Coolant replacement

[AussieIan]

Now I've done a search and there is lots of info bleeding the coolant, blending the coolant using demin water etc. But what is the best way of flushing the old coolant out so you can start from fresh with a drained engine. I have a man EJ22. Thanks

[applegump]

If memory serves, according to Chilton's, all you do is open the drain plug on the radiator, the "burp" valve on top of the radiator , and the drain plugs on the bottom of the engine. Then you add water until only clear water comes out everywhere. Then you let it drain, close everything up and refill.

[cookie]

but now it is a bit of a worry that coolant causes environmental damage. If at all possible it should be recycled.

[AussieIan]

Good point cookie, who or how do you recycle the stuff.

[hawksoob]

Mmany bottles I've read indicate you can pour the stuff down the drain as along as you are not on a sceptic field. City sewer systems are OK for disposal of the stuff.

 

However, if you are concerned, check your local recycling centers and see if they have a disposal center for household waste like A/F and paints and stuff.

[cookie]

that will take it from me, since I buy my radiators there.

Some places where you buy it let you bring it back to recycle, same as motor oil.

If it says OK to use local drains on the container that would be fine.

More like, what do you guys do in Oz?

[myles]

Originally posted by cookie

but now it is a bit of a worry that coolant causes environmental damage. If at all possible it should be recycled.

 

...not to mention that pets will drink coolant, and the ethylene glycol can kill them.

[1 Lucky Texan]

It doesn't take much and it isn't a pleasant death. Insoluble oxalates form in the kidneys. Interestingly, if you see you pet drink antifreeze, their best hope is booze. It will interrupt the metabolic chain that forms the oxalate and hopefully the glycol will pass through. better be damn quick though. nasty I might have a deatil or 2 a little confused,

Any vets on the board?

 

(curiously, a few months ago I read about an 'anti-drunkeness' pill supposedly made form an old Soviet spy pill that sorta interupts the metabolic path alcohol takes in the body, I emailed them that it should be tested as an antifreeze poison antidote. Got a thank you back but never heard anything else.)

[forester2002s]

Another point about refilling the coolant. No matter how many times you flush the system, and no matter how well you think that you have drained it, there is always water left in the system (gets caught in hoses, heater cores, little pockets here and there).

 

And so you cannot get the spec. volume of fresh coolant back in.

 

So don't premix the coolant (60/40 or whatever), and expect to get it all in. IT WON'T FIT (in my experience on many cars, over many years).

 

What I do is to measure out the amount of undiluted antifreeze that I need to add, and start pouring this into the radiator. Run the engine a bit to clear air-locks, and to allow the thermostat to open, and keep filling up with the undiluted stuff. If it all goes in, then top up with water. I always fill the overflow reservoir with the correct coolant mixture to the lower 'fill' line; it is best not to put either neat anti-freeze nor pure water into the reservoir, just in case this fluid does not mix straight away with the contents of the radiator.

 

After running the car for a bit, recheck the coolant level in the overflow reservoir, and top up as necessary.

[Setright]

You might be best off flushing the system with tap water. The lime scale will bind itself to the detergents of the old coolant. Drain, fill with tap water, run at idle with the rad cap and bleeder off. Drain again.

 

I recommend leaving the block plugs in, instead remove the thermostat housing and thermo to drain. New gasket and thermostat would be a good idea too.

 

 

It took me about 1000km to get all the air out of my EJ22 after the last flush - and my rad is only two years old.

[AussieIan]

Why do you recommend leaving the block plugs in setright?

[Setright]

Mainly on the assumption that they have been there a long time, it's an aluminium block. If they have seized, you probably won't notice until the plugs have pulled the threads out with them

[Chris4141]

Just curious, when backflushing a coolant system is it preferrable or recommended to remove the thermostat first?

[cookie]

I use a good antifreeze for the life of an engine and by the time the engine gets crudded up it is time to rebuild.

I backflush in the hot tank at the machinist's shop.

[Atomic Robot]

Our community collects antifreeze / oil / etc. for curbside recycling so it's not a big deal for me to unload the old stuff.

 

For people that don't have this available, some repair shops will take it- sometimes free, sometimes for a small fee.

 

Don't make the mistake of dumping it down a storm drain; just as bad as dumping it in your yard. If it's OK to pour down the drain, make sure it's the sanitary sewer so it will end up at the treatment plant.

 

- Kills pets.

 

 

- Also kills evil, nasty, horrible rats. Don't ask.

[myles]

Originally posted by forester2002s

Another point about refilling the coolant. No matter how many times you flush the system, and no matter how well you think that you have drained it, there is always water left in the system (gets caught in hoses, heater cores, little pockets here and there).

 

And so you cannot get the spec. volume of fresh coolant back in.

 

So don't premix the coolant (60/40 or whatever), and expect to get it all in. IT WON'T FIT (in my experience on many cars, over many years).

 

What I do is to measure out the amount of undiluted antifreeze that I need to add, and start pouring this into the radiator. Run the engine a bit to clear air-locks, and to allow the thermostat to open, and keep filling up with the undiluted stuff. If it all goes in, then top up with water. I always fill the overflow reservoir with the correct coolant mixture to the lower 'fill' line; it is best not to put either neat anti-freeze nor pure water into the reservoir, just in case this fluid does not mix straight away with the contents of the radiator.

 

After running the car for a bit, recheck the coolant level in the overflow reservoir, and top up as necessary.

 

The Subaru stuff is 50/50 mix as sold. What do the dealers charge for it typically?

[CROSSTBOLT]

Anybody know what the FACTORY does to fill the cooling system? Surely they do not use all the elaborate techniques we have to use to FILL the system! What is the word on this?

 

Karl

[Setright]

I expect they vacuum all the air out, and then fill it with coolant under pressure.

 

You can also disconnect the throttle body coolant hose, this is the highest point in the system, and will help when bleeding.

[cookie]

I used to have to bleed greyhound busses.

First the engine, then the coolant tanks, then 10 heaters, and the driver's heater was way at the front.

When I have to change the antifreeze on mine I will rig a bleeding hose with a valve to make it easy.

[SevenSisters]

Getting all the air out is a pain. I've used a little vacuum pump to suck out some of the trapped air, but it's still a pain.

What would your bleed setup consist of and walk me through the procedure.

Thanks

[cookie]

as I have not needed it yet.

It will be a brass petcock with hose attachment at the highest point of the engine. The hose will run to a Y on the overflow tank input tube.

Might also run one from the highest heater hose if needed.

Brass petcock only becuse the other metals tend to be corroded when you need it to open.

This is based on bus design.

[cookie]

procedure.

I usually drain both block and heater.

I tend to do this when all hoses and thermostat are ready to go so everything is pretty much drained anyway.

Keep in mind I live in CA so things are not very corroded.

You may have trouble draining you block back there, but the first time mine needs draining it gets brass fittings. I isolate the metals with plumbers tape to avoid dissimilar metal problems.

I will install the bleeders on the way back together.

With a Subaru things will be a bit different as on most cars I fill the block with the thermostat out.

With the Subie I expect to slowly fill the system with the bleeders and radiator cap open. Then squeeze the hoses to get bubbles out. There should be enough fluid in the expansion tank to submerge the bleeder hose.

Then I would start the car and let it idle with the radiator cap off slowly adding more antifreeze.

I like to premix if I can, but this is up to you.

Then run around the block and do it again.