I'd like to flush my system, and I have a guess as to which hose to install the T fitting on, but I'd like to know if anyone else has had experience with this.

Furthermore - I've searched a little, but I don't think I've come up with a definitive answer to this question - other than Nissan coolant, which commercially available (i.e. Wal-Mart) coolants are considered "equivalent" as it is stated in the owner's manual?

 

Do not use Prestone "green" antifreeze, nor any other that uses a silicate based anti-corrosion package. These can be hard on Japanese cars' water pumps. Always use either a Japanese (Nissan, Toyota or Honda) anti-freeze, which are phosphate/nitrate based, or a Dexcool coolant, OAT based. Dexcool coolants are really neat and last for 100,000 miles or 5 years if you're careful to flush out all old coolant really well.

Finding the right hose to use for the back-flush t-fitting is proving hard for me too. It turns out the Max has two engine cooling circuits and two thermostats for keeping the heads at a different temp from the block. The best hose is one buried behind the engine and hard to get to. I recall one of the two hoses on the front left of the engine is second best, but I can't remember which... one will drain directly back to the radiator instead of through the block/heater core. Don't want that one. But then I also remember something about pinching off another hose (I think the upper radiator) to force flow through the engine block, up through the radiator and out the fill cap.

Then I'll back flush, run the engine to get it to temperature, back flush again, and repeat a couple times. The good thing is, once the Dexcool is in there you don't have to do it again for 5 more years!

BuddyWh

 

I believe there are 3 drains and not just 2.

 

I bought the Havoline Dex-Cool variant which heralds as being slicate and phosphate free. Now the flush kit - anyone have an idea as to how exactly to determine which hose to cut? I'd hate to cut one and then restrict it's flow unnecessarily with a splice. I see one on the driver's side proximal to what appears to be a thermostat housing. Anyone have luck with a dealer handing this information out? Thanks for your input, by the way.

 

Halvoline is what I use... Prestone also makes an extended life Dexcool compliant coolant. Dexcool because has an orange-ish color.

The hose to use looks to be a short hose connecting to a pipe running along the front of the engine from the transmission end to the timing chain end. The hose is actually too short to cut into... I figure I'll have to put a longer loop there in order to cut-in the T-fitting. This is a by-pass hose and not in the radiator path so it's not critical for cooling capacity.

You'll also have to pinch off the upper radiator hose (use a couple hardwood dowels) to force the water flow through the engine block and up through the radiator. Be sure to set the heater to max heat before shutting off the engine.

At least, I THINK this is the best hose, given it's accessability. I could post a cooling system schematic, from the service manual, if only I could figure out how... I take it the image file has to be hosted somewhere?

BuddyWh