Coolant Change Interval

[RedRaptor]

There is no information on the Mazda3 service schedule regarding coolant.

Car is at 125,000km and 5+ years old.

I've had the original coolant flushed out about 2.5 years ago. Got it done at Avante Mazda so I am going to say they used the stock coolant.

That was well over 60,000km+ ago.

Is it time again? If so, what brand of coolant should be I be getting? Should I just stick with the Mazda stock coolant?

[TheMAN]

use ONLY the mazda coolant unless you're willing to spend hours and hours researching the correct brand for your car just to save a few bucks

people are going to reply here saying "prestone is universal and works fine" and other baseless BS.... the reason why I'm saying this is because not all coolants are the same even if they look the same... the chemical additives are different and can seriously damage your cooling system/engine if the wrong stuff (generic "universal" coolant) is used... mazdas (and japanese cars for that matter) do not like silicate based coolants, nor borates based coolants (european cars)... they use phosphate instead as a corrosion inhibitor... when you put an unapproved coolant in, it can lead to buildup in the radiator or water pump failure

the newest mazdas (very late 07 and newer) as well as nearly every other maker will be using this "extended life" coolant... instead of using those mineral based corrosion inhibitors, they are using organic or hybrid organic compounds instead... this is where you get into trouble... when you mix regular "ol' green stuff" into a car that has this, it can turn to jello... putting in the wrong TYPE of this extending life coolant into car that needs it can also cause issues... as I said already, some cars use the hybrid stuff and some don't... in general, when you mix, it can turn to jello, does nothing at all, or cause buildup... it's really russian roulette... also, these newest coolants typically are used straight and not mixed with water because automakers know people used tap water (not supposed to do it but they did) in the past to mix the traditional coolant concentrates which reduces life despite the fact that it generally posed no significant harm

since your car is an 04, it should be using the non-extended life crap... it needs to be mixed with water and it should be changed out every 2 years or 50000km (this is assuming avante's flush machine uses tap water and generally all shops do because of cost)... the first change was supposed to be 100k or 4 years only because the factory fill didn't contain impurities (in tap water)... it is safe to go between 50-100k if you used 50/50 distilled water mix in a drain and fill... and it is important you change these when the time comes and not when the mileage comes if you don't drive enough... the corrosion inhibitors have a life span on them and they weaken over time due to chemical reactions and stuff like thermal cycling in the engine (stored new bottles should last a long time)


I'm sorry if this didn't make any sense but I tried to keep it as simple as possible... bottom line is, is it worth your time to figure out what you need just to save a few bucks? as a final reminder, don't trust what the manufacturer or label says... even if they claim it "works with asian cars" and stuff like that, they typically still have a slightly different corrosion inhibitor because they're still "generic"... why gamble the life of your engine/car just to save a few bucks?

[casperwonder]

Good read, thanks for sharing.:star

[Gizzmo_jr]

So what am I looking for when I go to a part store? I do my own work on my car.

[TheMAN]

nothing you'd really want to buy unless you got an old beater that isn't worth any money

[Gizzmo_jr]

So my options are nothing or coolant flush at a dealership.

[RedRaptor]

Thanks for the post, TheMan. So that basically means, we should buy the Mazda Coolant should we do the flush ourselves?

[TheMAN]

coolant flush are overrated
the 3s uses aluminum engine blocks and therefore don't "rust"... plus there isn't any sediments to that flake off the inside of the engine block because it's not cast iron (where they use sand to cast them)... furthermore, as I said earlier, shops typically use tap water for flush machines (and also drain & fill operations)... I have NEVER seen anyone use distilled water in a shop (maybe they do at high end places), but what I'm saying is, the impurities in tap water cause more harm than good... it reduces coolant life and also causes buildup in the system... this is why the scheduled intervals are much lower after the initial coolant change because mazda assumes tap water is used (assume the worse)

as long as you follow the scheduled maintenance on the coolant drain & fill strictly, you'll never have a problem for the life of the car

use mazda (or subaru coolant as long as the car doesn't use FL22) and mix with distilled water and you'll be fine

[Gizzmo_jr]

hrmm okay thanks. I did a half flush (just drain from the bottom of the rad), but it doesn't change over the entire water jacket.

