Radiator Flush /coolant change?
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Re: Radiator Flush /coolant change? (lbitp37)
:cheers: Really not a big deal unless you have the dreaded DexCool!
You have a 92? I don't think you have dexcool!
There should be a drain plug at the bottom of the Rad!
Drain the old, add the new! If you want to flush it, you can use the flush kit or you can take it somewhere that has the flush machine.
Biggest problem is to be sure, when you refill, that you get the air out of the upper radiator hose. Some later models have a shrader valve in the thermo housing for this purpose. I wait till engine is hot then slowly open hose clamp at thermo end till fluid comes out
:seeya
:steering:
[Modified by jackdaroofer, 6:48 PM 2/12/2004]
[Modified by jackdaroofer, 6:49 PM 2/12/2004]
You have a 92? I don't think you have dexcool!
There should be a drain plug at the bottom of the Rad!
Drain the old, add the new! If you want to flush it, you can use the flush kit or you can take it somewhere that has the flush machine.
Biggest problem is to be sure, when you refill, that you get the air out of the upper radiator hose. Some later models have a shrader valve in the thermo housing for this purpose. I wait till engine is hot then slowly open hose clamp at thermo end till fluid comes out
:seeya
:steering:
[Modified by jackdaroofer, 6:48 PM 2/12/2004]
[Modified by jackdaroofer, 6:49 PM 2/12/2004]
#3
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Re: Radiator Flush /coolant change? (jackdaroofer)
Had my 84 flushed this month. A common problem after the flush is that you will need to change the thermastat. :steering:
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Re: Radiator Flush /coolant change? (vinnies87)
if you want to get all of it out, you may have to pull the knock sensor or keep flushing until clear. remember to fill with distilled water. i drilled to small holes in the thermostat for self burping purposes, or you can just start your car, run it to ~200 degrees, shut down, let cool, and repeat 4 times.
#6
Re: Radiator Flush /coolant change? (86_RedRider)
In my 92 the dealership put dexcol back into the system after they flushed it. I asked a couple of people there and the corvette expert and he said it came with it from the factory. So just make sure you run the right coolant, mine got mixed and turned brown and sludged up.
#7
Safety Car
Re: Radiator Flush /coolant change? (t199051)
In my 92 the dealership put dexcol back into the system after they flushed it. I asked a couple of people there and the corvette expert and he said it came with it from the factory. So just make sure you run the right coolant, mine got mixed and turned brown and sludged up.
#8
Burning Brakes
Re: Radiator Flush /coolant change? (ittlfly)
My '94 was converted to Dexcool, but we pulled the knock sensors and THOROUGHLY flushed the green stuff out first. That was almost 2 years ago and so far there are zero signs of problems. My system had the brown sludge in there before I converted to Dexcool, and at first I was concerned, but now I'm convinced that the sludge is the residue of the clay sealing pellets that GM adds to the cooling system. I suspect that a lot of people are mistaking the clay as an indicator that there's something wrong with the cooling system.
#9
Team Owner
Re: Radiator Flush /coolant change? (lbitp37)
Drain the coolant from the radiator using the plug at the lower right corner. Remove the radiator cap from the expansion tank. You should also remove both knock sensors from each side of the bottom of the block. They are right above the oil pan rail just behind the mounts. Drain the coolant from the overflow bottle in the right front headlamp well and leave it empty. Clean it if necessary. Check the hoses for soft spots or cracking. Replace any hose if suspect.
Fill the system after closing the petcock and replacing the knock sensors. Bring the temp up to at least 150 and shut off the motor. Let it cool and drain. Do twice. Don't use cooling system cleaners. Plain water should work fine.
After draining the 2nd flush, close everything up and add 2 gallons of a good ethelyne glycol (green) coolant. I have always used Prestone in my cars and it seems to work. Use distilled water for the remainder of the fill and that should be about 2 more gallons. NOTE: you can use distilled water for the flush steps. It's cheap and available at grocery stores for less than a buck a gallon.
As you are filling the system, open the 2 bleed valves. One is on the throttle body and the other is on the thermostat cover. Look for a brass screw. Keep the coolant from falling onto the OptiSpark!! I use some aluminum foil to fashion a trough to keep the coolant away.
Once a steady stream of fluid flows from the bleed valves, close them and fill the expansion tank to the neck and start the motor. Keep a close eye on the level in the tank and the temp gauge. As the thermostat opens, the water level should drop dramatically so have more distilled water available to top off the tank. You may have to bleed the system one more time to insure that all of the air pockets are gone.
Make sure the water level is right at the base of the tank neck and replace the pressure cap. If your cap is the original, you might want to consider a new one. Fill the overflow tank with a 50/50 mix to the Cold mark.
The 92 Service Manual says not to do any high RPM operation until you have done 3 complete temp cycles of cold to operating temp to cold. This is probably to make sure that air pockets are gone.
Fill the system after closing the petcock and replacing the knock sensors. Bring the temp up to at least 150 and shut off the motor. Let it cool and drain. Do twice. Don't use cooling system cleaners. Plain water should work fine.
After draining the 2nd flush, close everything up and add 2 gallons of a good ethelyne glycol (green) coolant. I have always used Prestone in my cars and it seems to work. Use distilled water for the remainder of the fill and that should be about 2 more gallons. NOTE: you can use distilled water for the flush steps. It's cheap and available at grocery stores for less than a buck a gallon.
As you are filling the system, open the 2 bleed valves. One is on the throttle body and the other is on the thermostat cover. Look for a brass screw. Keep the coolant from falling onto the OptiSpark!! I use some aluminum foil to fashion a trough to keep the coolant away.
Once a steady stream of fluid flows from the bleed valves, close them and fill the expansion tank to the neck and start the motor. Keep a close eye on the level in the tank and the temp gauge. As the thermostat opens, the water level should drop dramatically so have more distilled water available to top off the tank. You may have to bleed the system one more time to insure that all of the air pockets are gone.
Make sure the water level is right at the base of the tank neck and replace the pressure cap. If your cap is the original, you might want to consider a new one. Fill the overflow tank with a 50/50 mix to the Cold mark.
The 92 Service Manual says not to do any high RPM operation until you have done 3 complete temp cycles of cold to operating temp to cold. This is probably to make sure that air pockets are gone.