Radiator Flush

[Fisher, Scott]

Igor Kessel writes:

>  The radiator now has a drain valve
> (hallelujah! Hans und Klaus have finally figured out
> that draining the sys through the lower radiator hose
> is a low tech approach even by the GM standards).

While finding a radiator drain valve is always just cause for celebration
(my '67 Alfa used to have this cool little spigot on the back of the engine
block so you could drain easily from there, too), I remember how quickly and
easily the radiator in my '83 CGT drained when I replaced the fan switch,
conveniently located right where a drain valve would be, at the bottom of
the radiator.  Since it's time for me to replace the coolant again (two
years, but more important, it's after Labor Day and I'm north of the 45th
Parallel these days) that's what I was planning to do.  Don't know how many
other Audis have the fan switch at the bottom, but it's the logical thing to
pull for a coolant flush.  I believe I wiped on a little of the brown
Permatex (the kind that never hardens) when I put the switch in four years
ago, but I'm not sure.

If there's a serious oh-my-God-don't-do-THAT reason not to, let me know now,
as we're planning to get the blue Uber-Coolant this weekend and do a
flush-and-fill then.  (And yes, I *was* planning to undo the wire from the
spade connector; I can just imagine that posting: "I went to remove the fan
switch and while I was screwing it out, the wire twisted and twisted and
broke off..." :-)

--Scott Fisher
  Tualatin, Oregon