So I have a 2009 Fit base manual with over 72K miles which is 4.5 years old. I follow the Maintenance Minder.

When did MM 5 (replace coolant) show up for you?

Just wondering...

 

i have a 09 with 45K miles. i will be replacing the coolant next spring using honda's factory coolant.
i also need to replace the clamp cause it's severely corroded...

 

Long life coolant - 5 years or 100K miles so either wait until 2014 or 100K miles.

 

Did my 2009 a few months ago. Always do it early...waiting for the 5 yr mark is not worth it. Note that the Honda coolant is a 50/50 pre mix...thus you can not do a true flush with distilled water or you will be lacking coolant. Just drain and fill with the new product. One gal container is all it takes for the job.

 

no real need to do it early unless your coolant is brown or something.

 

That's incorrect. When's brown then rust and corrosion already took place, it's too late to change coolant. Long life coolant has corrosion inhibitors releases slowly due to car owners' neglect vs. the green coolant lasts only 2 yrs/20K miles.

What's $30 for 5 yr/100K miles when you paid $16-18K car?

 

6 years and 94,000 miles. The original owner didn't do any preventative maintenance. My GD doesn't seem to be any worse for the wait since it had the Honda LLF in from the factory.

 

"thus you can not do a true flush with distilled water or you will be lacking coolant." This is NOT true. The word ANTIFREEZE is too long for the lazy public, so now it's called COOLANT. Glycol is not a coolant, it's more for anti-rust/corrosion chemical to release slowly so the water won't attack Aluminium heads and corrode cast iron engine block. Water is the BEST heat remover, not Glycol. That said, 50/50 is a generic formula for general population.

I live in West Coast so temp never goes below 30 F so I use distilled water 70% and 30% water for my cars. Once a year, I pour in Red Line Water Wetter bottle to refresh more inhibitors. My cars coolant temp run about 85C which is very cool.

Another point is marketing folks wants your money, 50/50 jugs has only 50% of Glycol so they're making more money of you. I buy a gallon 100% Glycol, mix with 33% water, and get 3 gallons of 30/70 and a LOT OF COOLING FOR MY CARS.

 

Rust/Corrsion in heads increase temp in your engine that you would never know until it overheats on freeway. It's more like a heart attack or stroke in human; you won't know until it happens. Oh, I feel great today but you never know when you're going get it.

Corrosion in the heads with "white" specs will reduce cooling affect, over heats the engine, eventually will damage the head gaskets. It's call "preventive maintenance", by the time it happens then it's too late.

Time to spend $30 for your coolant change.

 

I think you misunderstand what I said. If you use the Honda coolant, then you're getting a pre-mixed 50/50 product. If you try and flush out the old coolant with distilled water (what I normally do) then when adding a pre-mixed product you will not achived a 50/50 mix because you can't drain the entire system. You could purchase extra Honda product for purposes of a flush...but I think a simple drain and re-fill is ok.

Yes, if you purchase straight (non pre-mix) gylcol product, then that's different...and then again your not using a Honda fluid. To each their own.

 

when the mm calls for it. top-off in the meantime with honda's delicious blend.

I like to say coolant too. Makes me feel like I'm driving a small nuclear device. "Anti-freeze" is so sixties...

 

[QUOTE=Spacecoast;1207406]I think you misunderstand what I said. QUOTE]


He seems to be an expert on misunderstanding. Ding: 94,000 is when the coolant was flushed. Thanks for the pointless $30 quote.

 

Plan on keeping the car so when it comes time may consider this

https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/gene...s-coolant.html

 

where is the :gtfo: emoticon?

 

that looks interesting, I did some googling. I think the main downside from that in terms of performance, is that the specific heat is far less than water-based coolant (2.5 vs 4.2). So it is similar to having only 60% of water-based coolant.

 

yep, he must be the paranoid type that change motor oil prematurely just cause it's black!

 

Thanks for the quick responses.

I just wanted to confirm that MM 5 should NOT have shown up yet. Guess I'll be looking for it to show up around 96K miles.

 

I change mine every oil change one bottle is enough and cheap insurance. Phitazz is correct on this one. And flushing with distilled water is not doing your engine any favors as it has less minerals in it so when you use it it will leach minerals out of whatever coolant you have left and engine parts.

If you leave coolant in long enough to notice any color change it is already too old and not providing corrosion protection.

 

using anything besides distilled water (whether it's flushing or mixing with coolant concentrate) may result in scale and corrosion. Scale from minerals in the tap water (depending on your location) and corrosion from the water being slightly acidic or basic. Use distilled water to avoid scale and assure a neutral pH. Or better yet, skip the flush and just drain/fill with premix (the manufacturers use distilled water). Honda emphatically states to use their branded coolant; that seems like cheap insurance.

I'm biting my tongue here. mmmfmffgag damn tourettes.

JUST LEAVE THE DAMN STUFF IN THERE UNTIL THE MM CALLS FOR IT TO BE CHANGED!

 

there you go. these are modern cars. no need to over due the fluid changes. it's just a waste of money and more waste for the environment to suffer from.

just follow the manufacturer's recommendation.