coolant

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It's quick and easy!

Cooling system failure is a leading cause of engine-related breakdowns. This is especially true during winter months when changing temperatures and extreme driving conditions can wreak havoc on vehicles that are left unprotected by weak or insufficient antifreeze/coolant. The good news is that, unlike some “Do-It-Yourself” projects which have become so complicated that they are now “Do-It-For-Me” jobs, maintaining the freshness and level of the antifreeze in your cooling system is still as easy as 1-2-3.

The next time you have a few minutes, and your car’s engine is cool:

Open the hood

Find the coolant reservoir (usually a white, semi-clear plastic receptacle with black cap) and look to see if the coolant level is at or near the FULL COOL indicator line.
If the vehicle’s coolant system level is low, remove the coolant reservoir cap and add a 50-50 mixture of antifreeze/ coolant and clean water up to the FULL COOL line.
That’s it! This simple procedure can save you hundreds and even thousands of dollars in engine repairs, along with helping to ensure that you and your passengers are not stranded in cold, unsafe conditions.

Global Antifreeze/Coolant Ends Confusion

To make it even easier to maintain your car’s cooling system, leading manufacturers have introduced advanced global formula products that can be used in any automobile or light duty truck, regardless of make, model, year or original antifreeze color.

“If you can’t remember the last time you checked the antifreeze in each of your family vehicles, you should definitely take a few minutes to make sure they have a sufficient fill of antifreeze before winter weather arrives,” recommends Josh Russell, brand manager for PEAK® Performance Products, makers of PEAK® Global LifeTimeTM Antifreeze & Coolant - the only universal antifreeze that guarantees protection for as long as you own your vehicle, when used in a complete flush and fill.

Available fully formulated for complete flush and fill applications, or as a 50/50 pre-diluted formula that’s ideal for topping-off, PEAK Global LifeTime is backed by an exclusive lifetime protection guarantee when used in a properly maintained cooling system. “Instead of hesitating or spending time trying to sort out the confusing color codes that carmakers have come up with, consumers can now use a single antifreeze/coolant with total confidence that it will perform for as long as they own their vehicle,” said PEAK’s Russell.

To Flush & Fill…or Top-Off

If you changed your antifreeze recently, but your system level is low, this may be an indication that you have a leaky hose or loose radiator hose clamp. Any hoses that show signs of wear, leakage, cracking or rotting should be replaced. After making necessary repairs, use a cooling system hydrometer – often called an antifreeze ball tester (available at any auto parts store) -- to make sure that the antifreeze-to-water ratio is correct. Then, top-off your radiator and reservoir with a “ready to use” mixture of antifreeze and de-ionized water such as PEAK® Global LifeTimeTM 50/50 Pre-Diluted Antifreeze & Coolant.

If your coolant system level is drastically low or the glycol-to-water ratio is not correct, you might consider flushing the cooling system. Flush and Fill process can be broken down into 10 Easy Steps:

Step 1: Clean the radiator cooling fins
Step 2: Place a drain pan under the drain valve
Step 3: Once engine is cool, slowly remove the radiator pressure cap*
(*Caution: Attempting to remove radiator cap when system is hot can result in severe burns and other injury. Allow sufficient time for engine to cool after driving.)
Step 4: Inspect the pressure cap & hoses
Step 5: Drain the radiator
Step 6: Rinse the radiator
Step 7: Fill the cooling system to half its capacity with antifreeze, then top off with distilled or deinoized water
Step 8: Bleed the system to remove trapped air, then top off again
Step 9: Replace the pressure cap
Step 10: Clean up, making sure to bring your used antifreeze to a repair facility for recycling

For a Dependable Motor Vehicle
visit us in the Redwood Auto Care Center
Across the street from the Skyview Drive-In

2335 Soquel Drive
Santa Cruz CA 95065
831-462-4436
Monday-Friday/8:00 am-5:00 pm