Flushing the coolant...with a twist

[arknotts]

I purchased a PWR radiator for my car, and I want to install it. However, I don't think the coolant has been changed in my car for quite some time (new car for me) and I want to do a flush of the system to clean out anything that may be in there. The car is in a non-running condition right now (tore down for some winter upgrades) and it's a perfect time for me to install the radiator. I would rather flush the system before I install the radiator to prevent anything getting in my new radiator. Of course, this is hard since the car doesn't run right now.

Can I install the radiator now, and then do this once everything is back together: flush the system by disconnecting the upper radiator hose from the radiator and dumping it into a container? (and keep feeding the radiator with distilled water until it runs clear out the upper hose). Would this work? This would keep coolant from the engine from going into the radiator, correct? If not does anyone have any other suggestions? Or is this just being really picky and is it not worth it?

 

[BlackDevilSupra]

Since the rad' is out, just pour water into the upper rad' hose, and watch it run out of the lower..

 

[SideWinderGX]

I'm not aware of needing the car to run in order to flush coolant

Disconnect the lower radiator hose to drain the coolant, pretty much all there is to it. Using the upper is stupid, to put it bluntly...like 10% of the coolant is at the upper hose level and higher, it'd take forever to filter out all the old coolant.

 

[iwannadie]

I'm not aware of needing the car to run in order to flush coolant

Disconnect the lower radiator hose to drain the coolant, pretty much all there is to it. Using the upper is stupid, to put it bluntly...like 10% of the coolant is at the upper hose level and higher, it'd take forever to filter out all the old coolant.

I guess you don't want to get all the coolant from the heater core or the head?

When I did mine I drained and filled with water(and some flush junk), ran the motor with no Tstat for a while then drained and repeated. It took a few times but eventually came out crystal clear water. After that I drained and filled the final time.

 

[airhead04]

I guess you don't want to get all the coolant from the heater core or the head?

When I did mine I drained and filled with water(and some flush junk), ran the motor with no Tstat for a while then drained and repeated. It took a few times but eventually came out crystal clear water. After that I drained and filled the final time.

^^This is good. I do the same thing.

 

[mkIIIman089]

Or is this just being really picky and is it not worth it?

Being even a little picky would require the engine running for a proper flush. You wont get much of anything without it running, and draining the block and rad each time you do (whatever) sequence.

 

[arknotts]

I'm not aware of needing the car to run in order to flush coolant

Disconnect the lower radiator hose to drain the coolant, pretty much all there is to it. Using the upper is stupid, to put it bluntly...like 10% of the coolant is at the upper hose level and higher, it'd take forever to filter out all the old coolant.

Everything I have read requires you to run the engine to flush the coolant. What you are describing is simply draining the coolant.

I guess you don't want to get all the coolant from the heater core or the head?

When I did mine I drained and filled with water(and some flush junk), ran the motor with no Tstat for a while then drained and repeated. It took a few times but eventually came out crystal clear water. After that I drained and filled the final time.

That's exactly what I would like to do. I would just feel better doing it with the old radiator in to minimize any debris getting into my new radiator.

 

[iwannadie]

Don't forget to drain the block too. I was surprised how much coolant poured out of the block after having the lower rad hose off.

 

[Poodles]

Don't need to have the engine running to circulate coolant (hint: it's on a pulley)

 

[SideWinderGX]

And Poodles with the field goal! Woooo!

ark, mkiii, iwannadie, yes you're exactly correct...my fault for not being specific enough!

 

[iwannadie]

Don't need to have the engine running to circulate coolant (hint: it's on a pulley)

I figure it's easiest to just fire the motor up, unless of course you have other stuff taken apart...

 

[Poodles]

True, but he said the car was in non-running condition.

 

[arknotts]

Don't need to have the engine running to circulate coolant (hint: it's on a pulley)

Good idea . I thought of that but wasn't sure if I could spin the pulley fast enough to actually flow some coolant. I tried it but I don't think it worked very well (couldn't spin it fast enough by hand). Well I'm not going to spend any more time trying to do this now. I've just decided to test-fit the PWR (I needed to do this to see where my intercooler pipes will go), re-install the stocker until I get it running again. Once I flush the system I will re-install the PWR. I didn't realize it was so easy to take out the radiator :icon_bigg. Thanks for the help and discussion.