engine and drivetrain Whats the cleanest way to drain coolant? More on overheating

[PSloan]

Previously, I just pulled hoses and watched it spill on the drivaway. when I was done I Washed it all away. Im at an apartment now - car wont drive to my parents house. Whats the best thing to do?

Once the coolant got to flowing through my engine some brown junk started appearing on the top of the radiator. I'm assuming its coolant that has been in the block for 6 years - and im sure it isnt cooling properly. Also, When the PO installed the 320i radiator they used some funky hose from the rad to the tstat and its all bent.

Would it be a good idea to run the engine with the inlet to the radiator redirected and extended into a container? After the tstat opens and coolant drains, feed water/coolant into the radiator to flush out the old stuff. When I get really clean water ouf of the radiator inlet turn the car off, put the hose back on, and run it while still filling the radiator.

Good - or bad?

[robspeed]

Previously, I just pulled hoses and watched it spill on the drivaway. when I was done I Washed it all away. Im at an apartment now - car wont drive to my parents house. Whats the best thing to do?

Once the coolant got to flowing through my engine some brown junk started appearing on the top of the radiator. I'm assuming its coolant that has been in the block for 6 years - and im sure it isnt cooling properly. Also, When the PO installed the 320i radiator they used some funky hose from the rad to the tstat and its all bent.

Would it be a good idea to run the engine with the inlet to the radiator redirected and extended into a container? After the tstat opens and coolant drains, feed water/coolant into the radiator to flush out the old stuff. When I get really clean water ouf of the radiator inlet turn the car off, put the hose back on, and run it while still filling the radiator.

Good - or bad?

id reassemble it correctly and use one of those commercial flush products. follow the instructions and be done with it!

[robspeed]

and the cleanest way is a GREAT BIG CATCH PAN!!

possibly cleaner would be maybe sucking most of the coolant out with a pump, then catch the rest in the GREAT BIG CATCH PAN!!

[PSloan]

If I had a "great big catch pan", I'd do that. Lol. I Think I'm going to try my idea and report back.

[robspeed]

If I had a "great big catch pan", I'd do that. Lol. I Think I'm going to try my idea and report back.

UHH, dont use COLD water to flush out your warmed-up-enough-to-open-the-thermostat motor! that wont work anyway,,, i guarantee you there is more gunk in there than a cold flush will get to. put it together and HOT FLUSH it!

[polloelastico]

The green antifreeze has a sweet taste that animals love, the problem is that it will kill them.

ALWAYS use a bucket or something to collect the old stuff with.

[Guest Anonymous]

you can use the block drain (under the #3/#4 exaust port). that will dump half the coolant then use your locking plyers to lock the lower rad hose and pull the rad and drain it. NEVER use the water pump to try and pump dry the rad. all you will do is make a mess and could do a lot of dammage. REMEMBER coolant is EXTREAMLY toxic it takes 10,000 gallons of clean water to dilute 1 oz of coolant to "safe" levels. Another trick for pulling the lower rad hose is to pull it from the T-stat rather then at the lower neck. this will make the rad light enough to easly pull with out spillage. again use the locking needle plyers (cheapies are a few bucks) and you will be amazed how you lived with out of them.

goodluck

Sam

[MichaelP]

Do you like to fish? Hope not, 'cuz your poisoning them. As Sam says, the dilution required to detoxify antifreeze is very high. To be honest, your attitude really pisses me off, but I'll just chalk it up to ignorance. Seriously, when you say, "when I was done I Washed it all away," please remember there is no "away." Where do you think your toxins end up? Yup, whatever river your sewer system flows into.

Shade tree mechanics are among the highest gross polluters in this country, and the EPA knows it. If we don't clean up our collective act, the ability to work on your own car in your driveway will be legislated out of existence.

Get a big pan, catch the coolant and turn it in to your local auto parts shop or city recycling center.

[PSloan]

My bad. I had always been told it was easy to dilute. Shows what my parents know! Now that I know, im certainly not going to do that. Where on earth do I get a pan that big?

[polloelastico]

No need for a huge pan, use a bucket. Put the car nice and high up on jack stands so the bucket will fit. Or, just go to your local big box store and get a plastic storage container that will hold a few gallons, there isn't *that* much coolant in there.

[MichaelP]

If you were able to drain every drop (you can't, really) from the system it's only 1.5 gallons. Oil drain pans are easily available in that size. If the pan is a tight fit, point the car downhill and run the front wheels up on ramps 'til it's level -- that should give plenty of space.

[Mike Self]

why doncha fit draincocks to both the radiator and block to replace those #%^&@@ bolts. If you get draincocks with nipples on 'em, you can simply connect a short hose and neatly drain the coolant into a bucket or drain pan. The radiator drain bolt is 8mm fine thread, so you can either solder a drain cock in place or take one and recut the threads either on the radiator or the draincock.

As for the block, take the plugging bolt down to a hardware store or auto parts house and match threads with a drain cock there. Some years ago I found one where the threads fit nicely--a little Teflon tape and it's been holding for 6-8 years.

cheers

mike

[Arizona02]

a hole in middle of the lid and put your regular drain pan under the lid. the car will need to be on jackstands to drain the rear block.

[Otis]

For all sorts of auto projects -- not just flushing -- I use one of those black mortar mixing tubs that I bought at Home Depot for a couple of bucks -- you know, the type of tub that concrete guys use to hand-mix mortar. Catches everything; Lowes, Home Depot, any brick-and-block supply company, has them. Also, they make terrific covers for gas grills (not the same one -- a clean one, of course), and an even better litter box for the big guy, Mr. Boots (my 25-pound tuxudo cat). The big guy needs his space, you know . . .