Best way to drain radiator?

[rapdes]

I'm going to be replacing the thermostat on my 94 X this weekend. I was wondering is there a petcock to drain the radiator fluid partially before pulling the thermostat or do I need to remove the lower radiator hose?

 

[jimbo74]

there is a petcock its on the right side of the vehicle at the bottom of the radiator, also removing the lower hose will help as well....

 

[Blee1099]

Pop open the cap and remove the lower hose. Watch that sucker pour out.

 

[DeRocha]

Slip a short lenght of rubber hose over the petcock and drain it into containers without spilling a drop.

 

[SiLenZe]

i did mine that way but it was extremely slow. also when you opened the valve all the way it would leak around the edges.

 

[chris c]

you don't even need to drain the radiator to change the thermostat. you won't lose much coolant at all.

keep the rad. cap on, swap the thermo, take cap off, run and re-top fluid.

 

[410Fortune]

he's right you wont lose that mch coolant, but remember coolant is bad for the ground, so use something to catch it please, I get sick of seeing people jst pour colant on the ground and lave it there....bad bad bad

You can use the drain petcock to drain the rad, it takes a little while, or you can remove the lower hose. Whichever you do, catch the spilled coolant and dispose oft properly.

Now you do not have to drain the coolant to swap thermostats, thats correct, but this is the perfet time to flush out the old stuff and fill with new.

Often a coolant flush is overlooked and the old stuff is left in there WAT too long. This can really damage a radiator and waterpump........

 

[jgilbs]

yea but if you do a flush and use flushing chemicals be SURE not to leave them in overnight, as I did last night. Flush Chemicals are NOT antifreeze, so they will freeze and expand inside your car. Now I need a new engine, radiator, water pump and heater core. not to mention replacing basically every coolant hose

 

[poconosms1]

but remember coolant is bad for the ground, so use something to catch it please, I get sick of seeing people jst pour colant on the ground and lave it there....bad bad bad

gee, and I was going to say drain it over a gutter or streem. That way it washes away

 

[unclemeat]

Anti-freeze is deadly to animals. I have been told that it has a sweet taste, that the animals like.

 

[have2goski]

i just did this on a '91

get a bucket and just open the drain at the bottom as mentioned.

while it is draining....

remove your intake tube(hose clamp on maf and hose clamp on TB),

let the tension off the belt, remove the tensioner assembly (2 big bolts hold it on)

take the hose off the housing

this will give you tons of room to get at the 3 bolts holding the thermostat housing on.

by now the coolant will be drained

swap the t-stat and put everything back together.

check to see if your coolant is ok to reuse or mix up new and fill back up with coolant.

drive and check coolant level and check for any leaks at hose or housing.

It seems like more work than it is.

I did it cause people on this board had voiced how hard it was to get at the lower left bolt. with all that stuff out of the way it is cake. the openness also lets you clean the mounting face for the thermostat on the engine easily

 

[Rhett]

One time I drained a rad by pulling off the lower hose...
and I got a mouthful of coolant. hehehe. It was actually kinda tasty sweet like unclemeat said. I have had no long-term effects from drinking coolant, I swear...

 

[Blee1099]

I didn't even notice the stuff about you changing your thermostat.. You don't need to drain your radiator to change it unless you plan on doing a flush of the system.

 

[Jokeman]

Im planning on draining mine this weekend. Anyone know how much coolant a 94 will hold? Just wondering what size bucket Im gonna need Thanks