coolant flushing, refilling

[Huw Powell]

> So I finally decide to tackle changing the coolant, which looks
> pretty disgusting, and sure enough, when I drain it, it comes out a
> very nasty dark brown.  Ugh.
>
> So fill it up with fresh tap water, run it for a while, drain that,
> comes out still pretty brown/green.  Repeat.

My preferred method is to truly *flush* it.  Open up a few places (as
many as possible...) and stick a garden hose in any or all of them for
10-15 minutes at a time, letting the water come gushing out wherever it
wants to.  Making sure things like the heater valve are open, and
obviously this is best with the t-stat out.  Spend all afternoon playing
with hose combinations until I figure it is really clean in there.  Gush
the radiator as well, the overflow/expansion tank, etc.

Seal everything up, which will leave some water in the bottom of the
block.  Find the coolant capacity in the Bentley, divide by two.  Add
that much antifreeze (for a 50/50 mix, at least).  Use water to finish
all topping up.

> It never boils over with the cap on, so my thought is this- is the
> Bentley procedure really only for when you've got water AND coolant
> in the engine, not just water?

Water won't work, it can't handle the temps and will boil over,
basically.

--
Huw Powell

http://www.humanspeakers.com/

http://www.humanthoughts.org/