Coolant/Transmission Fluid Change Question - Drain and fill vs Flush

[Pyro]

Decided to make a new thread asking about this. I need to have the coolant changed in my car, and was wondering if I need to do a flush or drain/fill?
I asked Maple Mazda (since I was going there for an oil change) and they want $110 for the flush, and they don't do drain/fills. Should I just go with the flush? or buy the fluid there and do a drain/fill somewhere else?

Why I am asking is because I saw posts from theMAN saying that the flush machine would likely introduce contaminants from the tap water, and a full flush is not needed anyways (although I am a late from doing it at 96K).

Any comments are appreciated, thanks

Also need to have the transmission fluid done, I saw that the last owner had a flush done at 60K so I'm almost at the time to have it done again. So same question as above - should I do a full flush? or just a drain and fill?

[Wes08M3]

The coolant does not need to be changed until 192,000km or 10 years! (it's FL22). I wouldn't touch it unless you are above that mileage or the coolant has a bunch of crap in it.

EDIT: Read the fine print at the bottom of page 1 here.

[Pyro]

The coolant does not need to be changed until 192,000km (it's FL-22). I wouldn't touch it unless you are above that mileage or the coolant has a bunch of crap in it.

Hi Wes08M3, my car is a 2007 and I think it is an early one too (old style remote to open car). I looked at the coolant cap and I didn't see FL22 written there so I don't think my car came from the factory with it. I looked at the coolant and its a dark green color, not sure if that is considered dirty/old or not

[silverstarmazda]

al depending on what flush machine they use. it might not introduce anything at all except new coolant. the one i use to use used pressurized air to suck up the cold coolant and flush it with new coolant while filling it at the same time!

[Wes08M3]

Hmm my mom's '07 2.0L has FL22 coolant... I believe it said it on either the cap or the reservoir somewhere. To be honest I think all Mazda3's have FL22 coolant, at least the '07+ ones. I've had 4 '07+ MZ3's in my possession one way or another over the past few years and they've all used the FL22.

Maybe someone can confirm for you.

[Wes08M3]

al depending on what flush machine they use. it might not introduce anything at all except new coolant. the one i use to use used pressurized air to suck up the cold coolant and flush it with new coolant while filling it at the same time!

It's not really about the machine they use it depends on what they are doing with the coolant itself. If they're putting FL22 into the machine that's already premixed then it's not very likely to introduce contaminants. BUT if the coolant isn't premixed and they're filling the flush machine with tap water from a hose, then you're introducing all sorts of contamination. The odds of the technician filling the machine up with distilled water are slim to none.

[Booter22]

i do believe everything after 05 came with the long life coolant (green) and the 04 and 05 required a replacement at the 96k. however on the service menu it does say about replacing coolant on vehicle that do not have the FL22 (yellow) so you should not need a replacement on the coolant until 192 000 km or 8 years

[Wes08M3]

Mazda's service guide says 192,000km or 10 years not 8? Which one is right lol?

So if it's green it's FL22 and if it's not FL22 the coolant would be yellow?

[Pyro]

i do believe everything after 05 came with the long life coolant (green) and the 04 and 05 required a replacement at the 96k. however on the service menu it does say about replacing coolant on vehicle that do not have the FL22 (yellow) so you should not need a replacement on the coolant until 192 000 km or 8 years

the FL22 is yellow? Because I looked and its dark green right now. So if that's the case, for sure I don't have FL22 haha so I do need to change it. Now the question is how? and how much should I be paying (I inherently distrust dealers after seeing the services records on my car from MoT - $120 alignments vs $60 at outside shops!?)

[silverstarmazda]

It's not really about the machine they use it depends on what they are doing with the coolant itself. If they're putting FL22 into the machine that's already premixed then it's not very likely to introduce contaminants. BUT if the coolant isn't premixed and they're filling the flush machine with tap water from a hose, then you're introducing all sorts of contamination. The odds of the technician filling the machine up with distilled water are slim to none.

yea, the stuff we added are usually premixed in jugs. basically we take the old fluid out and push new coolant in with a "flush agent" let the car run for a bit and drain the old coolant out of the machine and put new coolant into the "new coolant" reservoir. then we do the process again and push the new coolant (without flush) into the car. the flush agent is designed to be potent when sealed and first opened, and it pretty much dilutes into nothing about a week of normal driving. the heat and such apparently breaks down the flush agents.