[TheMAN]

that's fine as long as you were within the schedule
a flush is only necessary when the system has long been neglected and downright looks disgusting.... otherwise flushes are there to just make your wallet lighter

subaru has even gone as far as having their corporate reps tell dealers NOT to sell coolant flushes to their customers because they care about keeping their brand and dealership network untarnished... they don't want their brand to show bad/unnecessary service or rip off dealers... this goes to show coolant flushes are totally unnecessary for a properly maintained car

please understand what I'm saying about "avoid aftermarket coolants" applies basically to japanese cars only as they all have very specific and proprietary formulas... if you own a domestic (except certain fords like the fusion using FL22), then you're safe to buy whatever you like (as long as the label says its what its for).... even for some european cars, they use G05 which is also used by ford... easily bought... but the rest of them also share the interesting proprietary dilemma


and finally to throw a wrench in the gears, mazda canada sells its regular coolant (for 07 and older) in yellow... this is so that it works with both the ford built cars (mazda6, 626, B-series, tribute) that used G05 coolant and the (non-silicated) green stuff that they had in proteges, millenias, etc.... that is not the case in the states... there's the old green, G05 orange, and dark green FL22 sold at american dealerships... while it's all factory approved, I can't say I'm 100% confident about this decision because of the fact mazda dealers everywhere else in the world (not just the US) has the specific stuff... I also mentioned earlier about subaru coolant... their green stuff is pretty much the same as mazda's old green coolant and is to also be mixed with water.... my 3 is running that stuff right now because I happened to get a couple of gallons free (used it when I installed the oil cooler months ago).... so far nothing has gone wrong (like jelling up) so it appears fine to me... subaru's coolant is also formulated using phosphate corrosion inhibitors and is 100% silicate free just like mazda's.... it is completely safe to use in aluminum engines (which subaru engines are)... beware that the subaru super coolant is for subaru's only (it's blue), and FL22 is completely proprietary for new mazdas and some fords... these are extended life coolants and mixing water is not allowed (though I say just a few ounces of DISTILLED water wouldn't hurt it at all, but definitely do NOT put in tap water)

[Gizzmo_jr]

Thank you sir, now I'm getting the big picture.

I changed mine due to 3-4 times I boiled over and filled with what I could at the time. I still gotta do a gravity test to see what i'm at currently. Key point for me is not to change it to frequently and at longer intervals.

[TheMAN]

doesn't hurt to change it too often like oil, but unnecessary of course :)

[Nova 3 GT]

When I went to my dealer to get a jug of coolant to top off, this is what I've
got:

***wrong picture***

[TheMAN]

wrong stuff
notice the label says "low silicate"

I don't know about MOT, but DWM carries the mazda coolant

[Nova 3 GT]

Edit: Oups, I've posted the wrong picture. :bang

The bottle I've got from my local Mazda dealer is indeed Zerex green BUT, it also says "Extented Life 5/150". I'll try to post the right picture! My bad, sorry guys! :blush

[DumpInfo]

There is no information on the Mazda3 service schedule regarding coolant.

Car is at 125,000km and 5+ years old.

I've had the original coolant flushed out about 2.5 years ago. Got it done at Avante Mazda so I am going to say they used the stock coolant.

That was well over 60,000km+ ago.

Is it time again? If so, what brand of coolant should be I be getting? Should I just stick with the Mazda stock coolant?

It's funny you mentioned this because he told me I had to get mine done as well. He told me to stick with the Mazda stuff so I went with that. I got my thermostat and coolant ready to go!

