30,000. More frequent cooling system maintenance reduced problems with leakage, corrosion, and gasket failure.)

 

But anyway, if its near or over 100,000 miles the coolant should be changed anyway.

You don't need to totally flush the system, just drain whats in the radiator and the engine (replace the thermostat for good measure), and refill with Subaru Blue mixed 50/50 with distilled water.

[keith3267]

If you flush, you will do more damage than leaving the system alone.  The difference between the Subaru coolant and the universal is a little stop-leak to keep the head gaskets from failing.  Since you didn't drain the system, the correct amount of this special stop leak is still there.

 

Look at your owners manual for the service schedule for the cooling system.  When it is due, time or miles which ever comes first, then drain the system and refill it.  Do not worry about a little residual old antifreeze, it won't hurt anything.  The main purpose of the change is to get fresh corrosion inhibitors into the system.  If you only get 90% of the old coolant out, the remaining 10% will do less damage than the contaminants you risk getting into the system by doing a flush.

 

And ever, never, never use a chemical flush.  It took me awile but eventually I figured out that every time I had a cooling system leak, it was right after using a chemical flush, and every time I used a flush, I had leaks, many leaks.

[Arctic Forester Mike]

37,000 miles.  Last Radiator fluid change was in November.  The I added, about 1 fourth (1/4) of a gallon of Shell's universal antifreeze, yellow in color.