Takes way more power to turn the engine with a starter than it does to make a tiny little spark.
If it wouldn’t even click I’d start with the battery. But it’s probably alternator. AutoZone type stores should be able to test both.
Thanks, dude. It was clicking. Batteries don't last long out here and, like wiper blades and motor mounts, they get destroyed and need to be replace all the time.
So I considered that and was hopeful it would be that easy. She's not worth wrench time. [Reply]
Originally Posted by eDave:
Thanks, dude. It was clicking. Batteries don't last long out here and, like wiper blades and motor mounts, they get destroyed and need to be replace all the time.
So I considered that and was hopeful it would be that easy. She's not worth wrench time.
LOL. If she’s not worth the wrench then have her take it to a shop LOL. But if there was a click it’s the alternator. [Reply]
I need to change my coolant as it’s been 5 years, even though it hasn’t been many miles, correct?
I’m going to flush it myself. Should I just use distilled water or should I also add one of those coolant flush additives that claim to clean the system? [Reply]
Originally Posted by lewdog:
I need to change my coolant as it’s been 5 years, even though it hasn’t been many miles, correct?
I’m going to flush it myself. Should I just use distilled water or should I also add one of those coolant flush additives that claim to clean the system?
Honestly I’ve never done it.
And you should only flush with fluid. It takes a mountain of it but, but invariably you’ll leave some water in there and it will dilute your coolant. You can probably get there if you use straight and circulate it and check it enough. But who does that when 50/50 exists? [Reply]
Originally Posted by Buehler445:
Honestly I’ve never done it.
And you should only flush with fluid. It takes a mountain of it but, but invariably you’ll leave some water in there and it will dilute your coolant. You can probably get there if you use straight and circulate it and check it enough. But who does that when 50/50 exists?
Agree. It takes a lot of fluid but is easy if you are patient. Good, cheap insurance against issues later. Make sure you use a coolant grade consistent with manufacture’s recommendation. The power flushed done with equipment is riskier IMO if your radiator is older so I like just the idea of drain, fill, circulate, repeat more. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Buehler445:
Honestly I’ve never done it.
And you should only flush with fluid. It takes a mountain of it but, but invariably you’ll leave some water in there and it will dilute your coolant. You can probably get there if you use straight and circulate it and check it enough. But who does that when 50/50 exists?
Originally Posted by Peter Gibbons:
Agree. It takes a lot of fluid but is easy if you are patient. Good, cheap insurance against issues later. Make sure you use a coolant grade consistent with manufacture’s recommendation. The power flushed done with equipment is riskier IMO if your radiator is older so I like just the idea of drain, fill, circulate, repeat more.
So drain. Fill with distilled water, run car and crank heater. Repeat a few times with just water. Finally add my 4G of correct coolant back in.
Originally Posted by lewdog:
So drain. Fill with distilled water, run car and crank heater. Repeat a few times with just water. Finally add my 4G of correct coolant back in.
I drain it
Fill with 50/50
Run it. You have to get it hot enough to open the thermostat and circulate the coolant.
Drain it.
Fill with 50/50.
If you use water you have to be kind of careful, because water boils at a lower temperature than coolant and you don’t want pressure. Moreover there is no chance that you will get all the water out. None. So then you have to mix your own and get it a little strong to account for how much is hanging around in there after you’ve drained it. Then you have to test, run, test and maybe drain some out and try again. And if you mix it too hot it won’t perform well and blah blah blah.
I’ve had irrigation motors that I’ve drained everything, opened all the petcocks turned it upside down the whole bit. Then I go to working on it and I get antifreeze everywhere. And that’s the motor by itself. It’ll hang out in the reservoir, radiator, heater core, everywhere. So you’re signing on for a lot of work to get it back right if you use water.
And Like I said we have some pretty old antifreeze hanging around in places. I know you have to shed more heat than we do, but we also plug radiators with shit, so maybe not.
Especially if it’s not a DD I wouldn’t. Check it in the reservoir. If it’s not discolored or cloudy I’d roll it. Eventually something will go wrong with something somewhere and you’ll have to drain it. [Reply]