Drain and Refill 01 Taurus Coolant

[ted g]

The Patient is a recently purchased 01 Taurus SES, 3.0 L OHV Beasty. I picked this car up very inexpensively via an Ebay bid from a nearby Acura Dealer. Body looks near new inside and out. Not bad but some mechanical stuff going on. I'll know better what is going on with it after I get all of the maint. work done.

As with all of these used cars when I first get them the problems usually surround: (1) Getting it in the air with a floor jack without breaking it (2) Part location and identification. This car is no exception.

Current problem- Anti freeze is dirty and stinks. It's not losing any coolant so I am hoping there are no internal leaks. Changing it on this car is a treat. I love the Haynes Manual. Simply open the radiator drain and pull the block drain plugs. Yeah--right! I would pay to see one of their editors do it their way.

To make a long story short I have handled these types of problems in the past by pulling radiator hoses and other stunts to avoid the problems associated with getting at the block drains. Here is a new twist I thought of: Pull the thermostat, disconnect lower radiator hose, block the radiator hose connection. use shop vac to pressure up system at the thermostat housing by blowing into it. Anybody ever try this stunt? I would simply suck it out with the vac at the lower hose but I am not sure there isn't something the suction could damage in the system.

Opinions? Other ideas?

Thanks

Ted

[mwt47]

I pull the T stat
take the degasser tank off.

Make sure the small hose that goes in the top of the degasser tank is pointed over the fender

Shove a garden hose in the big hose that goes in the degasser tank and clamp a set of vise grips or a worm clamp over it.

Start the car and turn the water on.

Run until it runs clear then
Put a bottle of the Prestone superflush in it.
There is one that specificallys says to drive it for at least 4 hours.
You can do it over several days.

Then flush it again
Put everything back together
turn the drain in the lower radiator and run it dry
then add coolant

Mike

[way2old]

Hey Mike, you forgot the most important part. That is the beer while waiting fot it to run clear and when doing the final drain. opcorn: