Block Coolant Drain Plug

[dpalomaki]

On a 2002 Malibu, 3.1L, is there one or two bloc coolant drain plugs. I see the one located by the oil filter. Is there one on the other side of the block?

If two, do both have to be opened to drain the block?

I've read conflicting information on this. The AllData information and exploded diagrams are not clear.

[slls]

My 3.5 only had one, so unless someone knows better I would say one.

[dpalomaki]

I can see it, there are two plugs. Crawling under, there is a plug on the firewall side as well, same location as on the front, just to the rear of a sensor. Have not yet figured out how to reach it though.

[slls]

Maybe why the manual says remove the front one.

[SC2ner]

Do you need to fix it asap or can you wait until saturday when I can look at my car?

[dpalomaki]

Working on it this evening, depends on how far I get. Working through the lower intake manifold gasket replacement, putting it back together at this point in time.

[SC2ner]

Originally Posted by dpalomaki

Working on it this evening, depends on how far I get. Working through the lower intake manifold gasket replacement, putting it back together at this point in time.

Have you tried getting it with a flex head wrachet? Well, the system will need to be flushed anyways because you have oil in the lines.

When you put it all back together, fill the cooling system up with water. Go to advanced or pepboys and look for coolant flush. I recommend using Prestone coolant flush. It comes in a yellow bottle and part number is 1101. It's in small letters on the front. That stuff works magic. First one on the top: http://www.prestone.com/products/coo...Treatments.php

Anyways, fill it up with water and then flush the system out with a hose. Either try to feed it off of the hose coming from the expansion tank or take off the heater core hose and back flush they system. Thus way you can see it coming out and you just keep flushing until the water comes out clear. Make sure you let the car get to Op temp that way all of the gunk is broken down.

Hit me up on SF... I rarely come on here anymore. Just send me Pms or something.

[manicmechanix]

To fully drain the block you'd have to remove the rear drain plug which is basically inacessible. What I do is put a flush T in the heater inlet hose and flush the coolant out that way. Drain the excess water through opening the radiator drain and add half the capacity in straight anitfreeze. It's easier to cut the the heater hose and put the Flush T in than it is to fiddle with the engine drain plugs, and once it's installed it's really easy to flush the antifreeze out.