I bought a 1998 Contour 4-cylinder last week. The car has 72,000 miles. But it may not have received much routine maintenance. The coolant is really dirty - dark brown. I know it must be changed. I'm worried that if I have it power flushed I'll blow out the radiator's core/seams. I also worry that the water pump must be pretty badly worn due to the neglect of the cooling system. Should I get the system flushed, replace the radiator and water pump as preventative maintenance? Or am I worrying about something I shouldn't and just have it power flushed?

 

Sometimes the best of intentions get us into more trouble than if we left things alone. With that said, did you consider draining the system thoroughly and flush it with your garden hose and see how much you can clean it out that way? Refill it with a fresh antifreeze mixture and see if it stays fairly clean. Many times the brown junk you see is just neglect and it could also be stop leak. 72K is not a lot of miles for that vehicle. While you have it drained , check the water pump . If it feels ok , see what happens. I can understand wanting to have a dependable engine, but if it makes you feel more comfortable to replace the water pump and radiator, by all means do it.,,,,,,,,hanky

 

Thanks for the good advice. I think rinsing it out as opposed to flushing will be a lot less risky.

 

I believe you have made a wise judgement. ,,,,,,,,,,,hanky