[TheMAN]

that only applies for the older 3s that don't use FL22

[Mty Mous]

What's your opinion on Amsoil's Antifreeze and Engine Coolant?

http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/ant.aspx

[TheMAN]

I don't know... the MSDS doesn't say anything about what it has except its propylene glycol

[W_L89]

even regular green coolant has different formulas/ additives to make? i thought it was just dex and universal coolant that used different formulas to create based on brand

[MAZDA Kitten]

Wow good info. Thanks TheMan

[TheMAN]

even regular green coolant has different formulas/ additives to make? i thought it was just dex and universal coolant that used different formulas to create based on brand
yes, green is not green

don't let the colours mislead you!

and don't expect every shop/mechanic to know this... I didn't know anything about the coolant differences until a year ago!

[thekid]

Edwin, do you know if Mazda's GOLD coolant is the same as Ford's GOLD coolant, both are extended life... just asking cause it's cheaper from the mazda dealer than ford, and my diesel truck calls for Ford Motorcraft GOLD extended life coolant.

[Fuman]

you don't have to do it at the dealer.
I brought the coolant from MoT and had street Performance do it.

[TheMAN]

Edwin, do you know if Mazda's GOLD coolant is the same as Ford's GOLD coolant, both are extended life... just asking cause it's cheaper from the mazda dealer than ford, and my diesel truck calls for Ford Motorcraft GOLD extended life coolant.
I don't think so because it's meant to be compatible with the older mazdas that had the normal life green coolant

the one in the states are though

[Nova 3 GT]

Woohoo, my car is now officially using FL22 coolant. :) The FL22 coolant change and flush at my dealer cost me 100$ which is 10$ more than the conventional 2-year coolant change. Worth every penny and no more headache for another 5 years! :headbang

[liquidzyklon]

Woohoo, my car is now officially using FL22 coolant. :) The FL22 coolant change and flush at my dealer cost me 100$ which is 10$ more than the conventional 2-year coolant change. Worth every penny and no more headache for another 5 years! :headbangSo which model of the Mazda3 came with FL22 coolants? Is it safe to switch from non-FL22 coolant to FL22 coolant?

[stevenma188]

So I'm confused. We can only use coolant we buy from the Mazda dealer? We can't just go to CT or PartSource to pick up a jug of coolant? I'm thinking of changing my coolant in the near future.

[Nova 3 GT]

So which model of the Mazda3 came with FL22 coolants? Is it safe to switch from non-FL22 coolant to FL22 coolant?

I believe late 2007 or early 2008 Mazda3 are factory filled with FL22. Check out here for more information:

http://www.finishlineperformance.com/pdf/miata/bulletin/01-033-07-1830b.pdf

[Nova 3 GT]

So I'm confused. We can only use coolant we buy from the Mazda dealer? We can't just go to CT or PartSource to pick up a jug of coolant? I'm thinking of changing my coolant in the near future.

I'm not sure if Canadian Tire has the "Peak Global Lifetime" coolant... I've heard that it's the most compatible with FL22. Otherwise, the one that the dealer sells is garanteed to work with our cars.

[stevenma188]

When coolant replacement becomes necessary for older Mazda models not originally filled with FL22 coolant, FL22 coolant can be used.

From the TSB Nova 3 GT posted.

[TheMAN]

coolant change intervals do NOT get extended when one converts to FL22

I already explained clearly why you don't want to just grab some random jug of coolant from crappy tire and pour it into the radiator... that's on the first page!

[Soyabean]

If we decide to get the coolant from the Mazda dealership. Does that come premixed or do they have to mix it? I recall you saying something about using distilled water and that there are no shops out there who use distilled water. So what do we do if we had to incorporate some distilled water into it? Where can we get that?

[standsideways]

If we decide to get the coolant from the Mazda dealership. Does that come premixed or do they have to mix it? I recall you saying something about using distilled water and that there are no shops out there who use distilled water. So what do we do if we had to incorporate some distilled water into it? Where can we get that?

you need to mix it 5050 with distilled or soft water.it comes concentrated.

any green coolant should do.

