coolant flush

DeleriousZ · 10-13-2004, 04:17 PM

well, seeing as my coolant is pretty damn low, i need to fill it up, only problem is i don't have any of the green antifreeze left, just that crazy new orange stuff... i heard you're not supposed to mix the two so i've decided to do a flush... is there any way that i can get ALL the stuff out without using some sort of pressurized mechanism? or do i just have to prop the car up the right way and hope most of it drains out? last time on my integra i ended up sitting there blowing as hard as i could on the upper rad hose trying to get all the stuff out.. which i just gave up after a while anyway. need to get this done today and hope my car makes the 11 hr drive to edmonton (moving so i might be offline for a few days)

1viadrft · 10-13-2004, 04:43 PM

'Flush' it with a hose... this is kinda Mickey-Mouse... but it gets the job done more-or-less... the poor-man's version of a radiator flush...

DeleriousZ · 10-13-2004, 04:46 PM

that's the thing... i would, but then i'd end up with all this water in my engine.... and i need to have like a 60/40 antifreeze to water mix.. it gets COLD in edmonton... i'm talking -35 celcius.. so i don't want anything freezing up on me..

1viadrft · 10-13-2004, 05:13 PM

HuH? You're confusing me... if you are flushing then the stuff in there in not staying there, right? Dork-o!
This is how I flushed my radiator once... I dropped my lower rad-hose and got out what I could... I then losely attached the hose again and filled with water. Started the car and let it run through the 'veins'... dropped the hose again... while the hose is off you may want run your water hose at high pressure... fill with water and start car every once and awhile... do this several times until all you dump out is clear water... ALSO: And use caution while doing this! You can run you motor while the lower rad-hose is off to be sure to clear all water/fluid! BE SURE NOT TO OVERHEAT YOUR ENGINE! KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON THAT METER! Somebody should probably help you with this...

DeleriousZ · 10-13-2004, 05:51 PM

gotcha.. how long does it take for the coolant to start to circulate?

1viadrft · 10-13-2004, 05:57 PM

The whole process takes about an hour and a half at the most...

DeleriousZ · 10-13-2004, 06:12 PM

no no, how long do i have to let it idle before the coolant starts flowing through the system?

1viadrft · 10-13-2004, 06:16 PM

You will not be running the car for more than a few minutes... just watch the water flowing out of the hose... watch that TEMP meter!

DeleriousZ · 10-13-2004, 06:22 PM

ic, what i'm doing now is filling it up with water, running it till i see the temp guage start to tick a bit, then shutting it off and draining it... i'll keep a very close eye on the temp guage when fully draining everything out!

Hodo · 10-13-2004, 10:58 PM

I just use some Tide (liquid no bleach) and put a cap full of that when I flush the radiatr to get out all of the scale. Its works REALLY well, then all you have to do is fill it once then drain it and run the hose through it and let it get the soap out. Then just put in your mix of 60/40 and BAM! a clean radiator and coolant system.

DeleriousZ · 10-13-2004, 11:21 PM

little late on the draw there hodo, but i'll take your advice next time around

DeleriousZ · 10-13-2004, 11:35 PM

well everything went pretty smoothely.. got it all back together and nothings leaking or anything.. but guess what!! now i've got a supercharger!! well i don't, but it sure sounds like it! sounds like it's coming from my alternator pulley... i give it a shot of wd40 and the squealing goes away... but it comes back after about 10 min of driving.. think my alternator's on it's way out? i sure hope not because i really don't have the money to replace anything right now

Hodo · 10-13-2004, 11:41 PM

It could be the belt slipping on it...... Or worse your alternators on the way out. Hope not. Much rather replace the belt than the alternator.

POST REPLY TO THIS THREAD