Automotive

Changing the oil and coolant,first time...tips?

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  • Jun 29th, 2012 7:09 pm
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SimonUthiner wrote: Going to a service to change oil and coolant and all the stuffs (air filter and oil filter) isn't an easier option?

+1

I mean if you haven't even got a clue what type of oil goes in your vehicle etc. etc. I suspect DIY maintenance won't be the smartest move. :lol:

As I said earlier, do your homework taking the time do the required research to find a trustworthy shop that has a reputation for honest and competent work and work with that shop to help you keep your vehicle well maintained.
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poedua wrote: +1

I mean if you haven't even got a clue what type of oil goes in your vehicle etc. etc. I suspect DIY maintenance won't be the smartest move. :lol:
-1

You got to start from somewhere. People are capable of learning! We are just talking about the absolute basic of maintenance here, not like he is about to tackle an engine overhaul.
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g.L wrote: for your accord; engine oil is 5w20 (non synthetic or synthetic is your choice), coolant is honda type 2 coolant - blue color.
thrifthunter wrote: -1

You got to start from somewhere. People are capable of learning! We are just talking about the absolute basic of maintenance here, not like he is about to tackle an engine overhaul.
Damn. So Honda Type 2 coolant, it is huh? Not sure when the last flush was done. But with the temperature in the 30-40's, I think I will have to double check the coolant levels and pour in whatever I can find in a 50/50 mix with distilled water. Is reverse osmosis water the same as distilled water?

Does Costco carry any coolant?
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If you don't know what you are doing, coolant may be a dangerous thing to do. You have to know what you are doing and know how to bleed the air in the cooling system. If you don't, you'll have an overheating car in your hands which could do more damage to your wallet and your car.
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Poulet wrote: If you don't know what you are doing, coolant may be a dangerous thing to do. You have to know what you are doing and know how to bleed the air in the cooling system. If you don't, you'll have an overheating car in your hands which could do more damage to your wallet and your car.
Thanks for the warning Poulet. I'm just topping it up with a 50/50 mix just in case the level is suboptimal. It is a no brainer once I find the right coolant for my car.

For flushing, I will let my mechanic handle that.
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May 28, 2012
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qaz393 wrote: buy a shop manual if you have no idea what you are doing. you have to drain the coolant from a couple of places.
You should have no trouble borrowing a shop manual from the library, or even getting it online.

We use synthetic oil on all our vehicles; your engine will be better off in the long run. It is especially important when in extreme temperatures, particularly cold ones. Make sure you what you are doing before tackling this job.
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alanbrenton wrote: Thanks for the warning Poulet. I'm just topping it up with a 50/50 mix just in case the level is suboptimal. It is a no brainer once I find the right coolant for my car.

For flushing, I will let my mechanic handle that
.
First thing, coolant is hazardous waste. You cannot just dump it in the drain. It is also very poisonous to animals. Cats and dogs like it a lot because it is sweet so, keep pets away.
Also, when you take the car to a mechanic, make sure they don't just do a flush. Make sure they remove your old antifreeze and new, fresh antifreeze gets put in. there are many machines out there that either filter your old stuff or "condition" it and put it right back into your car.
This is very important, make sure you get new, out of the jug stuff.
And don't worry abut what water you mix in with it. It can be tap water (and it comes with tap water from the factory). The environment is so corrosive and hot that spending money for distilled, reverse osmosis, Brita filtered or ionized, makes no difference.
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Pete_Coach wrote: First thing, coolant is hazardous waste. You cannot just dump it in the drain. It is also very poisonous to animals. Cats and dogs like it a lot because it is sweet so, keep pets away.
Also, when you take the car to a mechanic, make sure they don't just do a flush. Make sure they remove your old antifreeze and new, fresh antifreeze gets put in. there are many machines out there that either filter your old stuff or "condition" it and put it right back into your car.
This is very important, make sure you get new, out of the jug stuff.
And don't worry abut what water you mix in with it. It can be tap water (and it comes with tap water from the factory). The environment is so corrosive and hot that spending money for distilled, reverse osmosis, Brita filtered or ionized, makes no difference.
Thanks for the pointers Pete. I'll use RO water for the savings then. Actually, before getting to excited, I will check the coolant level first. ;)
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Coolants are *not* interchangeable. Do not use the incorrect coolant.

Oils are mostly interchangeable. 5W-20 or 0W-20 is optimal for that vehicle. 5W-30 could be used in a pinch. 10W-30 / 5W-40 won't destroy the engine, but it won't perform as well and will be harder on the starter in the wintertime.
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Mark77 wrote: Coolants are *not* interchangeable. Do not use the incorrect coolant.

Oils are mostly interchangeable. 5W-20 or 0W-20 is optimal for that vehicle. 5W-30 could be used in a pinch. 10W-30 / 5W-40 won't destroy the engine, but it won't perform as well and will be harder on the starter in the wintertime.
Yeah, a quick search calls for Honda Type 2 coolant which is already pre-mixed.

"Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant Type 2"
"Honda Genuine HG"
"50/50 Prediluted Antifreeze"
Dealer Item

As was mentioned on this or another thread, though now I realize it's for S2000's but may apply to my Civic too. :)

http://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/163467- ... e-coolant/
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Honda uses a non-silicate formula - I have pictures from Honda Engineering of head erosion from using regular "green" coolants. Do not do it!

There are other non-silicates. Toyota's Red coolant, and Ford's "Premium Gold" are excellent, long-life coolants. The Ford product is based on the G-5 glysantin formulation developed by BASF, and widely used in German luxo/perf cars.
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http://www.samarins.com/maintenance/simple.html - hopefully the overflow reservoir will be way over the minimum amount.
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found my manual here:

http://www.ahm-ownerlink.com/assets/OWN ... aCivic.pdf

and just checked the the radiator coolant level is still at max. But not sure how I can see through the opaque reserve tank for the coolant level. Might have to shine a flashlight at night to get a better sense of the level. :) It's way below that looking at it at an angle doesn't help.
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alanbrenton wrote: found my manual here:

http://www.ahm-ownerlink.com/assets/OWN ... aCivic.pdf

and just checked the the radiator coolant level is still at max. But not sure how I can see through the opaque reserve tank for the coolant level. Might have to shine a flashlight at night to get a better sense of the level. :) It's way below that looking at it at an angle doesn't help.
Good gawd man, open the friggen cap on the reservoir. Just look in the reservoir or stick your finger in and check the level. If it is down it ain't no big deal. There is lots of fluid. If your car is not running hot, it is OK. The idiot lights on the car will prevent you from doing damage.
I appreciate that you are trying to learn all things automotive but surely you have some common sense. You must have searched every post on antifreeze and posted questions on each one. :facepalm:
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Thanks for looking out for my interest Pete. Enjoy the long weekend. :)

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