[Nova 3 GT]

If you buy FL22 from the dealer, no water is needed because its already pre-mixed. As for where to find distilled water, Canadian Tire has it (they call it either de-ionized or de-mineralized) or any pharmacy.

[Soyabean]

OOO, sorry I failed to read the last couple of posts. So the FL22 is compatible with my older 06 and it is already premixed. Looking at the TSB all the way at the bottom, it says that it requires 6 gallons?

[Nova 3 GT]

I've checked my invoice and its written : two 4-liter jugs. In the owner's manual, it says 7.5L for a total flush including the heater and my favorite tech advisor said that he gave me the remaining jug so I can top off after the engine is fully cooled down. Just in case! :)

[stevenma188]

I already explained clearly why you don't want to just grab some random jug of coolant from crappy tire and pour it into the radiator... that's on the first page!

I wasn't planning on grabbing any random jug of coolant, but was wondering if there was anywhere else I could get coolant for our car, since I'm sure the stealership charges a premium on it.

[RedRaptor]

I'd go with the Mazda coolant as saving $5 per bottle isn't worth the risk.

[stevenma188]

AH, for $5 more a bottle, thats not that bad. I thought it was significantly more expensive.

Nova 3 GT: how much did the FL22 cost?

[TheMAN]

you need to mix it 5050 with distilled or soft water.it comes concentrated.

any green coolant should do.

no, as I said already, green is NOT green
there's many different kinds of formulations out there!

[TheMAN]

they're out there but they're very hard to find the EXACT right one... that takes a lot of time and formulations change from time to time, so it's not worth the trouble
when time= money, just go to the dealer and pay the extra few bucks knowing you're getting the right stuff that NEVER changes

[Nova 3 GT]

AH, for $5 more a bottle, thats not that bad. I thought it was significantly more expensive.

Nova 3 GT: how much did the FL22 cost?

Here in Trois-Rivieres, a 4-liter jug of FL22 coolant cost me 19.22$+tx. Not sure how much it cost in Toronto...For comparison, the Mazda-branded regular green stuff cost 17,44$ +tx. So it's not THAT expensive :)

[liquidzyklon]

coolant change intervals do NOT get extended when one converts to FL22

I already explained clearly why you don't want to just grab some random jug of coolant from crappy tire and pour it into the radiator... that's on the first page!Sorry, I'm in and out of this thead. But TheMAN states that coolant change intervals do NOT get extended when one converts to FL22, but in the TSB provided link (http://www.finishlineperformance.com/pdf/miata/bulletin/01-033-07-1830b.pdf), note #1 specifically states that the change intervals are extended for older models. Maybe you did not know that Mazda had this note. But I would like your input in this matter.

[TheMAN]

sorry I forgot about that... I was always under the impression that converting or mixing will result in intervals not as long as a factory fill 100% FL22, which is true

so converting to FL22 extends the life slightly, but not to the crazy life expectancy that a factory fill FL22 would be :)

[stock3]

I think some of you guys are exaggerating quite a bit about aftermarket coolants. If they caused so much trouble as some of you imply, then there would be hundreds of lawsuits pending against Prestone, Zerex and other makers, which is not the case.

Aftermarket coolants are just fine, but there are some key points that should be followed:
- If you want to change coolant to an aftermarket one with a different formula or even the same formula, DO A COMPLETE FLUSH, not just one radiator drain and fill. This will eliminate any incompatibility issues.

- Even if you already have an aftermarket coolant installed, but for some reason want to change brands, say from Prestone to Zertex, again always perform a full flush, as these formulations are different. I even heard that the factory Dexcool fill is different from a Prestone Dexcool, so a full flush is a good idea.

- Whenever your coolant level is low, top off with the same coolant, preferably the same brand to be safe, or just distilled water, if it is a small amount.

- avoid diesel engine coolants, these are totally different, as diesel engine metallurgy and materials are different that gasoline engines.

