2000 Silv W/5.3

[rjirvine]

I have a 2000 Silverado w/5.3 engine. I bought it with 91k miles, and it has 113k miles now. I don't know if the cooling system has ever been flushed. The 2 local dealers want $149/159 to do the service. Is there anything that I couldn't do myself? That seems like a lot of cash, and I'm unemployed right now....

[VMax2007]

Do NOT flush it!!! If it has never been flushed and you do it now, it may very well create a leak. I would simply drain it by removing thelower rad hose and refill it.

[rjirvine]

Okay, I've had older chevy trucks in the past where i cut the heater hose and installed the fitting for the gardenhose and flushed it that way. This truck is my "baby" and I need to keep it reliable. It just seems $150 bucks is bull$hit....I plan on having this truck forever, so just want to the the "right thing". With the 2000 setup, you cant even look down into the radiator and see if the fins are gunked up or not. By the way, the engine temp has been fine.

[brims]

Aren't there threaded plugs in the engine block too which you should remove to get that fluid out as well. I can't imagine they wouldn't have them.

[Stylous]

You can do this yourself. You just need something to catch all old rad fluid. Attach the hose and flush the core, radiator and block then fill it up with the right fluid. Manual recommends rad fluid change every 100,000 or 5 years for '02, whichever comes first.

 

Not sure why above member says not to flush or you'll get leaks. May want to inquire a little more about that statement.

[VMax2007]

You can do this yourself. You just need something to catch all old rad fluid. Attach the hose and flush the core, radiator and block then fill it up with the right fluid. Manual recommends rad fluid change every 100,000 or 5 years for '02, whichever comes first.

 

Not sure why above member says not to flush or you'll get leaks. May want to inquire a little more about that statement.

 

 

it depends on how dirty/neglected it is, but with that many miles, many times flushing will cause more harm than good. It happened to me on an older car many years ago and I have heard of other cases as well.

[svensk]

I flushed mine over the winter at a local shop. they charged me like 95 bucks. They had a special on it I guess =-\

[steiny93]

coolant needs to be replaced from time to time, go read about all the nasty globs in the water jackets

i'm not sure how flushing can 'create' leaks, but who knows

[VMax2007]

coolant needs to be replaced from time to time, go read about all the nasty globs in the water jackets

i'm not sure how flushing can 'create' leaks, but who knows

 

Absolutely it does need to be changed. The problem occurs when you backflush a neglected system.

 

All I am saying is that I backflushed my leak-free cooling system on an older car that was obviously neglected (old, gunked up fluid) and it began leaking like a seive right afterward. I used one of those backflush kits that T into the heater hose and a garden hose. I am not the only one who has had this happen either.

[killterrorists]

I had the coolant flushed on my 01' at 150,000 miles since the fluid was brown. I paid around $135.00 for the flush and 20,000 miles later still no problems.

 

Where do you dispose of old coolant? You can take your oil to recycle at most auto parts stores but the only place I have ever seen that will take used coolant is the hazardous waste dept at the landfill.

[C. Charles Hahn]

You can do this yourself. You just need something to catch all old rad fluid. Attach the hose and flush the core, radiator and block then fill it up with the right fluid. Manual recommends rad fluid change every 100,000 or 5 years for '02, whichever comes first.

 

Not sure why above member says not to flush or you'll get leaks. May want to inquire a little more about that statement.

 

 

it depends on how dirty/neglected it is, but with that many miles, many times flushing will cause more harm than good. It happened to me on an older car many years ago and I have heard of other cases as well.

 

 

I've heard that about transmissions, but never about cooling systems..... you sure you're not thinking trans. fluid?

[t_ruth]

Those prices are about right, especially at a dealer. I work at a local repair shop here in our small KY town of about 15,000. We charge around $100 for the service, you've got to keep in mind what all you're paying for. The shop has expences which must be covered, including the flush machine, labor, and the coolant disposal. Supprizingly enough, we cant just let that stuff go down the drain. haha. Coolant flushes are a good thing, but trans can be a bit different. Sometimes it helps a transmission, but sometimes it can cause one to go out right after.