antifreeze change procedure and type to use?

djzander

Member

Equipment
MX5100 4WD HST
Dec 6, 2016
48
0
6
Graysville Ohio USA
2013 Mx5100 HST 4wd
Have a little over 100 hours on it. Works well but 6 years old. Should I change the antifreeze? And can you point me to some instructions /tips? What is the correct antifreeze to use?
Thanks
 

djzander

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Equipment
MX5100 4WD HST
Dec 6, 2016
48
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6
Graysville Ohio USA
OK, its in the operating manual . every 2 years or 2000 hours.
Drain plug in radiator.
Any recommendations for cleaner to flush and antifreeze type though?
 

SidecarFlip

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Never used any cleaner in my M's, just clear water rinse. I don't use the extremely cheap petcock on the Rad. Besides, it don't get everything. I take the lower rad hose off at the rad and drain it that way.

I use the conventional green stuff (what Kubota recommends). It's a dry linered engine so conventional green is just fine.

I do mine every 2 years or so. Cheap date.
 

BruceP

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G5200H
Aug 7, 2016
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Richmond, Vermont, USA
I often pull the lower radiator hose speed draining. I have found that using gas leaf-blower (into radiator-cap) to help clear fluid from cooling-system works pretty well. It is harder to blow the engine out because the thermostat closes the passageway.

After using the 'acid clean' stuff, fill/drain several times with DISTILLED water to rinse.

Never EVER use anything but DISTILLED water in cooling-system. (unless you live where your well has very low dissolved minerals )
 

bxray

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Bx25d
Dec 1, 2014
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Cleveland, ohio
I often pull the lower radiator hose speed draining. I have found that using gas leaf-blower (into radiator-cap) to help clear fluid from cooling-system works pretty well. It is harder to blow the engine out because the thermostat closes the passageway.

After using the 'acid clean' stuff, fill/drain several times with DISTILLED water to rinse.

Never EVER use anything but DISTILLED water in cooling-system. (unless you live where your well has very low dissolved minerals )
I use the shop vac.
 

North Idaho Wolfman

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Is there a drain plug on the engine block?
where is it located on the MX5100.
Good idea to pull it also?
Nope, no drain plug on the block as it drains to the radiator also, so drain it at the radiator, fill it with straight water run it a min or two to circulate it around, then drain again, now refill to almost full and then check concentration level and top off accordingly to get 50/50. ;)
 
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SidecarFlip

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Nope, no drain plug on the block as it drains to the radiator also, so drain it at the radiator, fill it with straight water run it a min or two to circulate it around, then drain again, now refill to almost full and then check concentration level and top off accordingly to get 50/50. ;)
Or buy 50-50 pre mix.
 

djzander

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MX5100 4WD HST
Dec 6, 2016
48
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Graysville Ohio USA
Ok
Thanks for the advise Mr wolfman . I’d been looking around the engine for something to unscrew!
I have distilled water. Is that what I should re fill with and drain or is it ok to use tap water garden hose as I’m going to drain it out again. I have 3 gallons of distilled. Whole system holds a little under 2 Galion I believe. Do you recommend disconnecting the lower hose at the radiator to drain also?
 

North Idaho Wolfman

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Ok
Thanks for the advise Mr wolfman . I’d been looking around the engine for something to unscrew!
I have distilled water. Is that what I should re fill with and drain or is it ok to use tap water garden hose as I’m going to drain it out again. I have 3 gallons of distilled. Whole system holds a little under 2 Galion I believe. Do you recommend disconnecting the lower hose at the radiator to drain also?
I use tap water to flush, no need to take off bottom hose if you've gotten the plug out of the bottom of the radiator already. ;)

Just flush and drain and then close it up and refill it with your antifreeze and distilled water mix to just below full , then check and adjust the mix for any residual water that was left in the system.
 

lugbolt

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ZG127S-54
Oct 15, 2015
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You can test the condition of the "current" coolant with a voltmeter. Put it on low range (0-2v is all you need), one probe in the coolant at the top of the radiator (don't touch the probe to anything else but coolant) and the other probe on ground somewhere, block works, battery works I use battery because it's right there. If you see more than about 0.6-0.7v, you will want to flush. I highly doubt you'll see more than 0.4v. If it's low, just drain & refill with 50/50 green (ethylene glycol) coolant. Don't use ELC (extended life coolant)--aka the yellow, gold, or red stuff and don't use any of that crap that GM cars & trucks use/used either--it's garbage. Just use the green stuff.

With that few hours on the meter, and lack of age, I can't see any justification in a complete flush...UNLESS the current stuff is "worn out" which is unlikely. As said, it's testable with a digital volt meter.

What's the volt meter tell you? As the coolant "wears out", it becomes more acidic. Well, the cooling system kinda sorta acts like a lead-acid battery. The more acidic the coolant is, the better and more electric current it "makes", which is why it's testable with a DVOM. When it gets real acidic, it will tend to make the cast iron block/head oxidize, and you'll start to see crud build up and reddish/brown coolant. THAT'S when it needs a flush (for sure!)-but is highly unlikely again due to the lack of use and lack of age. You can also test with PH but most of us have a DVOM handy anyway.
 
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mattwithcats

Active member
Jun 17, 2017
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Virginia
I have had good results from using Zerex G-05 long life antifreeze...

Does not have the plastic dissolving chemical found in Dex-Cool...
 

djzander

Member

Equipment
MX5100 4WD HST
Dec 6, 2016
48
0
6
Graysville Ohio USA
well only i could find that wasn't already mixed at 50% was the Zerex G05 extended life. So that's what I used . It aint green. Wallmart was either dexcool or preston and it was all diluted with water. I didn't look everywhere but Advanced auto had the Zerex. Maybe TSC has the green stuff?