Silicates are not "evil" for Japanese engines, most manufacturers use very similar materials for their radiators, engine blocks, gasket materials etc. So a low silicate coolant like Zerex G05 or a coolant with no silicates or phosphoresces like Prestone All makes will not cause any harm, as long as a complete flush is done.

Chances are that if you go to the quick lube places for oil changes, your coolant was topped off with some generic coolant anyway, so don't get yourselves scared into "use only Mazda coolant", sure it's a safe bet, but not the only choice we have.

[TheMAN]

there hasn't been any lawsuits because any of the damages it causes happens over a very long period of time... beyond what a typical car owner owns a car... and happens at such a level that 99% of owners are too ignorant to even know why it happened, plus the fact that the garages will either not know or not care what caused it because they're more than happy to sell the repair job while passing on the failure reason as "old age"... I've seen build up using mixed or improperly used coolants... do I have proof? no, you'll just have to take my word for it

the japanese don't use silicates because they have found that it causes reaction with aluminum and adds abrasion to the water pump seals/bearings... this in turn causes a chalk like buildup at the bottom of the radiator which eventually leads to overheating problems, and also water pump failures not long after the 100k mark... using the right stuff? I've seen cars get away with original water pumps way beyond the typical life of a car... as much as 300k... so it doesn't matter if they use "similar materials"... the americans took a long time to get away from it, and that's just their prerogative for being stupid, just like how they design and build their cars

[stock3]

I agree with you that you shuldn't mix coolant formulations, this will cause sludge, gelling or coolant discoloration. That's why I said do a comlete flush.

Japanese coolant is nothing special, their engine use no special materials, as you seem to imply, Ford, Chrysler and Mercedes all use silicated coolant (G05), and they all have aluminum engines, and there is absloutley no issues with G05, no water pump failures or gasket leaks, even on Ford Focus, which has essentially the same engine as Mazda 3 and they use G05 (motorcraft gold). Phosphorates (that japanese coolants use) have the same job to do as silicates in coolant, to provide a quick protection against cavitation, since organic compounds need time to form a protective layer and cavitation strips that layer off, it is the job of silicates or phosphorates to replanish that layer quickly. These are different solutions to the same problem, so again, Japanese did not do anything special with their coolant, just different.

Silicates are no problem as long as the owner doesn't push the coolant change to the extremes, that's where silicates will start dropping out of the coolant causing seal and pump wear. If you stick to the recommended change intervals you will be OK. Again, thousands of aluminum engines drive around with silicates with no problems and the cases where you saw deposits were most likley due to neglect, where the cooling system was probably never serviced or tooped off with an incompatible coolant.

[TheMAN]

like i said already, the japanese have found silicates to lower the life of water pumps (and that's on well maintained systems)... so even if that crap "works fine" in a ford or "works fine" after you flush out the factory fill with the cheap crappy tire stuff, it doesn't mean its great or will let the water pump last beyond 100k... ford or any of the other big 3s don't care, but the japanese care about their stuff holding together (to a degree compared to the past).... you can't argue the fact that phosphate based coolants have made water pumps last insane number of miles

and finally, why even bother flushing just so you can use the $5 cheaper crap? my time is better spent than saving 5 bucks... there is absolutely no need to do any coolant flushes as long as the coolant has been drained and refilled in a timely manner, especially with all aluminum engines... just more money making scam BS the quick lube industry has pushed

save your time, don't gamble, and just buy the stuff from the dealer, drain the stuff out, and put a gallon of the new stuff in... done in 30 minutes tops... why waste more of your time than that?

[Nova 3 GT]

By the way, I forgot to ask especially to those who has a 2010 Mz3: Is the color of your factory-filled FL22 dark green ?

[RedRaptor]

Planning to have my coolant flushed at MoT and have them use FL22. Thanks for all the info.

[Fobio]

Planning to have my coolant flushed at MoT and have them use FL22. Thanks for all the info.

