Why Does the Antifreeze Level Drop Quickly?
1 Answers
The main reasons for a rapid decrease in car antifreeze include leakage, poor circulation leading to fast consumption, or coolant entering the cylinders and being burned or leaking into the oil pan. If the rapid decrease is due to leakage, traces of leakage are usually visible at the leak points. The solution is to replace the radiator or tighten the screws at the overflow tank, water pump joint surface, and cooling system pipelines. If the issue is poor circulation, it's advisable to have a professional mechanic inspect the system. If the coolant is being burned in the cylinders or leaking into the oil pan, it's important to check whether the engine cylinder head gasket or intake manifold gasket is damaged. If damage is found, repairs or replacements are necessary. Method for Replacing Antifreeze: Before completely replacing the antifreeze, conduct a thorough inspection to check for any signs of leakage or cracks in the pipelines, with particular attention to the five-way hose. The five-way hose gets its name from having five connections to different parts of the car. Antifreeze flows through the five-way hose and is distributed to various parts of the vehicle to perform its function. If there's any leakage of antifreeze in this section, replace the hose or resecure the connections as needed. Drain the old antifreeze, then flush the liquid channels with clean water. Add clean water to the antifreeze reservoir and continue adding water until it flows continuously through the engine cooling system. Then, start the engine and let it idle for 3 to 5 minutes to circulate the water. Initially, the water flowing out of the hoses may have a faint pink tint. Keep adding clean water until the outflowing water runs clear. Remember to remove the heater hose and drain the water from the heater core. After draining for about an hour, add the new antifreeze through the radiator hose to allow it to flow quickly into the radiator. Then, add another container of antifreeze to the reservoir until it's nearly full. Start the engine and let it run for about 10 minutes. At this point, the coolant level may drop slightly as air is purged from the system. Top up the antifreeze to the "MAXT" mark on the reservoir.
