Honda Car Forum

I just got the engine block heater for the 2006 civic and decided to
install it myself. To install the heater I need to remove the coolant.
I wonder if it'd be a good idea to recycle the coolant into the car,
since the car is very new, instead of having to buy coolant from honda.
I am getting mixed signals regarding this, Honda says that I should add
new Honda antifreeze coolant in a 50/50 mixture, but other people have
told me it shouldn't do me any damage to recycle the coolant. Should I
listen to the corporate machine or to my peers?

JJB wrote:
> I just got the engine block heater for the 2006 civic and decided to
> install it myself. To install the heater I need to remove the coolant.
> I wonder if it'd be a good idea to recycle the coolant into the car,
> since the car is very new, instead of having to buy coolant from honda.
> I am getting mixed signals regarding this, Honda says that I should add
> new Honda antifreeze coolant in a 50/50 mixture, but other people have
> told me it shouldn't do me any damage to recycle the coolant. Should I
> listen to the corporate machine or to my peers?
>
do you also "recycle" brake fluid and motor oil? bottom line, there's
no "clean" way of capturing the coolant without getting crud in it.
besides, with the labor charges you're saving by doing this work
yourself, you can afford to do the right thing - replace the coolant,
don't recycle. and only use distilled water as a dilutant.

On Thu, 07 Dec 2006 06:31:34 -0800, JJB wrote:

> I just got the engine block heater for the 2006 civic and decided to
> install it myself. To install the heater I need to remove the coolant.
> I wonder if it'd be a good idea to recycle the coolant into the car,
> since the car is very new, instead of having to buy coolant from honda.
> I am getting mixed signals regarding this, Honda says that I should add
> new Honda antifreeze coolant in a 50/50 mixture, but other people have
> told me it shouldn't do me any damage to recycle the coolant. Should I
> listen to the corporate machine or to my peers?

How much money do you think you'll save? A bottle of coolant isn't all
that expensive, and it is far cheaper than the headaches you'll encounter
if you end up with crud in the system.

"Joe LaVigne" <jlavigne@hits-buffalo.com> wrote in message
news:elbmmv$21p$2@news.datemas.de...
> On Thu, 07 Dec 2006 06:31:34 -0800, JJB wrote:
>
>> I just got the engine block heater for the 2006 civic and decided to
>> install it myself. To install the heater I need to remove the coolant.
>> I wonder if it'd be a good idea to recycle the coolant into the car,
>> since the car is very new, instead of having to buy coolant from honda.
>> I am getting mixed signals regarding this, Honda says that I should add
>> new Honda antifreeze coolant in a 50/50 mixture, but other people have
>> told me it shouldn't do me any damage to recycle the coolant. Should I
>> listen to the corporate machine or to my peers?
>
> How much money do you think you'll save? A bottle of coolant isn't all
> that expensive, and it is far cheaper than the headaches you'll encounter
> if you end up with crud in the system.

I agree totally. Fresh coolant is the only way to go. I do have one
question, however. If the op's temperatures reach the level where an engine
block heater is required, I don't believe that a 50/50 mix will suffice. All
of our vehicles run about 60/40 or 65/35 or whatever mix it takes to get the
protection down to -60F or -65F.

DaveD

Dave and Trudy wrote:
> "Joe LaVigne" <jlavigne@hits-buffalo.com> wrote in message
> news:elbmmv$21p$2@news.datemas.de...
>> On Thu, 07 Dec 2006 06:31:34 -0800, JJB wrote:
>>
>>> I just got the engine block heater for the 2006 civic and decided to
>>> install it myself. To install the heater I need to remove the coolant.
>>> I wonder if it'd be a good idea to recycle the coolant into the car,
>>> since the car is very new, instead of having to buy coolant from honda.
>>> I am getting mixed signals regarding this, Honda says that I should add
>>> new Honda antifreeze coolant in a 50/50 mixture, but other people have
>>> told me it shouldn't do me any damage to recycle the coolant. Should I
>>> listen to the corporate machine or to my peers?
>> How much money do you think you'll save? A bottle of coolant isn't all
>> that expensive, and it is far cheaper than the headaches you'll encounter
>> if you end up with crud in the system.
>
> I agree totally. Fresh coolant is the only way to go. I do have one
> question, however. If the op's temperatures reach the level where an engine
> block heater is required, I don't believe that a 50/50 mix will suffice. All
> of our vehicles run about 60/40 or 65/35 or whatever mix it takes to get the
> protection down to -60F or -65F.
>
> DaveD

------------------------------------------

They sell Honda Premix in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba. It gets to
-40 sometimes (without windchill) so it must be good enough. It also
avoids the GRAVE DANGER of adding tap water, which is called HONDACIDE.

'Curly'

"motsco_" <motsco@interbaun.com> wrote in message
news:457B0D92.9070503@interbaun.com...
>
> ------------------------------------------
>
> They sell Honda Premix in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba. It gets to -40
> sometimes (without windchill) so it must be good enough. It also avoids
> the GRAVE DANGER of adding tap water, which is called HONDACIDE.
>
> 'Curly'

That is fine but is the Premix 50/50? As I recall, that proportion is good
down to around -20F or thereabouts. Here in interior Alaska, we regularly
see -50F and -60F (Yes, only during the winter). I don't think that a 50/50
mix is going to hack it. So a further question, does Honda make an "arctic"
premix? I'll have to check around home here. Agreed also that adding tap
water is a definite bad thing!

DaveD