Draining Cooling system !

Hello Group,

I am new the the Metro. Can someone help me in steps that I should take to drain, flush and refill the cooling system on a 92 auto with 1.0 liter?

Regards

cubano112266:grinyes:

Things you'll need:

∙New Thermostat and Gasket
∙~One gallon of coolant (Green stuff only! Non-Dexcool! / Prestone is my prefered brand)
∙Catch pan
∙Recommend new radiator cap
∙12mm wrench or socket (for t-stat)
∙Garden hose
--------------------------------------

1) Drain existing coolant in catch pan via petcock located at the bottom of the radiator.

2) Reinstall petcock and remove upper and lower radiator hoses at the radiator, leaving the other ends attached to the engine. This is also a good time to remove your coolant reservoir, pour out it's contents, rinse with water, and fill with fresh coolant.

3) Place catch pan under the car just off center of the engine compartment - a little on the trans side, and a little toward the front of the car. Remove the t-stat from the t-stat housing via 12mm hex bolts just below the distributor.

4) Reinstall t-stat housing without a gasket or t-stat.

5) Using a hose clamp, attach a garden hose to the lower radiator hose, turn on the water, and start the engine, catch remaining coolant from upper radiator hose in catch pan until water runs clear and clean then let it dump off into the street. Run the motor like this for a minute or two.

6) Shut off engine, turn off water and disconnect the garden hose from the lower radiator hose, and reconnect garden hose to the upper radiator hose. This will backflush your system - do not start the engine. Run water for a minute or two.

7) Turn off water, disconnect garden hose, and allow water to drain. Start the engine for 10 seconds or so to get as much water pumped out as you can.

8) Remove t-stat housing, clean and dry surfaces, install new thermostat and gasket, and reinstall t-stat housing. (NOTE: If there is small hole in the t-stat, install this hole in a 12 o'clock position.)

9) Reinstall radiator hoses and pour fresh coolant into radiator until it appears full. Then start the motor and continue to add coolant until it appears full again, then squeeze upper and lower radiator hoses to 'burp' the system until the coolant level ceases to drop.

10) Install new radiator cap, give car a test drive around the block minding your temp gauge, allowing it to reach operating temperature, then park car and allow to cool. Remove radiator cap and inspect coolant reservoir, top off as nessecary.

11) Dispose of used coolant properly. This is harmful stuff. You're good to go.

Please chime in if anybody has something to add.

-MechanicMatt

I think you got it all. Just be sure to not let any animals lick up any spilled coolant. It both smells and tastes sweet to them but is extremely toxic and can kill them if they happen to drink enough of it.
Like on our last family trip we went to Glacier and in the parking lot someone had overheated and was spewing coolant all over. As soon as they got the engine cooled down enough they proceeded to leave. So my family and I and a couple of other people went to dilute it because there was a family of mountain goats on the outer edge of the spill licking it up.

why does it need be the green coolant? consequences of using the other? thanks

Well use what you like, my point was not to use "dex-cool" specifically. It's over priced, and does exactly what it's "special forumla" was designed not to do. ie; cause corrosion, leaks and blockages. Don't get me wrong, I'm a GM diehard but dex-cool is bad stuff.


-MechanicMatt

Well use what you like, my point was not to use "dex-cool" specifically. It's over priced, and does exactly what it's "special forumla" was designed not to do. ie; cause corrosion, leaks and blockages. Don't get me wrong, I'm a GM diehard but dex-cool is bad stuff.


-MechanicMattcool. reason i ask is, i just got some coolant the other day in anticipation of flushing it this weekend. didn't really check the color though. its prestone. where would it specify whether it was dex-cool (or is dex-cool the brand)? on the front of the container?

Hi Mechanic Matt,
I've read many of your threads and gained much good advice from them. I would like to know more about Dexcool. My wife's Vibe requires it and from what I read (on the Dexcool container!), it supposed to be used on all GM products from '95 on. I have a '96 Metro that I was going to change over to Dexcool. Guess I won't now!
Larry

TEN: DexCool is sold under the Prestone, Pennzoil and GM brands. Either way it will very boldly say 'dexcool' on face of the container, and I know that Prestone sticks an orange cap on the silver dexcool containers.

c140: I'd like to reciprocate your gratitude and say that I very much appreciate the Metrogian community here, from which I have learned a lot myself, and the opportunity to share the findings of my own experiences.

In any case: I strongly believe it would behoove you to flush the dexcool out of your wife's vibe as soon and as completely as possible - this goes especially for cars with the factory coolant, as they add pellets akin to saw dust as part of the dexcool solution. Be sure to call the dealer and see that this will not infringe any warranty agreements beforehand, and be sure to express your concern.

A close friend of mine a couple years ago bought an 05 silverado 5.3 brand new, and I encouraged him too to flush out the orange death. Unfortunately my friend is a slightly more hard-headed GM fan than I am who, in his blind fanaticism, rejects the idea that GM makes mistakes.

I've got my own horror stories about the debilitating effects of dex-cool, but all you have to do to find the problems others have faced, is a simple google search and you will see the vast number of people who have had problems with it.

Premature heater core and radiator failure, rust in iron engines, overheating conditions because of insufficient flow, head gasket and intake manifold gasket failures - all because of the experimental dexcool that GM refuses to swallow it's pride about.

-MechanicMatt

91Caprice9c1 (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/member.php?u=328560)

thanks for the detailed steps.

I performed the change and I now have a very warm Metro.

Thanks

cubano112266

Couple more tips-

Should use a concentration of 50% antifreeze and 50% water at the least and 70% antifreeze and 50% water at the most. You shouldn't just add pure coolant without adding the required concentration of water. Antifreeze does not carry heat quite as efficiently as water, so increasing the concentration of antifreeze beyond a maximum concentration of 70 percent can reduce the cooling capacity of the system and increase the danger of overheating. You can use tap water to flush the system but for the final fill with the coolant, distilled water should be used becuase tap water can leave behind deposits in your cooling system especially if you know you have hard water

^ +1!

Be sure to read the container. Some coolent nowadays comes "prediluted" and is designed to be used without adding water. Also designed so you have to buy twice as much.

Q

Couple more tips-

Should use a concentration of 50% antifreeze and 50% water at the least and 70% antifreeze and 50% water at the most. You shouldn't just add pure coolant without adding the required concentration of water. Antifreeze does not carry heat quite as efficiently as water, so increasing the concentration of antifreeze beyond a maximum concentration of 70 percent can reduce the cooling capacity of the system and increase the danger of overheating. You can use tap water to flush the system but for the final fill with the coolant, distilled water should be used becuase tap water can leave behind deposits in your cooling system especially if you know you have hard water