Coolant flush question

[HokemBokem]

I just checked my coolant because my leaky waterpump has been acting up and it is again a little low and is very dark orange. Well I want to flush it but have never done it before. My dad said something about how you have to open the bleed valves after your done with the car on? Is this true and if so is there more than one bleed valve?

[loominaz34]

There's 2 of the i've seen on the on the 3.4 that I've found. Be very careful though because the bleeder screws are brass and 1 of mine are broke. :shock: They're really, really weak. O yea, and they kind of look like brake bleeders. they're both on metal coolant line sections, one is on the defroster core line thing about 8 inches to the left (driver's side) of the EGR and the other is next to the airbox.

[HokemBokem]

Does anyone know how many there are for the 3.8?

[jeremy]

There's like 3 of the on the 3.4 that I've found. Be very careful though because the bleeder screws are brass and 2 of mine are broken. :shock: they're really, really weak.

 

he doesn't have the 3.4......

[loominaz34]

Oh well. :?

[DiscoStudd]

All I do when I flush the coolant is remove the upper radiator hose from the block, stuff the garden hose inside the thermostat housing, pack a rag around the garden hose, place a container on the ground, aim the rad hose towards the container, and turn on the garden hose full blast. Keep on flushing until the water runs out clear. Shut off the garden hose, crack the drain on the radiator, and let as much water drain out as you can (if it's clear, you can let it drain right on the ground.) Close everything up and fill your system up with 1/2 the system's capacity of STRAIGHT COOLANT (not 50/50.) After you add the coolant, top it off with water. Find the system's capacity in your Chilton's manual...

[loominaz34]

Anybody have a chilton's maunal handy?

[HokemBokem]

Anybody have a chilton's maunal handy?

 

I do. My cooling sytem can hold 11.1 quarts of coolant.

[DiscoStudd]

Anybody have a chilton's maunal handy?

Need the capacity? I think your owner's manual might have that figure listed.

 

The Hayne's manual says, quote: "Cooling System capacity depends on engine, transaxle, and cooling system options. Consult your owner's manual for exact capacity."

[DiscoStudd]

My cooling sytem can hold 11.1 quarts of coolant.

So in your case, add 5.55 quarts of straight coolant after you flush it all out, and top it off with straight water. Then you'll achieve the 50/50 mix.

[HokemBokem]

My cooling sytem can hold 11.1 quarts of coolant.

So in your case, add 5.55 quarts of straight coolant after you flush it all out, and top it off with straight water. Then you'll achieve the 50/50 mix.

 

Yea thanks alot. Anyone experience any benifits of flushing the radiator?

[DiscoStudd]

Yeah, you get all the scale, sludge, corrosion, etc out of the system, not to mention you restore the proper freezing and boiling points. You need to flush your coolant at least every 2 years, regardless of what type it is (Green stuff or DexCool.)

[93CutlassSupreme]

you can also pick up some pre-mixed coolant. it comes already in the 50/50 mix. just dump it into the car and you're done after you flush. no adding water

 

are you using the green shit or dex-cool? i've only seen pre-mixed in the green shit.

[Carotop]

Hey I got one of those T joint things for flushing the coolant already in mine. All I gotta do is let about a quart out and put in some cleaner right? And then just hook up a garden hose and flush it all out right?

[DiscoStudd]

you can also pick up some pre-mixed coolant. it comes already in the 50/50 mix. just dump it into the car and you're done after you flush. no adding water.

You don't want to add premixed coolant to the system when there's still straight water inside after flushing. When you do this, you dilute the mixture further. There is no way to get all of the water used for flushing drained out all the way. Like I said earlier, add half the system's capacity of straight antifreeze after you flush, and top it off with water. You will achieve the proper 50/50 mix this way.

[93CutlassSupreme]

you can also pick up some pre-mixed coolant. it comes already in the 50/50 mix. just dump it into the car and you're done after you flush. no adding water.

You don't want to add premixed coolant to the system when there's still straight water inside after flushing. When you do this, you dilute the mixture further. There is no way to get all of the water used for flushing drained out all the way. Like I said earlier, add half the system's capacity of straight antifreeze after you flush, and top it off with water. You will achieve the proper 50/50 mix this way.

 

you could keep some pre-mix in the car though if you ever need it on the road or something

[DiscoStudd]

you could keep some pre-mix in the car though if you ever need it on the road or something

Absolutely. That stuff works great for topping off the system. No need to find an old jug to fill with half of your new stuff...

[HokemBokem]

Oh yea and where is the thermostat housing? I thought it was under my throttle body but im not sure and I dont see anywhere I could shove a hose?

[DiscoStudd]

Oh yea and where is the thermostat housing? I thought it was under my throttle body but im not sure and I dont see anywhere I could shove a hose?

Look at your upper radiator hose. Where it slips onto the motor, that's the thermostat housing. It's actually in front of the throttle body...

 

[HokemBokem]

So you take that black radiator hose off then aim it out the bottom of the car and shove a hose where that radiator hose was hooked up too?

[DiscoStudd]

So you take that black radiator hose off then aim it out the bottom of the car and shove a hose where that radiator hose was hooked up too?

Ed Zachary! Be sure to stuff a rag around the garden hose when you pack it into the Thermostat Housing so the water actually forces its way into the block. Might want to loosen the hose clamp on the radiator side and swivel the hose there when you point it at the ground. For that matter it's probably be a good time to replace both upper and lower radiator hoses. And also, if you have a WAI, remove it and place some plastic wrap over the throttle body ...

[HokemBokem]

So you take that black radiator hose off then aim it out the bottom of the car and shove a hose where that radiator hose was hooked up too?

Ed Zachary! Be sure to stuff a rag around the garden hose when you pack it into the Thermostat Housing so the water actually forces its way into the block. Might want to loosen the hose clamp on the radiator side and swivel the hose there when you point it at the ground. For that matter it's probably be a good time to replace both upper and lower radiator hoses. And also, if you have a WAI, remove it and place some plastic wrap over the throttle body ...

 

I dont have my WAI on anymore. It kept getting loose and comin off so I have the stock airbox back in with a new Fram air filter. Also around how much do Radiator hoses cost?

[terryk2003]

radiator hoses shouldn't cost to much...i'd have to guess around $20 for both of them

[HokemBokem]

Also Disco, at anytime during this do you have to open or close the bleed valves? If not then I think im going to do this by myself tommorow on my day off. So I just really want to make sure im going to be doing everything all right. I dont want any air to get in and make my engine overheat.

[z34_nut]

i just recently flushed my system with an accual coolent flush machine. replaced the t-stat.

 

easy job really, didn't take more then a half hour.