You'll want to check your coolant every month or one thousand miles, to prevent your engine from overheating and causing serious damage. If you tow a trailer, check the coolant every day. To check your coolant level, make sure the engine is cool. On cars with coolant recovery systems, the level can be measured by the marks on the reservoir. It's important to check the level inside the radiator as well-- it should be an inch below the filler neck. In cars without recovery systems, the coolant level is checked through the filler cap. The level should be one to two inches below the neck. To change the coolant level, open the petcocks and drain the fluid into a container. Close the petcock, fill with water and drain again. Repeat this process until the draining water is clear. After determining your coolant capacity, refill with half antifreeze and half water. Run the engine fifteen minutes without the cap. Check the coolant level. Fill the reservoir if equipped with recovery system. Replace the cap and check for leaks.
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