I didn't even know about this thread til after I got mine done at Agincourt...it was well under $100 with the TM3 discount, and eventhough, I didn't "need" a flush, I figure at 2 yrs, the car deserves it with all the stop and go she sees.

[TheMAN]

the way you drive has nothing to do with how quickly coolant deteriorates... all they did was made your wallet lighter and laughing their way to the bank
if anything, you ruined the life of your cooling system because they probably used a "shared" machine to flush your car (for old mazdas and new mazdas), plus the fact that they're more than likely to use tap water because its cheaper and more readily available

had you left it alone and followed the manual's recommendations, you would've been perfectly fine
aluminum engines also don't cause buildup anywhere with the right *working* coolant, which is another reason why flushes are a rip off... even older mazda iron block engines don't have buildup problems as long as the coolant has been changed out on time

[Fobio]

the way you drive has nothing to do with how quickly coolant deteriorates... all they did was made your wallet lighter and laughing their way to the bank
if anything, you ruined the life of your cooling system because they probably used a "shared" machine to flush your car (for old mazdas and new mazdas), plus the fact that they're more than likely to use tap water because its cheaper and more readily available

had you left it alone and followed the manual's recommendations, you would've been perfectly fine
aluminum engines also don't cause buildup anywhere with the right *working* coolant, which is another reason why flushes are a rip off... even older mazda iron block engines don't have buildup problems as long as the coolant has been changed out on time

I was not aware that the dealerships offered a "coolant change" as well as a "coolant flsuh"....in fact, I told the service manager I want to change my coolant and they then said, "you mean a coolant flush".

[TheMAN]

the service manager makes money on commission also, so they're always quick to sell you crap you don't need!

[Gods Son]

Bought my coolant from Joe at MoT and brought it to Street Performance to change it for me. Pure win.

[shu5892001]

so its good to stick to oem coolant? Is it bad if i do a coolant flush and use amsoil coolant?

[TheMAN]

yes, yes, maybe

[mazda3ride]

Can someone please confirm that this is the right coolant I should be using for my 04 3. My car is currently using the NON FL22 coolant. Even though by reading this post I could actually use the FL22 coolant, I would like to stick with what is already in the car.

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx343/mazda3ride/Coolant.jpg

[M&D Executive Auto]

Yes that is the regular Mazda coolant. If you look on the bottom left corner of the label the part # is 0000-88-AFLG that is the regular coolant. The FL22 coolant has a part # that ends in FL22.

[mazda lover]

going to change the anti freeze in my M3 2005, no where does it say FL22, can I use regular Prestone? The colour of the anti freeze in the car is green, I believe Prestone is yellow. Read all the threads and still confused or maybe more cautious thats causing the confusion. Have a few jugs that I want to use so the reason for the question or should I just buy the regular Mazda anti freeze for peace of mind, just want to do a drain and fill. Prestone says it is compatible with all colour anti freeze.
Thanks

[TheAnswer_03]

coolant flush are overrated
the 3s uses aluminum engine blocks and therefore don't "rust"... plus there isn't any sediments to that flake off the inside of the engine block because it's not cast iron (where they use sand to cast them)... furthermore, as I said earlier, shops typically use tap water for flush machines (and also drain & fill operations)... I have NEVER seen anyone use distilled water in a shop (maybe they do at high end places), but what I'm saying is, the impurities in tap water cause more harm than good... it reduces coolant life and also causes buildup in the system... this is why the scheduled intervals are much lower after the initial coolant change because mazda assumes tap water is used (assume the worse)

as long as you follow the scheduled maintenance on the coolant drain & fill strictly, you'll never have a problem for the life of the car

use mazda (or subaru coolant as long as the car doesn't use FL22) and mix with distilled water and you'll be fine

I just had a coolant drain and fill at the Mazda dealership where approx 3.78 liters of coolant was replaced.

I brought in Peak 50/50, it states the coolant can be used to top off the existing coolant and also it's phosphate and silicate free. Is using Peak coolant okay?

Also, owner's manual for my 07' says non-FL22 is to be replaced at 96,000km or 4 years, after that every 2 years. Is that referring to a complete flush? When should it be changed next for a drain and fill?

http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/4498/peaklonglife5050predilu.jpg

[TheMAN]

no, there's no such thing as "for all makes and models"
http://www.crownvic.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1728557&page=1

the manual refers to drain and fill only... if you follow the schedule, there's no problem as you're replacing only half of what's in the system (draining the radiator only drains out half of what's in there)... the new stuff mixes with half the old and since the old stuff is still relatively clean, it's fine, and the new additives in the new coolant will provide the protection you need

look on the coolant cap.... if it says FL22 you have FL22 and you don't have to mess with it for 10 years
if it doesn't, then you have regular phosphate based coolant

honestly, for stuff that cheap and hardly changed, I would go buy the mazda or subaru stuff just to have a peace of mind... why contaminate the cooling system that can shorten its life or cause other problems just to save a few bucks once every couple of years? They aren't premixed and you need to buy distilled water to mix it of course... it's cheaper to do this anyway

subarus (older ones at least) uses the same exact dark green coolant mazda used to put in, so their coolant will work just fine for our non-FL22 cars... just ask for coolant for something like a 2002 WRX lol
mazda canada for some odd reason chose to sell only the piss yellow "gold" coolant which is pretty much the same G-05 coolant they used in the Tribute... a different formulation... they say it's compatible with all mazdas using the older style green coolant though... the only way to get the old style dark green mazda coolant is from the states, and it's not worth the drive just for $20 of coolant

[TheAnswer_03]

no, there's no such thing as "for all makes and models"
http://www.crownvic.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1728557&page=1

the manual refers to drain and fill only... if you follow the schedule, there's no problem as you're replacing only half of what's in the system (draining the radiator only drains out half of what's in there)... the new stuff mixes with half the old and since the old stuff is still relatively clean, it's fine, and the new additives in the new coolant will provide the protection you need

look on the coolant cap.... if it says FL22 you have FL22 and you don't have to mess with it for 10 years
if it doesn't, then you have regular phosphate based coolant

honestly, for stuff that cheap and hardly changed, I would go buy the mazda or subaru stuff just to have a peace of mind... why contaminate the cooling system that can shorten its life or cause other problems just to save a few bucks once every couple of years? They aren't premixed and you need to buy distilled water to mix it of course... it's cheaper to do this anyway

subarus (older ones at least) uses the same exact dark green coolant mazda used to put in, so their coolant will work just fine for our non-FL22 cars... just ask for coolant for something like a 2002 WRX lol
mazda canada for some odd reason chose to sell only the piss yellow "gold" coolant which is pretty much the same G-05 coolant they used in the Tribute... a different formulation... they say it's compatible with all mazdas using the older style green coolant though... the only way to get the old style dark green mazda coolant is from the states, and it's not worth the drive just for $20 of coolant

Alright, thanks for the info. I actually had the coolant drain and fill at 101,500km or 5 years (manual says 96,000km or 4 years as I definitely do not have FL-22), shouldn't be a big deal hopefully. I never had overheating issues and the original coolant was an olive green color even though I can't really judge the coolant condition based off that. I'll just get drain and fills every 2 years then.

I also had a transmission flush done at Mazda recently too, some say a transmission flush is harmful but why would Mazda offer it?

