Monsterbox

iTrader: (6)

My engine has just reached 40,000miles and im starting to become paranoid about the coolant seals...it has upgraded radiator and has never overheated and has pulled near perfect compression and runs 16-19vac at idle (so i shouldnt be too worried) but i

is there some kind of additive or synthetic formula that can be added to the coolant system that will help longevity of the coolant seals?

will flushing the coolant system more improv seal life?

is there any way I can get a warning/check seal strength before the day happens that my coolant shoots out of the filler so I can plan for a future rebuild?

BMike

Changing the coolant frequently and keeping the engine running as cool as possible are about the best ways to prevent a mishap with the seals. I don't think there's really anything in the way of additives that will help them survive any longer other than the protection offered by fresh coolant.

dgeesaman

iTrader: (7)

Don't flush unless you take it to a shop that uses a legitimate flushing machine. The home hose flush kits are really bad because they have you put tap water into the system, and tap water is Bad.

IMO, the best treatment is a semi-regular drain and replace. As a DIY job it's pretty easy if you just drain the whole radiator (using the rad drain plug, and the block drain plug below the spark plugs, just above the oil pan), refill and drive it a little, (let it cool completely!), and drain/replace it again. Then you've effectively cleaned out the system. Clean coolant helps as much as anything for keeping the seals from being deteriorated. An additive like Redline Water Wetter isn't a bad idea either.

The only check on the coolant seals is to do a pressure drop test. But it's not good for determining 'health', only if they're bad.

The other thing to help your coolant seals is to reduce underhood temps. Install a downpipe instead of a precat, install a 2nd gen or Miata thermoswitch, etc. Also, replace all your coolant hoses if they haven't been changed in the last 60k - if one of them breaks you can very easily overheat your motor and ruin the coolant seals. Ditto for the thermostat, rad cap, and ast cap. (I recommend only Mazda parts for these)

Last, as a matter of good car care, always stay out of boosting until the car is good and warm, which I interpret as 2-5min after the water temps hit 180f. I have a good hill just a mile from my house, and avoiding boost completely is impossible. But I do take it easy, especially in 4th or 5th where it doesn't take much throttle to reach 10psi boost. As well, don't shut the car off with the engine stinkin hot from heavy boosting - leave a couple minutes of driving after heavy use to flow air and let the fluids pull the heat out of the block. I'm a firm believer that this warmup/cooldown factor is the biggest in making coolant seals last.

Dave

Monsterbox

iTrader: (6)

thanks