DIY cooling sytem flush

[denegrader]

Yeah from what i know g.m. mostly

You got this ALL wrong. The way I did it was to just to a H/C swap, that way I know everything is drained out. It's slightly more expensive BTW.


My car came with Dexcool already in it. Bought it brand new....that normal?

[denegrader]

Ok 1 hose on one water pump fitting Other to a heater hose right?
Garden hose on the fitting?
Now that with the t stat removed so it comes out the housng right?
None cold engine of course, heater on well no valve so it would also flush yer hearter?

i used 1 of those flush kits with all those plastic tees and the adapter to splice into the hose..........only i did not splice into the hose........i got some extra hose about 2 ft long.....and attached 1 end to the WP and the other end to the stock hose......eliminating the need to cut the stock hose.....attach the water hose to the Tee and flush away......saved me from having to remove the plugs......good write up

[denegrader]

Ok 1 hose on one water pump fitting Other to a heater hose right?
Garden hose on the fitting?
Now that with the t stat removed so it comes out the housng right?
None cold engine of course, heater on well no valve so it would also flush yer heater?

be back later got to polish my aluminum heads

[Smittro]

Sticky dis!! Good stuff!

I could'nt do it without making a huge mess.

[tpilews]

Any ideas on where you found the hex sockets? I couldn't find them at a couple places and could only find the 5/16" in a set. Any idea where to get them individually from a brick and mortar store?

[denegrader]

oreilys 17mm ibelieve not so uncommon

[JayTA98]

Any ideas on where you found the hex sockets? I couldn't find them at a couple places and could only find the 5/16" in a set. Any idea where to get them individually from a brick and mortar store?

I bought mine at autozone. They have a set of 3 hex sockets and it includes the ones you need. I payed like $12.

[tpilews]

I bought mine at autozone. They have a set of 3 hex sockets and it includes the ones you need. I payed like $12.

Sweet. I've got one not too far from me.

[JayTA98]

I bought mine at autozone. They have a set of 3 hex sockets and it includes the ones you need. I payed like $12.

I meant it has the 17 hex socket. they also sell a set of 6inch long hex sockets that includes the 5/16 one.

[qwik219d9]

?1. are you removing the thermostate from the housing so the heater core will get flushed?

I thought (coolant fuild up to 195 degrees) w/ the heater turned on the heater core gets flushed?

I've owned my TA since 01, flushed mine 4 times however never removed block plugs ?how much coolant fuild comes out these drain holes? and if this old fuild isn't drained will it containinate the new fuild?

[JayTA98]

?1. are you removing the thermostate from the housing so the heater core will get flushed?

I thought (coolant fuild up to 195 degrees) w/ the heater turned on the heater core gets flushed?

I've owned my TA since 01, flushed mine 4 times however never removed block plugs ?how much coolant fuild comes out these drain holes? and if this old fuild isn't drained will it containinate the new fuild?

you remove the thermostat to help circulate all the leftover coolant out of the whole system.
There is a significant amount of coolant left if you don't remove the plugs. It's up to you but my a1st time I didn't want to remove the plugs and Pajeef02 told me to do it, sure enough there was left over coolant when i pulled the plugs. If you don't want to remove the plugs then i will at least suggest to flush it multiple times until almost no coolant is visible, that will be better than no flush at all.

[qwik219d9]

yes I diffienty flush w/ clean water numurous times usalley 3 times doe's it.

I'm curious why reputable LS1 parts stores like Speed inc. ect only offer the thremostate w/ the housing for big $ now that I know how to dissassemble TS, I'm leaning toward the WS6 Stores TS only for much less.

However I don't think this TS only will work on my old housing note the differnces the old LS1 is metal around the edge where the newer style is black rubber.
http://rpmspeed.com/images/thermostat.JPG

I will most likly end up w/ a Autozone TS w/ housing for $30. that Bigdaddy suggested on my other TS thread.

are the TS housing O rings available as a single part?

Thanks

[JayTA98]

yes I diffienty flush w/ clean water numurous times usalley 3 times doe's it.

I'm curious why reputable LS1 parts stores like Speed inc. ect only offer the thremostate w/ the housing for big $ now that I know how to dissassemble TS, I'm leaning toward the WS6 Stores TS only for much less.

However I don't think this TS only will work on my old housing note the differnces the old LS1 is metal around the edge where the newer style is black rubber.
http://rpmspeed.com/images/thermostat.JPG


I will most likly end up w/ a Autozone TS w/ housing for $30. that Bigdaddy suggested on my other TS thread.

are the TS housing O rings available as a single part?

Thanks

I believe they sell the o ring by itself. I have seen the Tsat by itself but aftermarket. i know autozone sell the 160 and 185 aftermarket in the section of performance parts.

[Hurin]

Loved this (albeit old) thread.

Can someone clarify. . . with the engine block coolant plugs pulled, don't you have to have the car level for it to drain properly? Are those doing this at home actually lifting it onto jack stands, pulling the plugs, lowering it to drain, then lifting it back onto jack stands to replace the plugs, then lowering it again to fill. . . and then rinsing and repeating that whole procedure 3-5 times!?! That seems like a lot of lifting onto jack stands!

One other question: Is the teflon on the drain plugs purely precautionary? Required?

Thanks!

--H

[JayTA98]

When i did it i had on jack stands as high as i needed to get under confortable. If leveled it will drain some but it won't be that much of a difference. As soon as you pull the plugs out you will noticed the amount of fluid that comes out.

[pajeff02]

On my lift, I can independently raise and lower the left and right columns. I will often "tip" a vehicle slightly to drain more of the old fluid out. You could always place a floor jack under the differential and raise the rear of the car (safely) to drain more of the coolant. I would note that the driver side drain plug is near the front of the block and that the passenger side plug is towards the rear. As there is no lower crossover cast into the block one side will not drain the other.

[JayTA98]

On my lift, I can independently raise and lower the left and right columns. I will often "tip" a vehicle slightly to drain more of the old fluid out. You could always place a floor jack under the differential and raise the rear of the car (safely) to drain more of the coolant. I would note that the driver side drain plug is near the front of the block and that the passenger side plug is towards the rear. As there is no lower crossover cast into the block one side will not drain the other.

Ahh the beauties of having your own lift

[JayTA98]

you could always change from take the jack stands once you are not underneath the car and switch to a jack like Pajeff suggested. I did that my 1st time and got a little more coolant out. It just more time consuming. Don't get underneath the car with just the jack and not jack stands in place
please.

[TexasLS]

I see a lot of you remove the plugs in the block to drain the coolant out of the block but wouldn't removing the thermostat housing and blowing air through the steam vent push all the water from the block out of the thermostat housing?

[JayTA98]

I see a lot of you remove the plugs in the block to drain the coolant out of the block but wouldn't removing the thermostat housing and blowing air through the steam vent push all the water from the block out of the thermostat housing?

unless you have a tight seal and air doesn't leak I doubt it. I will at least suggest draining the block the 1st time and see how was the residual coolant there.