I have 60,000 miles on my2000 and still have the original type I coolant. I checked the resevoir the other day and its bone dry but the radiatior is still full. I read some of the old posts about coolant change and I was confused about whether or not i should flush the system before switching to the type II. Some people said it could start the corrosion process and others said it was necessary when switching from type I to type II. Should I flush it or not? Could anyone send me directions for the change from the helm manual (2001 or newer)? Im worried about bleeding it correctly so that the engine does not overheat from air bubbles in the system. Thanks in advance, Chris

 

yes you need to flush it if you're going to put type II into the system. if you're uncomfortable or unknowledgeable on this procedure, you're best to let a mechanic or dealership perform the service.

 

i flushed mine and used redline water wetter and distilled water

 

There is a "How To" in the FAQs at the top of Under the Hood.
If you live in freezing climates, you should not be using Water Wetter. A 50:50 mix of Antifreeze:water is recommended, although Honda Type II is already pre-mixed and ready to go into the rad.
You should always do a flush, even if you don't change coolant types. It's always a good idea to clean out any sediments that may have formed.

 

Speaking of that, Do you prefer any of those cooling system "cleaners" or regular water is good enough to flush it?

 

I wouldn't use any of those system cleaners on an aluminum system. Might be too harsh. However, each owner must be the judge of just how bad the cooling system is at the time the old coolant is dumped. This will give you signs of how healthy the system is. If it looks like it's got a lot of discoloration from residue formation, then perhaps look for an aluminum safe flushing agent. I think, on the most part, as long as the coolant change hasn't been left too far beyond the recommended time, the S2000 system should be fairly clean. Just remember that MY'00 was the only year that had "ordinary" coolant that needed to be changed out at 3 years. All the rest supposedly is good for the first 10 years.
Do the flush with tap water till the last flush, then do that one with distilled water.

 

Xviper, as you already know I'm still waiting for my car to be fixed due to the possibility adding the wrong coolant, don't qoute me yet on this though, hopefully I'll know what happened by Tuesday.

What is classed at Type II coolant though? Green and needs a 50:50 mix of water and coolant?

Do people have any recommends for topping up at home that we know works ok with our cars?

 

I followed the FAQ at the top of the page. It was very easy to do.

 

As stated above:
It is also green.

Unless you have a leak in the system, "topping up" at home only needs to be done for 2 to 3 driving cycles, each cycle meaning a complete warm up to operating temp and a complete cool down. Do all of this with the heat dial on the dash set to HOT. When the engine heats up, the reservoir will rise slightly (unless it's burping out air). When it cools down, it will draw fluid in till it gets what it needs to fill all the spaces within. You need to keep the reservoir between the 2 lines and topping up should be done when the engine and coolant is cold.

If they continue to use Type II in your car, then top up with Type II. If they've gone back to the original ("ordinary") coolant, then top up with that. The original Honda coolant is the kind that needs to be diluted (green).

 

I have read;
Type I = Green
Type II (Factory fill) = Green
Type II (off the shelf) = Blue
I have a couple jugs of Type II, but haven't opened them yet so I don't know if it is blue or green.