[TheMAN]

it's harmful if the trans was neglected... doing it regularly scheduled, won't harm anything except your wallet.... drain and fill has always been fine as long as you changed the fluid every 50k
only real reason to flush it is if you're changing to synthetic.... that way everything gets changed over

but mazda doesn't recommend transmission flushes, nor do they actually schedule tranny fluid changes in the manual... it's only something the dealer has decided to do, and 50k intervals is standard industry practise

[TheAnswer_03]

it's harmful if the trans was neglected... doing it regularly scheduled, won't harm anything except your wallet.... drain and fill has always been fine as long as you changed the fluid every 50k
only real reason to flush it is if you're changing to synthetic.... that way everything gets changed over

but mazda doesn't recommend transmission flushes, nor do they actually schedule tranny fluid changes in the manual... it's only something the dealer has decided to do, and 50k intervals is standard industry practise

Well I did switch to synthetic ATF and got the flush.

I got the 2.3L and the manual says it takes 4.3L (or 4.5 quarts) capacity of motor oil, I recently brought in five 1 quart (0.946L) bottles and only four bottles were used. Is that normal? If I bring in four 1 quart bottles from now on, is there ever a chance a different mechanic saying it's not enough? (I like to bring in my own oil.)

[RedRaptor]

Are you talking about transmission fluid or motor oil?

For an automatic transmission, the entire fill is close to 9L so if you got a flush, you would have needed at least 9L of ATF. I've flushed my ATF twice and replaced with Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF.

I also bought a 4L jug of Motormaster ATF for the flushing and asked Jimmy to use Synthetic ATF to fill.

[TheMAN]

Well I did switch to synthetic ATF and got the flush.

I got the 2.3L and the manual says it takes 4.3L (or 4.5 quarts) capacity of motor oil, I recently brought in five 1 quart (0.946L) bottles and only four bottles were used. Is that normal? If I bring in four 1 quart bottles from now on, is there ever a chance a different mechanic saying it's not enough? (I like to bring in my own oil.)
your motor might be underfilled... check the oil after the car has been sitting overnight to be sure

[RedRaptor]

After getting a drain/fill coolant service today, I'm curious if its a good idea for my next coolant change service interval to have a FLUSH done with the new FL22 coolant used in 2007+.

I mean the idea of not having to service your coolant for years...

[TheMAN]

you'll need to get every drop of the old stuff out... impossible to do... flushing machine using tap water, you won't get the full life out of it... using several rinse cycles of drain and filling with distilled water, you'll still have minute residual traces of the old stuff...

IMO, it's not worth bothering

I just drain and fill the coolant myself, just like doing an oil change... it's easy... why pay someone to do it when the money is better spent on gas?

[RedRaptor]

So theoretically, even if you were to flush the old coolant out with lots of distilled water and then filled with FL22, it still wouldn't be worthwhile?

[standsideways]

So theoretically, even if you were to flush the old coolant out with lots of distilled water and then filled with FL22, it still wouldn't be worthwhile?


Unless you wanna waste coolant/water

Our cooling systems work more than fine, the oem cooling supported tripoints mazda 3 up untill around the 500hp mark.

I think a drain and fill will be more than good enough!

[knowell]

Just to revive the thread.

If Im currently using the non-FL22 coolant, can I just do a drain & fill and refill it with the FL22 variant? Im due to my first coolant change and I want to know which one should I buy from the dealer.

[rpelich]

sorry to bump an old thread but im a nooby. how can i check the condiiton of my coolant and which type i have? just check the color in the resevior thingy and see if it looks clean?

[G ~ MINI]

So theoretically, even if you were to flush the old coolant out with lots of distilled water and then filled with FL22, it still wouldn't be worthwhile?

Engine coolant FL22 ... Replace at 190,000 km or after 10 years.

Use a good radiator flush like LIQUI MOLY Radiator Cleaner removes deposits containing oil and lime/scale deposits. Its basically a CLR for your radiator

[Flagrum_3]

There are two checks for your coolant, one is strength which tells you what temperature it is good too and the second most important is a Ph level test, which tells you how acidic your coolant is. Both can be tested quickly at the dealer or by yourself if you buy the tester and Ph strips.

As for type of coolant, read the reservoir cap, or owner's manual, it will tell you if you use FL22 or not. My '05 doesn't, so I just buy Prestone Longlife coolant.


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