O.k., I have been meaning to do this for a while now and I finally got around to doing it. My intention was not to only drain and refill but to flush the system as well. I also bought some Redline Water Wetter at PepBoys (the stars, planets and moons must have been in alignment that night because it was on sale - that never happens!!). I did some homework to see which the best coolant is and I couldn't really come up with anything. I just went with Preston. I went ahead and bought the Preston Super Flush and the Preston flush kit. I bought distilled water to play it safe ($0.58/gal at Wal-Mart). First I looked at all three manuals (Chilton's, Haynes, FSM). I was sooo confused! All three are different from each other in one way or another. Regarding flushing, the FSM was the simplest in that their idea of a flush was simply to run water through the radiator. Haynes, on the other hand, had the most complex flushing procedure. Remove thermostat, reinstall thermostat housing without the thermostat, disconnect upper radiator hose... Chilton's was right in the middle. Leave lower drain plug out, start engine with the heat on high, run water through the radiator for 10 minutes. This is similar to the Prestone superflush instructions. Drain system, fill with water and superflush, run car with heat on for 10 minutes. So I did a combo. I first drained the system from the bottom of the radiator, I then followed the FSM, since it is so easy, and stuck a hose in the radiator neck for a few minutes. Then I follwed the Superflush instructions and then I followed the Chilton's instructions. When I was done, what was coming out was clear, clear, clear. I opted not to use the flush kit as it requires you to permenantly cut one of your hoses to stick in their part (and leave there). I'm sure no harm would result but it isn't my style to make permenant changes if I can help it. Now here is the part that sucks and still bothers me. All three manuals agree that you should also drain the old coolant out from both drain plugs on the engine block. Well, that's great and everything, but good luck reaching them!!! In their pictures, they conveniently have the Y-pipe removed making it a piece of cake. One might be doable if you have long, skinny arms but forget the other one if you are human. So, needles to say, I didn't do this. So my question(s) for you guys is do you think it's o.k. that I flushed the system the best I could but did not open the two drain plugs on the cylinder block? What method do you guys use to flush your system? Thanks guys.

 

instead of distilled water use a hose =)

 

I just drained the radiator, refilled with water, ran the car til the thermostat opened and fluid started flowing through the radiator, drained, and repeat like three times. Last time filling with reqired amount of anti-freeze and topping off with water. Probably took me two hours.

 

Opened both block plugs, and the radiator plug, drained it. Closed them,filled with hose water. Opened, flushed it out, let it sit there for a bit, while mxing the 50/50, closed plugs and then filled back up.

 

Are you plastic man or Inspector Gadget?! "Go-go gadget long, skinny wrench in unreachable spot..."

How can you so nonchalantly say "open both block plugs,"?!!!! You sound like the manuals! Impossible without removing the Y-pipe.

 

How often you do drain it and is there anyway to do so without removing the Y pipe?

SuDZ

 

I didn't go so far as to remove the thermostat... just the radiator and engine drain plugs.

I did use DH20 and Toyota Red Engine Coolant. Make sure you don't use any coolant with Silicates and/or Borates! Silicates will eat up the seals in the water pump and borates will mess up aluminum.

 

Sudz, that's what my question was man! Read what I did above (or e-mail me for a more detailed explanation). I feel pretty good about the method I used. I just feel kinda guilty that I did not remove the two engine block drain plugs that all three manuals state to remove. Oh well...

 

Another casual, nonchalant "I removed the drain plugs". How are you guys doing it?!!!!!!

 

I bought Prestone, and it doesn't say whether it has silicates or borates. Which one you buy?

 

Well, I guess there is a silver bottle/orange cap Preston, but that appeared to be for GM cars specifically. Just go with the regular yellow bottle.

 

I did mine the Haynes way but fortunately I was already skilled at removing the AC belt cause I was replacing it at the same time. When you do it the Haynes way, the flushing part is really fast...5 min tops. I don't believe you need to open the block drains if you do it the Haynes way....I could be wrong though.



~scott
'96 SE, Courtesy FSTB,RSTB

 

Yeah, I was wondering that too. If you flush it well, why do you need to open the engine block bolts? But why does Haynes say to do both: Remove the bolts and do the flush? That's where I am confused. Either way, it is too hard to get to the thermostat housing with the supercharger so I can't go the Haynes road any longer. Thanks for the input Scott.

I'm still dying to know how these guys are getting out the engine block bolts. ???

 

With the stock y-pipe, I couldn't get to the rear block drain plug and the front one was reachable but not worth the trouble even with the car way up on ramps. So I drained the radiator, and refilled it with clear water, ran the engine until the thermostat opened and drained the radiator again repeating the process five times until the water out of the radiator looked pretty clear. Not a true flush but all of the old coolant in the total system then was replaced by clear water. I finished up by draining the radiator again and placing the amount of pure coolant needed to end up with a 50/50 mix and topped up with clear water. The last step was replacing the coolant in the overflow bottle with new 50/50 mix. After driving the car for a day and cooling it down, the coolant tested correctly with my hydrometer.

I've changed the coolant twice now on my '96 Max and used this process both times. It take about two hours to do the five time drain and fill.

-Mark

 

This is how I did mine too, but I was guessing what is the right mixture of coolant I should put in.

Aynone knows the capacity of the engine block? Is it same as the radiator?

I remember one time I read about this: drain the radiator, put a running hose from the top and keep the water running, then start the engine, let it run until it reach normal temperature, then shut off the engine, turn of the hose, and you can be sure you have pure water inside. Anyone try this?

 

Yours may differ, but my '96 FSM says the the total cooling system capacity without the overflow is 8-1/8 qts.
So I added 4 qts plus 2 oz of pure antifreeze to the radiator after the last draining of clear water. Then as I said before, filled the radiator the rest of the way up with water for the 50/50 mix and replace the overflow coolant with new 50/50 mix.

The FSM doesn't break down the capacity of just the radiator or just the block or heater. Neither does Chiltons.

-Mark

 

 

First time I I replaced my coolant I did it like Curt Deiner, et.al. When I replace my y-pipe with an aftermarket one (soon) I'm going to tackle it again by removing the engine plugs and use DexCool coolant. Too bad the plugs aren't as accessible as the ones on Honda 4 cylinders.

 

Finally, someone who ackowledges that the engine block plugs are too hard to remove! I'm still waiting for ericdwong and chunger to explain how they do that incredible feat...

Good explanation Mark, thanks.

 

Originally posted by SunMax
This is how I did mine too, but I was guessing what is the right mixture of coolant I should put in.

&&&& 50/50 if your temp gets below 5^F. 30% antifreeze if your temp. does not go below 5^F. I live in S.D. CA so I went with 30%





Aynone knows the capacity of the engine block? Is it same as the radiator?

&&&& Like Mark said, the whole cooling system uses 8.125 qt and the reservoir uses .875 qt.





I remember one time I read about this: drain the radiator, put a running hose from the top and keep the water running, then start the engine, let it run until it reach normal temperature, then shut off the engine, turn of the hose, and you can be sure you have pure water inside. Anyone try this?

&&&& NO!! I wouldn't know anyone like that!!
(Try reading my very first post one more time).

 

Impossible....

 

That's why I never try that....

 

I just noticed that my engine block plugs are clearly visible and much more easily accessible now than before. The change?? Stock Y pipe to Cattman. Yet another great reason to upgrade your Y pipe

DW