[silverstarmazda]

the FL22 is yellow? Because I looked and its dark green right now. So if that's the case, for sure I don't have FL22 haha so I do need to change it. Now the question is how? and how much should I be paying (I inherently distrust dealers after seeing the services records on my car from MoT - $120 alignments vs $60 at outside shops!?)

mine is green too? maybe they changed the color down the line.... but then again i have an 04

[Pyro]

also, i remember reading a post that only late 07s, and 08 is when they started using FL22. Don't know if thats true or not though

[silverstarmazda]

my manual says to use fl22

[Booter22]

Mazda's service guide says 192,000km or 10 years not 8? Which one is right lol?

So if it's green it's FL22 and if it's not FL22 the coolant would be yellow?

its 96 months which is 8 years.

[Booter22]

the FL22 is yellow? Because I looked and its dark green right now. So if that's the case, for sure I don't have FL22 haha so I do need to change it. Now the question is how? and how much should I be paying (I inherently distrust dealers after seeing the services records on my car from MoT - $120 alignments vs $60 at outside shops!?)

if you do NOT have the fl22 coolant which is yellow. FL22 is green non Fl22 is yellow.

[Pyro]

if you do NOT have the fl22 coolant which is yellow. FL22 is green non Fl22 is yellow.

Hm so I likely do have FL22 then.....is there a way for me to confirm? I didn't see it written on the cap, maybe it's on the reservoir? I'm not sure where to look actually

[Wes08M3]

its 96 months which is 8 years.

Weird. Because THIS says 10 years...

Dunno why different publications would say different things.

[Booter22]

if you read the fine print where it says "1) If vehicle equipped with FL22 coolant replace at 192,000 km or 10 yrs, after that every 96,000 km or 5 yrs. 2) Maintenance interval may vary based on driving conditions.Please refer to owner’s manual."

Which Says replace at first 192,000km (which if you do the math 192 000 / 8000 km services = 24) 24/3 services a year based on every 4months which totals 8 (being 8 years). it also says OR 10 years which would be why its included in the 192 000 km service / 8 years to have it completed at the same time of the service as your will get to 192 000km before you get to ten years for those that do the km. however if you do not then you can also get it done at the 10 year mark, and after the first replacement every 96,000km or 5 years after - and those that would do 3 services a year will get to 96 000 km in 4 years .

or for non FL22 - replace at first 96 000km or 4 years and after that every 2 years.

its not that they are different. one includes the replacement in the 192 000 / 8 year service and the publication and owners manual says replace at 192 000km OR 10 years ( which i assume would be if you are not at the 192 000 km to change)

[silverstarmazda]

so what ever the factory put in....must be some serious heavy duty stuff lol. im sure operation times and loads will effect coolant life too.

[Booter22]

its not called long life for no reason but it can get a coolant ph level test to find out the strength

[silverstarmazda]

its not called long life for no reason but it can get a coolant ph level test to find out the strength

i usualy just test the coolant. if everytihng is fine then dont change it lol. however mine is pretty dark and a tad thicker than its suppose to be.... probably an off mix of water and coolant... more coolant than water

[Wes08M3]

if you read the fine print where it says "1) If vehicle equipped with FL22 coolant replace at 192,000 km or 10 yrs, after that every 96,000 km or 5 yrs. 2) Maintenance interval may vary based on driving conditions.Please refer to owner’s manual."

Which Says replace at first 192,000km (which if you do the math 192 000 / 8000 km services = 24) 24/3 services a year based on every 4months which totals 8 (being 8 years). it also says OR 10 years which would be why its included in the 192 000 km service / 8 years to have it completed at the same time of the service as your will get to 192 000km before you get to ten years for those that do the km. however if you do not then you can also get it done at the 10 year mark, and after the first replacement every 96,000km or 5 years after - and those that would do 3 services a year will get to 96 000 km in 4 years .

or for non FL22 - replace at first 96 000km or 4 years and after that every 2 years.

its not that they are different. one includes the replacement in the 192 000 / 8 year service and the publication and owners manual says replace at 192 000km OR 10 years ( which i assume would be if you are not at the 192 000 km to change)

OK so it is 192,000km (which would be 8 years at an average of 24,000km/year of driving) OR 10 years. Whichever comes first.

[Pyro]

well it may be a moot point for me because I don't thnk mine has FL22....it's not on the cap anywhere even though it is green

[Wes08M3]

well it may be a moot point for me because I don't thnk mine has FL22....it's not on the cap anywhere even though it is green

What does your owners manual say?

[TheMAN]

the factory fill has always been green on these cars, FL22 or not
the replacement regular coolant from Mazda Canada has been the piss yellow stuff, it was designed to simplify inventory... it's designed to work with cars that took the orange coolant, and the green coolant, but I heard mixed results with using this coolant though I am not positive about that
if you want the same stuff that came in the car, go down to subaru and buy their green coolant (it is a concentrate, so you need distilled water to mix)... if your car came with FL22, then no worries, just get FL22 from your favourite mazda dealer