The Hamburg-based manufacturer MEYLE has introduced a new tool for cleaning an engine cooling system. Developed jointly with HAZET, the tool means the cooling system can be cleaned with the aid of water and compressed air and completely without aggressive chemicals and cleaners in just 5 simple steps.

Thorough and regular flushing is one of the decisive steps in the maintenance of cooling systems. However, contamination, often due to the incorrect use of sealing compound, can reduce the cooling capacity in the long run and lead to premature failure of the water pump mechanical seal. Flushing is however essential for longer engine service life and should always take place when the water pump is replaced. The MEYLE 5 steps are:

• Step 1: Preparation. - The engine must be completely cooled down before starting work. The old coolant is then drained and the coolant expansion tank cleaned or replaced if heavily soiled. For environmental reasons, it is important to dispose of the waste liquid properly.
• Step 2: Flushing the cooler - Remove the upper and lower radiator hoses on the radiator. The lower radiator hose is thoroughly rinsed from bottom to top for about two minutes with the radiator cap closed using the MEYLE tool. Short pulses of pulsating air into the system increase the effectiveness. The upper radiator hose can then be flushed from top to bottom until the outflowing water is clear and deposits have been removed.
• Step 3: Flush engine block - Remove the radiator hoses. Using the MEYLE cooling circuit flushing tool, the upper radiator hose is thoroughly flushed until the outflowing water remains clear and any deposits have been removed. MEYLE also advises that if the thermostat blocks proper rinsing, it must be removed for rinsing. In this context, MEYLE recommends a general replacement of the thermostat.
• Step 4: Flush the heat exchanger - If possible, the circuit to the heat exchanger should also be flushed until the outflowing water is clear. As a general rule, flushing the radiator, engine block and heat exchanger removes deposits of corrosion, limestone and silicone seal residues from the cooling system.
• Step 5: Refill the system - In the final step, all hoses, the drain valve and the thermostat are reattached. It must be checked whether all necessary connections have been made again. The cooling system can then be refilled with the coolant specified by the manufacturer. The mixing ratio should, for example, be checked with a refractometer. Finally, the system should be properly vented. A final check ensures that there are no leaks.

All steps can also be followed on the YouTube channel MEYLE TV in a short video tutorial. This shows how to clean the engine cooling system cleanly and safely with the MEYLE cooling circuit flushing unit. This ensures that all components of the flushing circuit, such as the water pump, function continuously and reliably.