Need to do drain and refill radiator (70$)
07-06-2004, 07:25 PM
#4
a flush is easy too. im doing one tomorrow.
1. drain radiator. leave plug out.
2. remove radiator cap
3. stick a hose in the radiator and turn water on
4. turn on car and put the heat on full blast.
5. continue till the temp guage gets to the normal operating temp (about half way) and fluid coming out of the drain plug is straight water.
6.turn off car and water
7. let water drain completely
8. replace plug
9. refill radiator with 50/50 mixture of coolant and water.
10. drive the car until the temp is at the operating temp.
11. let car cool off and top off radiator
note - to do a true flush you have to run the car until the thermostat opens up. if you dont then you are only flushing the radiator and not all the fluid that is in the engine block and hoses. and the reason you need to run the car afterwards and top it off is because the engine block will be empty after the flush. once the thermostat opens and fills the engine block the level in the radiator will be lower.
1. drain radiator. leave plug out.
2. remove radiator cap
3. stick a hose in the radiator and turn water on
4. turn on car and put the heat on full blast.
5. continue till the temp guage gets to the normal operating temp (about half way) and fluid coming out of the drain plug is straight water.
6.turn off car and water
7. let water drain completely
8. replace plug
9. refill radiator with 50/50 mixture of coolant and water.
10. drive the car until the temp is at the operating temp.
11. let car cool off and top off radiator
note - to do a true flush you have to run the car until the thermostat opens up. if you dont then you are only flushing the radiator and not all the fluid that is in the engine block and hoses. and the reason you need to run the car afterwards and top it off is because the engine block will be empty after the flush. once the thermostat opens and fills the engine block the level in the radiator will be lower.
07-06-2004, 08:26 PM
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 311
Originally Posted by soonerfan
a flush is easy too. im doing one tomorrow.
1. drain radiator. leave plug out.
2. remove radiator cap
3. stick a hose in the radiator and turn water on
4. turn on car and put the heat on full blast.
5. continue till the temp guage gets to the normal operating temp (about half way) and fluid coming out of the drain plug is straight water.
6.turn off car and water
7. let water drain completely
8. replace plug
9. refill radiator with 50/50 mixture of coolant and water.
10. drive the car until the temp is at the operating temp.
11. let car cool off and top off radiator
note - to do a true flush you have to run the car until the thermostat opens up. if you dont then you are only flushing the radiator and not all the fluid that is in the engine block and hoses. and the reason you need to run the car afterwards and top it off is because the engine block will be empty after the flush. once the thermostat opens and fills the engine block the level in the radiator will be lower.
1. drain radiator. leave plug out.
2. remove radiator cap
3. stick a hose in the radiator and turn water on
4. turn on car and put the heat on full blast.
5. continue till the temp guage gets to the normal operating temp (about half way) and fluid coming out of the drain plug is straight water.
6.turn off car and water
7. let water drain completely
8. replace plug
9. refill radiator with 50/50 mixture of coolant and water.
10. drive the car until the temp is at the operating temp.
11. let car cool off and top off radiator
note - to do a true flush you have to run the car until the thermostat opens up. if you dont then you are only flushing the radiator and not all the fluid that is in the engine block and hoses. and the reason you need to run the car afterwards and top it off is because the engine block will be empty after the flush. once the thermostat opens and fills the engine block the level in the radiator will be lower.
07-06-2004, 10:12 PM
#9
Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 65
Is it safe to do?
Please don't get me wrong, I'm not some Earth muffin looking to save Mother Earth, but my girlfriend is a vet tech and I get to hear about dogs, cats, pigons, squrrils, etc.... that she have to put down because of people being careless with anti-freeze. Some are family pets, some are strays, and some are wildlife, but all of then shouldn't have died because of this.
On another site I frequent a policeman lost his K9 dog to this because of a neighbor who left out a bucket of anti-freeze and the dog drank it.
[Off soapbox]
07-06-2004, 11:37 PM
#10
Supporting Maxima.org Member
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 268
Is it safe to do?
NO!! For one every animal "down stream" can lick it up and die a very slow death due to their kidneys shutting down, and 2 it's illegal as hell. This is why Jiffy lube and Grease Monkey have a machine that "reclaims" the coolent because if they just let it go down the drain the EPA would have their @ss.
