Need some advice/opinions

[Red99TA]

Friday I plan on doing a complete coolant flush, prolly gonna drain the rad, disconnect the hose at the heater, then run it for 15 min with a hose running water through the top of the rad. I plan on replacing the tstat as well, does this sound like a good way to go about flushing it completely and does it really matter what tstat I go with (oem replacement), I plan on getting the tstat from oreillys, and I'm changing to the prestone all make premixed coolant.

Also, I've noticed in the mornings its hard to get the car in gear (with it running of course), the best way to I can explain it is, if you were to go and back out first thing and it was hard to get in rev, you usually try to go to 1st or 2nd to get everything lined up so to speak, well its hard to get into first or any other gear for that matter, the car is a 99 t/a, m6 (obviously), no mods to the tranny/clutch etc. I had a friend drive it and he said it seems more hydraulic related, so instead of throwing parts at it, I'm trying to possibly get some real knowledge on the issue. I hope its not the slave bc I might as well do the clutch etc with it and I can't afford that right now as we're expecting. So I'm hoping it would be more master cylinder, if thats the case I'll prolly try to get an 01-02. Any help is appreciated, and sorry for the novel

[sunsetorangess]

Since you plan on changing the coolant make sure you do a good flush, Mixing dex and Green causes big issues. If your pulling the stat then leave it out and run the system with the hose, you will also wanna pull the block plugs to ensure all the dexcool is out of th engine.
It realy doesnt matter which brand T-stat you use. One is as good as the next, just ensure its rated the same as the stocker...
How much play does the clutch pedal have? When you press the pedal does it engage closer to the floor or once you start to depress the pedal?
Congrats on the "expecting"
J

[KMdef9]

There are drains on the motor too.

[Hi-Po]

This is how I did it two days ago.

Drain radiator.

Fill and drain 3x with water. Run engine for 10-15 minute each time.

Fill radiator with PEAK (or your choice) cooling system flush/cleaner. Top off with water.

Drive for a few hours and end by turning the heater on high.

Drain

Flush 3 more time with water to get all that system cleaner out. There is a plug on the drivers side block. You can pull that and drain everything left in there also.

I am DEX Cool number one hater. I dont use it anymore.

DO NOT mix the coolant's. ELC and NON ELC. The result is very nasty and takes a long time to get rid of. I have been fighting my cooling system since I bought ther car. Previous owner was a real tool.

[Red99TA]

Thanks for the congrats orange, my friend who drove it said it doesn't feel like the clutch doesn't engage until late, it feels the same as when I got it (jan), although after I raced a few times the clutch did not feel right at all, wouldn't really return to normal position. I'm going to put some cooling system cleaner we have at the shop in my rad, run the car at idle with the heat on for 30 min, then drain the rad, remove the heater hoses and the lower rad hose from the rad and flush it with water til it runs clear. I guess one of the tards who owned it before me put reg water with the dex.

[rbob93]

That looks like the sludge that forms because of air in the system

[Hi-Po]

Honestly, mine lookd way worse then that. It obviously had alot of mixed coolant in it. It was just drained when I did my cam swap a year ago. I need to take pictures of what I got out of mine, just nasty.

[sunsetorangess]

Yummmy, I would also replace the cap if you havent already. Make sure you do a good flush since it is looking pretty bad.
J

[Red99TA]

Well I finally got it done, $70 and 7 hrs later I have no more dex in the cooling system and fresh oil lol. We flushed the rad, heater core, and block till it ran clear, part of it taking so long was having to wait for the block to cool from running for 30 min with the cooling system cleaner, did a pretty good job. Had a small leak from the lower rad hose where it slides over the tstat housing, repositioned the clamp (may have not gotten the way it was before I pulled it which was possibly causing the leak), drove it about 2 miles, came back and no leaks.

Now I gotta deal with the rear knock sensor, the car is 10 yrs old but I gotta ask anyways, are they notorious for going bad? Should I replace both while I'm there? And is there anything else that needs to be replaced while the intake mani is off? Thanks