Gentlemen, did a search, got some ideas, but not quite what I was hoping for. I am planning to open the petcock in the rad, or possibly even drop the bottom hose ( rad cap off ), and catch all the fluid in a large pan for safe disposal. I don't want to chance blowing a hole in the heater core, and I don't wish to open any plugs in the block. So, I was thinking to just disconnect the heater hoses up at the firewall, and run the nozzle of the garden hose through one until the water coming out is all nice and clean ( hoping to still catch the worst stuff ), so water should come out of the lower hose and probably the other heater hose. Probably let it rip for ten minutes or so. Does this work, or will it just go in one hose and mostly back out the other? Thanks (better ideas very welcome ). R.B.

You get a lot of coolant out by pulling the lower radiator hose, but not all. You really should remove the block drain plugs also, but I don't on these old, posibly corroded engines because I worry about stripping threads. I don't think you can improve much on the procedure using the "Prestone" brand "Flush and Fill Kit".

I do this works for me: open radiator drain cock and drain coolant, catch and dispose of responsibly. Gets about half of it out. Refill with water. run engine a few minutes. Drain again. Do htihs four or five times. Almost all of antifreeze is gone now.

Use flush and fill kit. I undo the thermostat housing and remove thermostat for flushing with flush and fill kit.

Since the stuff in the system is probably 98% water now, I hook a drain hose from radiator filler neck to sewer without worrying about contaminating anybody's water. Be sure and reinstall block drain plugs and close radiator petcock. Flush and fill kit anti-siphon fitting splices into a heater hose. garden hose attaches here. Exit is radiator filler neck.

My city water pressure is 53 psi, and hitting the heater core with that psi and it would be "a gonner". So I use a 15PSI pressuer reducer (home depot, etc) between the bib and the garden hose just in case. Or just open tap slowly and make sure water is flowing freely. Flush until its clear.

Close system up, reinstall thermostat, and fill with distilled water. Run engine a bit; drain refill with distill water. Do this three, four, or five times. System now contains almost 100% distill water. Drain as much as possible.

Add 50% of system capacity (from your owners or shop manual) antifreeze and top off with distilled water.

On mine, I can only drain out about 50% of capacity from radiator, so after I add antifreeze its full.

Run it a bit with radiator cap off and fill as necessary as air leaves the system. Install radiator cap, drive 15-20 miles or stabilized operating temperature. Fill reservoir to HOT full line with 50/50 antifreeze/distill water.

My $0.02

You get a lot of coolant out by pulling the lower radiator hose, but not all. You really should remove the block drain plugs also, but I don't on these old, posibly corroded engines because I worry about stripping threads. I don't think you can improve much on the procedure using the "Prestone" brand "Flush and Fill Kit".

I do this works for me: open radiator drain cock and drain coolant, catch and dispose of responsibly. Gets about half of it out. Refill with water. run engine a few minutes. Drain again. Do htihs four or five times. Almost all of antifreeze is gone now.

Use flush and fill kit. I undo the thermostat housing and remove thermostat for flushing with flush and fill kit.

Since the stuff in the system is probably 98% water now, I hook a drain hose from radiator filler neck to sewer without worrying about contaminating anybody's water. Be sure and reinstall block drain plugs and close radiator petcock. Flush and fill kit anti-siphon fitting splices into a heater hose. garden hose attaches here. Exit is radiator filler neck.

My city water pressure is 53 psi, and hitting the heater core with that psi and it would be "a gonner". So I use a 15PSI pressuer reducer (home depot, etc) between the bib and the garden hose just in case. Or just open tap slowly and make sure water is flowing freely. Flush until its clear.

Close system up, reinstall thermostat, and fill with distilled water. Run engine a bit; drain refill with distill water. Do this three, four, or five times. System now contains almost 100% distill water. Drain as much as possible.

Add 50% of system capacity (from your owners or shop manual) antifreeze and top off with distilled water.

On mine, I can only drain out about 50% of capacity from radiator, so after I add antifreeze its full.

Run it a bit with radiator cap off and fill as necessary as air leaves the system. Install radiator cap, drive 15-20 miles or stabilized operating temperature. Fill reservoir to HOT full line with 50/50 antifreeze/distill water.

My $0.02

Other then using the PRESTONE kit and removing the thermostat, is there just an easier way to do it? Radiator is only a few years old.

Respectfully,
John R.

Other then using the PRESTONE kit and removing the thermostat, is there just an easier way to do it? Radiator is only a few years old. Respectfully, John R.

No.

No.

I'm not talking a Chevelle here. Infiniti, Toyota, Nissan and Lexus.

Respectfully,
John R.

1. You might as well pull the block drain plugs (if they exist--not all engines have 'em, because they cost ten cents and some companies are too cheap and stupid to include them.) It cuts down on the amount of flushing needed; saves time and hassles. If it's an iron plug (likely) you'd want to replace it with brass, as it'll save time the next time the plug is removed.

2. Keep in mind that if you DON'T pull the block drain plug(s), you're going to have a considerable amount of water in the block after flushing. Add the appropriate amount of antifreeze FIRST, so you're sure to get it all in. Then top with distilled water.

If you don't put the antifreeze in first--or you use premixed anti-freeze--your freeze/boil protection will be much lower than you expect due to all the pure water left in the block that will dilute the coolant you add.