I'd like to do a Coolant Flush & Fill this weekend, but I've never done one before, so I was hoping to get some input first.

I'm not clear on how to actually drain the coolant and I'm particularly concerned about this step becuase I've heard it's difficult to get all or even most of it out.

In the manual it first says to "remove the water hose from the water pipe assembly to drain the engine coolant". Then in the next step it says "remove the reserve tank to drain the engine coolant". So which is? Are both necessary? Is there a better way?

When filling it says to pour the coolant into the mouth of the radiator. What is meant by the "mouth of the radiator"?

That's it for now, any help appreciated.

Jeff Mitchell

What we do at our shop is we drain it as necessary. but then we run water through it to make sure it's clean. Get a PH tester and see if your coolant is starting to go Acidic... I believe its suppose to be basic (acid's and base's) im not sure if your familiar with that.


[This message has been edited by Mike Stallone (edited August 11, 2000).]

I thought about that, but if you can't get all the coolant out, and you then run water through to flush it, don't you just end up with the same unknown quantity of water in there?

Jeff Mitchell

Here's exaclty how to do it.

1) Turn the car on.

2) Put it into reverse.

3) Back out of your driveway.

4) Drive to the nearest Mr. Lube.

5) Tell them what you want done.

6) They'll hoow up a cool system to flush all the old stuff out and replace it. They will also check for pressure leaks in the rad cap or where ever.

7) Pay them once they are done.

------------------
Mike J
-Quadcylla-
92 Laser RS-T, FWD
'Pimpin ain't easy'

I'm a little confuse about your coolant removal procedure. Do I have to drive it to Mr. Lube in reverse?

C'mon Mike, where's your "do it yourself" spirit?

I'm beginning to think you're right though.

Jeff Mitchell

Bah. Flush and fill. Drain the coolant out of your radiator via the drain petcock on the lower driver's side. Then remove the lower water hose, and more should drain out. Reattach hose and close petcock. Fill with good water. Run for awhile. Repeat. Repeat again if you want to. Then, drain system, fill with desired coolant/water mix, and go.

Dont worry Jeff, water isn't going to hurt the engine. As long as most of the liquids are out of your system its gonna be alright! You really cant do anything wrong so just make an attempt.

I just got lazy when I did mine I guess. It turned out good cuz my rad cap was leaking large and I never woulda replaced it if I had done the job myself. I think it's like $70~$80.

If you're gonna drive there in reverse let me know and I'll avoid your neighbourhood that evening

------------------
Mike J
-Quadcylla-
92 Laser RS-T, FWD
'Pimpin ain't easy'

First thing... if you are going to drain and refill your own rad, do yourself and your car a favour...

First, go to the local drugstore, and buy 4L or 8L of DISTILLED water. Comes in 4L jugs, and will only run you $1.99.

Then, get whatever brand of premium coolant, and water weter if you like.

The NUMBER ONE KILLER for rads and coolant passages, is mineral build-up, from hard water. City water, well water, are all full of minerals. That's the white or brown crap that dries up around your kitchen fawcets.

Distilled water, is water that has been boiled to steam, and recondensed... so it's pure, clean, 100% water and nothing else.

I use nothing else...

------------------
Andrew Bienhaus
1997 Eagle Talon TSi AWD - The Mongoose is loose!

Good call Andrew! i left that distilled water out But its not mandatory! hey i was just wondering if you would be able to run some CLR through your rad to clean it out? no joke!

I just drained, flushed and filled yesterday. Do you guys go through that whole procedure (once refilled) of turning the temp to full heat, running the car to open the thermo, turning the car off again, and topping-up? Is all of that necessary?
Ooh, ooh, another question: Why couldn't I completely drain the old coolant in the reservoir? I had the car on ramps, so would the angle do that?

ok heres the theory! the rad cools the rad fluid, we all know that! Now the waterpump is pumping the rad fluid into the engine but the block is still cold so the rad. fluid is simply re-routed to the waterpump. BOOM! it hits 100C (rough) the blocks hot, the fans turn on, and the thermo. opens and lets the fluid that used to be routed to the waterpump go to the rad to be cooled off before its run through the engine again!

(i hope all thats accurate)

Now, when you drain everything there is no coolant in the hoses/waterpump/block so you have to heat it until the thermo. opens so the coolant can get in all the nooks and crannies, now you can fill up the rad and reservoir. You'll notice that it takes a while to fill (rad and reservoir) up once the coolant is running through the engine.

Hope this helps out.

Thanks for all the help everyone!

I did this on Saturday morning, and it wasn't too bad, but enough of a pain in the ass that I could be convinced to pay someone to do it next time.

It took quite a while to do, because of all the "heat up the engine, then let cool" type steps involved.

The old coolant and the flush came out nice and clean too, so it probably didn't even need to be done.

Oh well, live and learn.

Jeff Mitchell