Please don't get me wrong, I'm not some Earth muffin looking to save Mother Earth, but my girlfriend is a vet tech and I get to hear about dogs, cats, pigons, squrrils, etc.... that she have to put down because of people being careless with anti-freeze. Some are family pets, some are strays, and some are wildlife, but all of then shouldn't have died because of this.
On another site I frequent a policeman lost his K9 dog to this because of a neighbor who left out a bucket of anti-freeze and the dog drank it.
[Off soapbox]
Its safe..I don't know what way you were thinking about...I use to do it on my Z all the time...buy an oil drain bucket (the ones that catch the oil and have huge lids that seal and have a pouring spout) at Pepboys or Strauss auto. Drain it into the bucket and transfer it into smaller bottles using a funnel. I actually have a five gallon jug with a screw top which i use to transfer to. Then bring it to Pepboys or Strauss...They take it for free.
This should keep the furry friends in your neighborhood safe...LOL
NO!! For one every animal "down stream" can lick it up and die a very slow death due to their kidneys shutting down, and 2 it's illegal as hell. This is why Jiffy lube and Grease Monkey have a machine that "reclaims" the coolent because if they just let it go down the drain the EPA would have their @ss.
Please don't get me wrong, I'm not some Earth muffin looking to save Mother Earth, but my girlfriend is a vet tech and I get to hear about dogs, cats, pigons, squrrils, etc.... that she have to put down because of people being careless with anti-freeze. Some are family pets, some are strays, and some are wildlife, but all of then shouldn't have died because of this.
On another site I frequent a policeman lost his K9 dog to this because of a neighbor who left out a bucket of anti-freeze and the dog drank it.
[Off soapbox]
Its safe..I don't know what way you were thinking about...I use to do it on my Z all the time...buy an oil drain bucket (the ones that catch the oil and have huge lids that seal and have a pouring spout) at Pepboys or Strauss auto. Drain it into the bucket and transfer it into smaller bottles using a funnel. I actually have a five gallon jug with a screw top which i use to transfer to. Then bring it to Pepboys or Strauss...They take it for free.
This should keep the furry friends in your neighborhood safe...LOL
07-07-2004, 11:49 AM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 338
Gee I've never flushed the radiator in my 91 SE and simply drain & refill my raidator every 3 or 4 years and I've never had a problem.
Are you guys who flush your systems periodically testing the specific gravity of the fluid prior to the drain & flush to determine if the anti freeze is still effective?
Mr.P
Are you guys who flush your systems periodically testing the specific gravity of the fluid prior to the drain & flush to determine if the anti freeze is still effective?
Mr.P
07-08-2004, 06:57 PM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,985
DON"T take it to the dealer!
There was a TSB out there that said the deal will only pull the drain plug and then fill, changing about 1/2 of the fluid. No more flushes there. You can do this as was said above.
If you want someone to flush, make sure they are really flushing and not just draining and filling.
There was a TSB out there that said the deal will only pull the drain plug and then fill, changing about 1/2 of the fluid. No more flushes there. You can do this as was said above.
If you want someone to flush, make sure they are really flushing and not just draining and filling.
07-08-2004, 07:08 PM
#13
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 48
my opinion a drain and refill with DISTILLED water is better than a flush with garden hose. Once the minerals in the water is cooked at high temperation it will deposit on the water path, and you will see tiny scales next time.
Some cars form deposit easier than others, I used to have an '88 Subaru, tough boxer engine, can take all kinds of abuse, but the mineral deposit was really BAD.
I don't know about Max, but filling the cooling system with tap water is not a good idea.
Some cars form deposit easier than others, I used to have an '88 Subaru, tough boxer engine, can take all kinds of abuse, but the mineral deposit was really BAD.
I don't know about Max, but filling the cooling system with tap water is not a good idea.
07-09-2004, 02:45 AM
#14
like Pearltt said just make sure you collect it all. i never said in my original post to do it near a storm drain and let all the fluid run out. i assumed people would be smart enough to know they have to dispose of the old fluid properly.
as far as being safe - yes it is. i did mine the other day. no problems at all. but if people wanna pay someone else to do work they can do, be my guest.
as far as being safe - yes it is. i did mine the other day. no problems at all. but if people wanna pay someone else to do work they can do, be my guest.
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