Hi all,
I've read a few entries on this and have been doing my homework, but thought I'd post the question to the forum for your feedback.

I have a '00 Durango, 4.7 V8 4WD. It's just shy of 123,000 miles. I bought it almost 4 years ago so don't know the service schedule on it, although I either take it in or DYI on most regular service needs.

Q: Is it better to drain and refill the coolant or have the system flushed? I beleive the coolant in the system is the original and it's started to become dirty over the past few months. To my knowledge, the system has never been flushed, nor has the coolant been changed.

I know some pros and cons to both, but looking for any advice on what the group thinks.

Thanks
B- Milny
P.S - I reported this on a new thread per suggestion. Sorry if you already read/replied to this elsewhere.

 

I would flush it. You should be able to buy a kit to do it check with your local pars store.

 

Never hurts to flush it out good an refill with fresh,,,,,

 

I have had three older rigs in the past that I flushed the cooling system and within 2 weeks was changing the heater core. Granted, before I flushed them I would dump in the Preston flush stuff to break up all the build up inside. No more, I'm tired of changing heater cores. There are many additives in todays antifreeze and when most people "check" their anti freeze, they are just checking the freeze or boil point, not the additive package. There are many water pump lubricants, anti foaming agents, anti corrosion agents, scale inhibiter's etc. I was a diesel mechanic for ten years and learned that especially on diesels, it is critical to have the right additives, or you can literaly be buying a new engine. What I have done the last 25 years on all my rigs is change the coolant every two years. Period. I don't care if it only has 2000 miles a year on it [ like my D ] The other thing you have to watch is what kind of water you put in. Hard or soft, it greatly effects the PH of the coolant. I am all for buying a gallon and mixing my own, but the days of using the "green stuff" or the "orange stuff" are over. Last I checked there were now three different kinds of coolant on the market and the ramifications of using the wrong stuff are pretty bad. The manufactures are even putting in there own additive package. I suck it up, pay the price and buy the pre mixed stuff from the dealer, change it every two years and forget about it. They might be making them better, I might not be as hard on them as I once was or this all helps. It's been 25 years since I had to do a heater core or thermostat.
Sorry, got on my soap box.
Change it, and if you must flush it, don't use the flush additive to break stuff up. It will clean it, but some of that scale is sealing some possible leaks. I would just drain and refill. If it's really bad, fill with cheap stuff, drive a couple of days, drain and refill with good coolant.

 

Thanks for the suggestions. Haven't heard enough positive reasons (or alternative) suggestions on why I would flush a high mileage system without a good service history. But I definitely hear hat redfernclan is saying. Those are the exact reasons I was hesitant to flush vs drain in the first place.

Thanks for the tips, I think I just made my mind up.

 

If it has been 4yrs since the coolant was changed you might want to flush the system and drain the engine block because coolant is only good for 3yrs and after that it could be causing a blockage and there entails a overheating problem later on down the road. I am a mechanic and I was a diesel mechanic in the Marine Corps. and coolant being changed at the right times is very important.

 

go check your owners manual, dodge call out a coolant change at 5 years or 100k miles, 3 years is NOT the end of life for coolant.