[DontAsk]

This is how I do it...

I take it in two steps: Replace the coolant in the overflow and replace the coolant in the system.

Replace coolant from overflow:
1) Make sure engine is cold
2) I take the bottom hose (thick) hose off first.. and put it in a bucket. Drain coolant tank.
3) when that drains, put a garden hose in it the bottom thick hose
4) start the garden hose (not full capacity). because you haven't taken off the top hoses (return), but have taken off the bottom hose, water will continue to drain from the coolant tank.
5) turn it off when you see the water coming out of the coolant tank is clear.

Replace coolant in System:
6) Put the thick hose back into the lower point of the coolant tank.
7) take off lid of coolant tank
8) take off top two hoses of the coolant tank and put them into your bucket. these are your return hoses.
9) get someone to start your engine
10) put the garden hose into the coolant tank and switch on (not too much flowing water)
11) when you start the car, you'll notice clear water coming out of one of your return hoses... this is the water you replaced before. the aim now is to get your engine temperature up. when this happens, the thermostat will switch and you'll be able to get the coolant out of the remainder of your engine.... (this will be indicated by the coolant coming out of your other return hose)
12) keep waiting until you see the coolant start flowing from your other hose
13) when coolant starts flowing from the other hose, wait until you see clear water only
14) when you see clear water only, take out the garden hose and start putting in your coolant mixture
15) when you see the coolant mixture come out, turn off your engine, replace the coolant tap and return hoses and you're done!

NB: try to use as much water in your coolant mixture as you can. water is the bit which actually cools your engine! all the additive does is change the properties of the water so that it doesn't evaporate as easily.

 

[CATerina]

More info at this post

 

[silvacouga]

where do i disconnect the lower thick hose from?

 

[schmitt]

my first step is to get a kit to attach a garden hose to the upper radiator hose, remove thermostat, remove hoses from engine to heater and attach one hose to both connections on block and and flush out heater, next remove bottom hose from radiator and turn on hose full blast this will back flush the engine block then flush out radiator and coolant tank. replace hoses with new about every 5 years save a break down on the road. replace all hoses as you found them attached. check manual to see what the capacity of the cooling system is next check the instructions on antifreeze to see how to mix for the temps you have in your area, you want to be sure you are covered for freezing temps mix might be 50/50 also make sure when you are filling up your radiator turn the heater on full blast and have your engine running this will prevent an air lock in the heater for in the winter time you will want some heat and with an air lock no heat hope this will help
Bill

 

[Puttster]

Good! Though before you're done clearing the coolant you should turn on the heater full blast and that will let the heater clear out also. Then put the new coolant in.

 

[nitrous]

Good! Though before you're done clearing the coolant you should turn on the heater full blast and that will let the heater clear out also. Then put the new coolant in.

When is this done, i.e Replace coolant from overflow or Replace coolant in System as per OPO's post?

Thanks

 

[JonathanVerm]

Shouldn't you be using distilled water for your radiator? The minerals in the water might get the narrow channels in the radiator to clog up, just like a shower head.

 

[StuartGrant]

Generally yes, but short term to flush the old coolant out tap water is fine. Also, the channels in our radiator aren't that narrow, we have rolled tube radiators, not extruded microchannel IIRC, it'd take a while to clog them with anything but a Glycol/Dexkill slurry mix.

 

[LostOffspring99]

Generally yes, but short term to flush the old coolant out tap water is fine. Also, the channels in our radiator aren't that narrow, we have rolled tube radiators, not extruded microchannel IIRC, it'd take a while to clog them with anything but a Glycol/Dexkill slurry mix.

What coolant do you prefer?

 

[StuartGrant]

G13 is pretty decent, a nice organic acid coolant. In the 00 I just run green Glycol based. In the 01 I run DexKill, because that's what was in the car and I didn't feel like flushing the whole damn thing, and it meets the Ford spec for the car. In the Jetta I run G13 because that's what VW recommends. The important thing is to never mix coolants, flush if you're going to change between types. Mixing DexKill and green Glycol is just about the same as using the **** from cash-for-clunkers, it'll clog every channell in the radiator, coat the inside of the lines and the block, etc, it's a terrible mix that's easy to accidentally do if you don't know what you're doing.

 

[LostOffspring99]

I run dexkill. Is it normal for it to dry like mud? Ive never mixed coolants.

 

[StuartGrant]

It breaks down over time into mud, but instantly flashes into mud if you mix it with Glycol. It's a 5 year coolant, so flush it every 5 years or 50k miles. OTC makes a tool that attaches to a hose and an air gun that's somewhat effective at flushing he mud out, but it'll never be like new.

Frankly, I prefer glycol over dexkill, even if you keep up with flushes dexkill stains your coolant bottle. If you ever make it to cougarfest and I've got the 2000, you'll see my bottle is nice and clean, a little bit darker than natural Nylon, whereas many others are red or brown, because they never swapped over to glycol. The only fault in glycol is that it loses it's corrosion inhibiting ability more quickly, 3 years or 30k miles.