How to: Radiator fluid flush & coolant flush
Nov 28, 2010, 01:00 PM
#32
Haven't flushed your cars cooling system in awhile? Here's a brief how for Coolant flush and radiator drain.
Step 1: Jack up car with Jacks and jack stand, just do passenger side. Place drain pan under drain plug, loosen plug until fluid comes out(you might want to open fill cap on top of radiator first, releases vacuum in radiator). Continue to drain until it stops, just like an oil change...drip drip.......drip.......................drip
Also drain and clean the coolant reservoir. While draining the radiator take the time to clean it, and have it ready with fresh fluid. Super easy to take off...2 bolts 10/12mm I believe, disconnect hose attached.
Step 2: Once old fluid is out, get gallon or 2 of distilled water(depending on how many flushes you do) and pour into radiator fill cap from top of car. At the same time run motor while filling radiator, have the A/C on Heat and level for for max temp. Continue pouring till radiator is full.
Step 3: Drain radiator again which should have a slight mix of left over coolant and majority distilled water. If you feel you got all the old fluid out then continue to step 4, if not repeat from Step 2.
Step 4: Radiator should be fully drained of the distilled water, time to fill up the car with your preferred mix of coolant to water. Depending on what climate you live in, you can play with the mix of coolant : water. Drain plug for radiator should be closed and tightened. Remove drain pan, and lower car to level ground.
Step 5: DO NOT FORGET TO FILL RADIATOR. Do it with the car on the ground and also refill Reservoir Tank. MAKE SURE TO CHECK FOR LEAKS BEFORE DRIVING OFF!!!
Step 6: BURP system after filling radiator and reservoir.
To burp system remove radiator cap on cooled down or cold engine(radiator should be full of fluid)
start car and let engine idle. It may take a few minutes at idle for the air pocket to find it's way out. Initially the fluid will pulse and then start to pour over the fill neck. Once you're satisfied, replace lost coolant and clean up mess.
Step 1: Jack up car with Jacks and jack stand, just do passenger side. Place drain pan under drain plug, loosen plug until fluid comes out(you might want to open fill cap on top of radiator first, releases vacuum in radiator). Continue to drain until it stops, just like an oil change...drip drip.......drip.......................drip
Also drain and clean the coolant reservoir. While draining the radiator take the time to clean it, and have it ready with fresh fluid. Super easy to take off...2 bolts 10/12mm I believe, disconnect hose attached.
Step 2: Once old fluid is out, get gallon or 2 of distilled water(depending on how many flushes you do) and pour into radiator fill cap from top of car. At the same time run motor while filling radiator, have the A/C on Heat and level for for max temp. Continue pouring till radiator is full.
Step 3: Drain radiator again which should have a slight mix of left over coolant and majority distilled water. If you feel you got all the old fluid out then continue to step 4, if not repeat from Step 2.
Step 4: Radiator should be fully drained of the distilled water, time to fill up the car with your preferred mix of coolant to water. Depending on what climate you live in, you can play with the mix of coolant : water. Drain plug for radiator should be closed and tightened. Remove drain pan, and lower car to level ground.
Step 5: DO NOT FORGET TO FILL RADIATOR. Do it with the car on the ground and also refill Reservoir Tank. MAKE SURE TO CHECK FOR LEAKS BEFORE DRIVING OFF!!!
Step 6: BURP system after filling radiator and reservoir.
To burp system remove radiator cap on cooled down or cold engine(radiator should be full of fluid)
start car and let engine idle. It may take a few minutes at idle for the air pocket to find it's way out. Initially the fluid will pulse and then start to pour over the fill neck. Once you're satisfied, replace lost coolant and clean up mess.
also shouldn't you fill the radiator with distilled water before you attempt to start the engine and set the heat to max?
how long do you keep the engine running and heater on max? won't that make the water hot when you attempt to drain it or is the plug already out?
what about the reserve tank is that reassembled at the start of step2?
Nov 30, 2010, 07:30 PM
#33
Just hand tighten plug. The distilled water is for flushing. You run the car enough for the thermostat to be open so the distilled water flushes the old fluid out.
You fill radiator, start car(max heat a/c) run open drain plug enough so fluid flows out(not gush)...pour additional distilled water to keep radiator topped up. Once fluid is clear then do final drain and top up with radiator fluid.
Reservoir is out of the picture. Add recommended fluid to reservoir as last step
You fill radiator, start car(max heat a/c) run open drain plug enough so fluid flows out(not gush)...pour additional distilled water to keep radiator topped up. Once fluid is clear then do final drain and top up with radiator fluid.
Reservoir is out of the picture. Add recommended fluid to reservoir as last step
Dec 10, 2010, 04:59 PM
#36
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I just flushed and filled my coolant, but only about a gallon drained. Other threads mention a plug somewhere on the block, but I couldn't seem to find that. Does anybody have pictures or a description of how to drain the full system including the block?
Jan 17, 2011, 03:17 PM
#40
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Thanks for posting this ... just did the 50k mile flush on my Evolution 8. The hardest part was dealing with that undertray, LOL.
The picture was really helpful for me to figure out where the radiator drain plug was at.
The picture was really helpful for me to figure out where the radiator drain plug was at.
