coolant flush 1998 aurora

[jo66tr]

I would like to flush the coolant on my 98 aurora but have never done a pressurized system before. Has anyone done this or should I just pay to get it done? It has the red coolant.It has 92,000 miles and has never been changed. Thanks

[97 silverbullet]

its really easy. there's a drain on the radiator on the drivers side you can't just see it you have to look in a hole on a metal bar, I forget what socket it takes but its plastic so be careful. drain the fluid, then just put your hose in the top and flush it out till its all clear water coming out. when you put your fluid in make sure you put those sealant tablets in cause you'll just leak the fluid all over (learned from experience) it has directions on the bottle of the tablets for that. good luck

[jo66tr]

Will that flush the whole system or just the radiator since the thermostat would be closed? Where do you get the tablets? Do you have to loosen any hoses or anything to get the air out of the system or does it just fill up? How hard is it to replace the thermoStat? Thanks for responding.

[BKVic]

When I first bought my 97 Aurora I took it to the dealer for $95 to have the comlete system flushed and refilled since I didnt yet have my FSM and had no idea how to do it. Ive always done my own radiator flushes but those all had radiator caps on the radiator and my Aurora doesnt, I had no idea how to do it! Oh well, I will next time!


BKVic

[Indy8]

GM Seal Tabs(crushed walnut shells and ginger)are meant to help fill imperfections with the porosity of the cast aluminum parts internally. Nothing on the service end would benefit from the addition of these into the system. Silverbullet had something wrong and the tabs clogged the passage. Good, clean connections with fresh hoses and quality clamps will ensure a leak-free system. Any trapped air will find its way to the top throttle body hose and into the reservoir. That's the way it's designed. Use a deep 19mm socket on the drain plug. Thermostat replacement is easy.$14.99 @ NAPA, comes w/o-ring seal. Goes between lower hose and water pump, in the black housing that comes out with two bolts. Hose flushing will get 90% of the system. It should be done more often than recommended. Once you do it and see how easy it is, the more you'll do it.

[jo66tr]

How much will I need to put back in the system after the flush? Should I take the thermostat out to hose flush or change it after? And I do not need the pellets right?Thanks for the input. It really helps alot.

[ckpaas]

13 quarts

[Indy8]

Drain and flush first, then change thermostat, then refill. Buy two gallons each of Prestone Dex-Cool and distilled water. Seal tabs as a last resort for minor leaks only. Not a substitute for old hoses or bad clamps. Please read "Backflushing Coolant" and "Aurora Radiator Cap" threads on page 6 for more instructions.

[auroradream]

Where is the proper place to tap into the coolant lines to do the flush? Which lines?

[Indy8]

I don't disconnect anything, I just pull the drain plug and insert the pressure nozzle into the reservoir and it works fine.

[jo66tr]

So you do not recommend the sealing pellets? Why does it say on the underhood sticker to use it? Just wondering where you get your info. Thanks alot

[Indy8]

It won't hurt anything, I just don't see the point of adding anything foreign to the system unless it's needed. I tried them, and it made a mess out of the whole thing. They come six to a pack and it's way too much. They turn the coolant into sludge. These cars run very hot without a real front grille opening, and I don't want to add anything that would slow down the flow rate through the radiator. I put them in to buy some time when my rad cracked. There is no recommendation on the packaging on how many to use, so I assumed all six. They are $4.50 at the stealer, so add three if it will make you feel better about it. Strictly my experience and opinion. I think it's more of a quick fix for mechanics when a customer comes back with small leaks but the system is holding adequate pressure. You have to ask yourself, if it was critical to the systems efficiency, operation or life, wouldn't it be part of the Dex-Cool formula?

[jo66tr]

Are the pellets something they recommend in all vehicles running dex-cool? I will try it without since I do not have them anyways. This will only flush about half the system anyway won't it? Thanks

[Indy8]

If you spend a solid 5 min. flushing, you're going to get almost all of what's in there, out. Including the heater core. Dex-Cool's main feature is that it's silicate-free. Silicate attacks aluminum over time, so different silicate-free formulas are available from various makers for use in all-alum. engines. Toyota's formula happens to be red in color, it doesn't matter as long as you read the content label. I prefer Prestone. The tabs are an alum. safe version of the old sealant additives that contained clay and silicate. The under-hood sticker was probably a reminder for dealer mechanics, as the manufacturers assume a very small percent of owners of newer cars attempt their own maintenance. I have NEVER seen a PROPERLY MAINTAINED cooling system leak without a reason that required immediate attention. If yours does seep, disconnect the lower hose at the thermostat housing and drop in 3 tabs so they fall into the rad neck and it should take care of it w/o sludging everything up.

[jo66tr]

I just drained it and got out 6 quarts. I can only get 4 back in. There must be an air bubble or something keeping the other 2 quarts from going.