I have never performed a radiator flush before, i would like to start performing my own regular maintenance. I know where the radiator drain plug is; i dont know if i need to drain the block or anything else. Any help is much appreciated!
Radiator Flush Help?!
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you can do a drain and fill of the radiator by unscrewing the drain plug and then refilling the radiator.
You can do a more through flush by draining the engine block. you will have to remove one end of the lower radiator hose allowing the engine block coolant to drain then return the coolant hose back ont the engine and refill through the radiator cap, then you will have to check for air bubbles by letting the car run for 5 minutes with the radiator caps off and the coolant level will drop as it fills the engine continue adding coolant to top off radiator, put radiator cap back on.
Another method requires a coolant flush machine that is available at your dealer or local repair shop and their machine will drain all the coolant form the radiator, engine, and heater coils and runs about $200.
You can do a more through flush by draining the engine block. you will have to remove one end of the lower radiator hose allowing the engine block coolant to drain then return the coolant hose back ont the engine and refill through the radiator cap, then you will have to check for air bubbles by letting the car run for 5 minutes with the radiator caps off and the coolant level will drop as it fills the engine continue adding coolant to top off radiator, put radiator cap back on.
Another method requires a coolant flush machine that is available at your dealer or local repair shop and their machine will drain all the coolant form the radiator, engine, and heater coils and runs about $200.
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Exactly, I will be writing a DIY for the general maintenance flushes.
What you will need
A few gallons of distilled water. (I'd buy 5 because i like to really flush my systems lol).
Garden hose (new) about 4 feet of it sectioned off and cut.
A radiator hose clamp kit - you can by one at walmart for like 4 dollars
A phillips head screw driver
The mental capacity to turn a screw driver left (lol)
Reference your manual or retrieve a .pdf copy of the manual via our facebook page. You need to know what the radiator look like and where the lower hose is located.
What you do is simple remove the bottom of the lower hose off of its existing clamp.
(to remove the clamp you need to unscrew the phillips screw keeping it tight.)
That way its connected to the radiator but it is dangling at free will.
You simply let the current fluid drain out of the lower hose *please contain it in a drain pan because its toxic and animals like the taste and smell *
Use the garden hose section for your gallons of distilled water, and possibly another section to help with the draining on the lower hose if your drain pan doesn't have a nice handle. Pour in the distilled water and allow that to drain out. Repeat until the water runs clear. Simple. Simple. Simple.
Id reccomend replacing all the current clamps on your hoses with the new clamps from that kit you got from walmart. Thats almost as important as checking your radiator hoses. faulty clamps lead to fluid leaks. just like a cracked hose.
Refill with engine coolant. Most require a 50/50 combo of water to coolant.
The last step is removing the radiator cap and allowing your engine to idle with the fresh coolant put into the engine coolant container. This will just help push and unwanted air out. Do this for like 5 minutes.
Incase you didnt know, like myself when I started out DIY, the radiator is the equivalent of engine coolant system. People use it interchangeably on products and when speaking. It took me a while to figure that out on my own lol.
Please don't buy a coolant flush machine. Just use distilled water, not regular as the particulates in regular may or may not harm the system.
What you will need
A few gallons of distilled water. (I'd buy 5 because i like to really flush my systems lol).
Garden hose (new) about 4 feet of it sectioned off and cut.
A radiator hose clamp kit - you can by one at walmart for like 4 dollars
A phillips head screw driver
The mental capacity to turn a screw driver left (lol)
Reference your manual or retrieve a .pdf copy of the manual via our facebook page. You need to know what the radiator look like and where the lower hose is located.
What you do is simple remove the bottom of the lower hose off of its existing clamp.
(to remove the clamp you need to unscrew the phillips screw keeping it tight.)
That way its connected to the radiator but it is dangling at free will.
You simply let the current fluid drain out of the lower hose *please contain it in a drain pan because its toxic and animals like the taste and smell
*Use the garden hose section for your gallons of distilled water, and possibly another section to help with the draining on the lower hose if your drain pan doesn't have a nice handle. Pour in the distilled water and allow that to drain out. Repeat until the water runs clear. Simple. Simple. Simple.
Id reccomend replacing all the current clamps on your hoses with the new clamps from that kit you got from walmart. Thats almost as important as checking your radiator hoses. faulty clamps lead to fluid leaks. just like a cracked hose.
Refill with engine coolant. Most require a 50/50 combo of water to coolant.
The last step is removing the radiator cap and allowing your engine to idle with the fresh coolant put into the engine coolant container. This will just help push and unwanted air out. Do this for like 5 minutes.
Incase you didnt know, like myself when I started out DIY, the radiator is the equivalent of engine coolant system. People use it interchangeably on products and when speaking. It took me a while to figure that out on my own lol.
Please don't buy a coolant flush machine. Just use distilled water, not regular as the particulates in regular may or may not harm the system.
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Ok then i should do flush now
thank you
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